The legalization of sports betting in North Carolina has attracted millions of dollars in bets and, by the end of the first week of legal wagering, almost $200 million was bet on sports. While many local fans were excited to support their local teams, some were not too happy when they lost their bets.
While most fans simply moved on with their lives, some took these losses personally, causing them to harass athletes on the internet. As a result, college athletes in the state were subjected to more harassment than ever.
During a UNC press conference, UNC basketball player Armando Bacot commented on the matter, saying that sports betting has had some terrible consequences on the sector. He explained that his DMs were flooded with negative messages despite his decent performance.
Itβs terrible. Even at the last game, I guess I didnβt get enough rebounds or something. I thought I played pretty good last game, but I looked at my DMs, and I got, like, over 100 messages from people telling me I sucked and stuff like that because I didnβt get enough rebounds.
Armando Bascot
Bacot added that the issue is getting a little out of hand. Despite that, he tried to be understanding and acknowledged the frustration of people who have wagered a lot of money only to lose them.
Like, if you bet a lot of money on something, and youβre, like, one pick away and somebody messes it up, I understand the part of fans being made. But itβs annoying, too, at times.
Armando Bascot
NCAA Believes a Prop Bet Ban Would Mitigate the Damage
The ongoing harassment toward athletes has once again prompted discussions around prop bets. Previously, the president of the NCAA, Charles Baker, suggested that prop bets should be banned. He argued that such wagers compromise the integrity of the sport while exposing athletes to harassment.
Amid similar concerns, Maryland recently said βnoβ to single-game college props.
However, bettors believe that banning prop bets would be too harsh. FOX8 WGHP spoke with bettors, who acknowledged that wagering can be stressful but expressed disagreement with Bakerβs desire to ban props.
Punters pointed out that most fans do not harass players and that prop bets are just a fun way to immerse oneself in the action.