New scene at NBA games: Fans screaming at players about their losing bets

[LakeVermilion]

https://theathletic.com/5381978/2024/04/02/nba-gambling-players-fans-interactions/

The recent surge in legalized gambling in every pro league, and throughout college athletics, has impacted American sports in ways thought unimaginable just a few years ago. But along with the potential good that hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues bring to the NBA and other leagues, something new and ominous has arrived: verbal abuse directed at players and coaches based solely on fans’ wagers.

Fans can now bet in real-time on their smartphones, on all aspects of the game, including minutiae such as how many rebounds one player might get in the first half, and how many points will be scored by a team in the fourth quarter. And if their bets don’t deliver, they’re taking it out on the players.

(snip)

For decades, other than one-off events like the Super Bowl and March Madness office pools, gambling was the third rail of sports. College basketball was rocked by numerous point-shaving scandals. Professional leagues forcefully distanced themselves from betting, even refusing to play games in Las Vegas, where it was legal and popular. Then the Supreme Court opened the door to legalized sports wagering in 2018, and a sea change ensued.

(snip)

Teams now have partnerships with casinos and build their arenas next to them. Announcers, long allergic to any references to betting, now commonly cite wagering information during broadcasts. The NBA recently announced that it would allow fans watching games on its streaming app to track betting odds and click through to make bets with the league’s betting partners, FanDuel and DraftKings.



This article brings some questions to mind: 1. How good is this economy, when millions of people have money to spend on betting? 2. With guns so available, when will the mix of guns, sports, and betting produce a tragedy? 3. Why do I feel that MAGAs are at the center of questions 1 and 2?

[MichMan]

1. I wouldn't have expected that a significant portion of the NBA fans attending games were MAGA's

[ok_cpu]

2. The seats in range to yell at players and be heard

are largely the domain of the 1% and out of reach of most people.

Edited to add maybe not strictly MAGA, but likely to be pretty entitled folk.

[LakeVermilion]

5. I'm thinking two thoughts...

1. Many of the gamblers would be White and male...

2. This probably applies to all sports, not just the NBA.

[EYESORE 9001]

7. Then who's doing all the yelling?

ANTIFA?

[MichMan]

9. Haven't been to a game in decades, so have no idea who does what.

Last NBA game I attended was the Pistons over 20 years ago and that was on a work outing by my wife's employer.

You would literally have to pay me to attend an NBA game now

[ok_cpu]

11. NBA has changed a ton in 20 years

20 years ago, we'd get lower-bowl seats the day of games for less than face value. Now it's the rafters unless you're willing to spend hundreds on a seat.

[Voltaire2]

3. Corrupt outcomes are a certainty.

[ok_cpu]

6. Already happened

They caught a player betting the under for his personal performance and taking himself out of games recently.

[Joinfortmill]

4. Not good.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. For Me #3 Is Doubtful

As to #2, not sure how guns get in.

Tragedies like the Boston Marathon bombing, Pennsylvania high school stabbing spree and gun rampages like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary are unfortunate events that have served as a wake-up call to many large venues. Some of these are the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA events, where metal detectors are now mandatory.

As to #1, everybody with sense knows the economy is very healthy. It's gas & groceries that cause angst beyond what's reasonable. If people can make nominal bets on how many points Player X gets in Q4, they've got the money. The bets, in fact, may be trivial compared to the cost of going to the game. $$$$ for a game is not trivial.

https://www.security101.com/blog/protecting-crowds-in-sport-arenas-with-metal-detectors#:~:text=Some%20of%20these%20are%20the,metal%20detectors%20are%20now%20mandatory.

[imanamerican63]

10. I can remember when beating on sports was illegal and in some cases it still is!

When I was in high school, there were kids secretively beating on games and they got caught, but it went deeper than that! Coaches and fathers in the gambling ring too. There was a coach from another school who was the ring leader lost his job and did some time in jail. Now forty some years later? It’s legal? Yikes! The law doesn’t make you responsible, it will make your life miserable! Money and gambling is the root of all evil! I like to gamble some, slots or Blackjack is the only thing I care to do & I only play with a small amounts of money.

[Johnny2X2X]

12. Back to the Future part 2

In some ways, I feel like we're living in that alternative future where Biff is the king of all.

[LakeVermilion]

13. TSF is Biff...

Good one!!!