Auburn Tigers Quarterback Says Angry Bettors Have Asked Him to Pay Them Back

Betting-prompted harassment of professional and college athletes remains a serious problem faced by the American sports sector. Payton Thorne, senior quarterback for the Auburn Tigers, weighed in on the matter, sharing his experience with online harassment.

Bullies Have Multiple Ways to Harass Athletes Now
Thorne appeared on The Next Round podcast, providing some insights into the online bullying he has faced. He noted that he had been contacted by disgruntled bettors multiple times and asked to reimburse them for their losses. Some have even tracked his account on Venmo, an American mobile payment service, and requested payments.

Thorne jokingly added that he has, interestingly, never received cash from fans. The quarterback criticized angry bettors for wanting the money they lost to wagering back since they never give players any money when their bets and parlays are actually successful.  

It’s funny. When they lose money, they want their money back. But when they win money on a parlay, no one’s ever sent me any money.

Payton Thorne
Luckily, Thorne seemed more or less unbothered by the bettors who have been trying to harass him online. However, he noted that it is not always easy to ignore bullies nowadays since they have more than one way to “come at you.”

Unfortunately, not everyone has been so lucky.

Harassment in Sports Is a Serious Problem
Player harassment continues to plague the sporting sector, exposing athletes to unnecessary stress. The rapid growth of the wagering sector has only exacerbated this issue. Now, more Americans than ever have access to betting, increasing the chances of harassment-related incidents.

Whereas previously angry bettors have been content to only harass players on social media, they have now started digging out players’ Venmo accounts, requesting payments from sports players whenever their wagers lose.

Max Homa, a professional golfer, has expressed exasperation at this trend, saying that it tends to be really tiring.

Other bettors have been contacting athletes on social media and threatening them with violence.  

In the meantime, sports leagues have been desperately seeking solutions. Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred recently commented on the matter, saying that league officials are considering a more proactive approach.

The stress and potential danger such threats expose college athletes to have prompted certain states to implement a ban on college player prop bets. The NCAA has been the main promoter of such a measure, arguing that it would protect the sports players while also maintaining the integrity of sports.