Bryce Harper, the star outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, was in the spotlight for Monday night’s Home Run Derby in his home ballpark. But not before he was in the spotlight for something more delicate: a video he sent that was used to promote the sports-betting platform FanDuel.
The 2024 video, first reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, was recorded for Cameo, which allows users to pay celebrities for video messages. In it, Harper tells a user: “Hey, man, your host Bryttanni from FanDuel wanted to make sure your Thanksgiving was extra special.”
But in a statement on Instagram, Harper said Monday he would not have made the video had he known it would be used to promote betting.
“I did not know FanDuel would do this,” Harper wrote. “I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it.”
As The Washington Post reported last year, sportsbooks employ “VIP hosts” to cultivate and retain high-value customers, often by offering perks, promotions and personalized outreach.
The Harper video was allegedly sent to Terry Thompson, who has sued FanDuel, his VIP host, DraftKings, the NFL and Genius Sports, claiming the companies contributed to roughly $2 million in betting losses.
FanDuel has defended its host programs, saying employees are “trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling.”
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The post Bryce Harper, VIP hosts and how sportsbooks keep bettors in the game appeared first on Washington Post.
