ESPN’s Rece Davis is in Hot Water After Calling Gambling Pick “Risk-Free Investment”
ESPN host Rece Davis has found himself in unexpected hot water after referring to betting analyst Erin Dolan’s pick of Northwestern to score under 60.5 points against UConn on Sunday as “risk-free-investment.”
In a segment on ESPN’s College GameDay today, Davis’s deadpan response to Dolan’s pick drew the ire of gamblers and may have perked the ears of gambling regulators.
Photo: NY Post
“You know what?” Davis said to Dolan. “Some would call this wagering, gambling. I think the way you’ve sold this, I think what it is, is a risk-free investment.”
ESPN Has Embraced Sports Gambling
ESPN, of course, entered into a $2 billion agreement with Penn Entertainment to launch the new ESPN Bet sportsbook. Along with the launch of the app, ESPN has seen a corresponding increase in gambling coverage flood its network since the deal went through.
Photo: ESPN
Davis’s comment was likely made in jest, as Dolan had just admitted that her Northwestern pick was not particularly based on research.
“We’re going to get a little spicy here. This is going to be a sweat,” she said. “I wish I could give you a ton of research on why this is going to hit under. But we look at UConn, they like to slow down the tempo. Same thing goes for Northwestern. If they want to stay in this game, they are going to have to slow down UConn’s offense.”
Photo: ESPN
Still, last year, when Penn was still aligned with Barstool Sports, the latter’s Big Cat’s “Can’t Lose Parlay” drew the ire of regulators and eventually led to a $250,000 fine. Such a punishment could once again be in Penn’s future.
Davis Confirms He Was Joking
After Davis’s comments rippled across social media, the ESPN personality took to X to affirm that his comment was made in jest.
Photo: Athlon Sports
“During a segment this morning on @CollegeGameDay, due to @ESPNBet picks hitting yesterday, I joked the advice was more like ‘risk free investing.’ As we all know, such a thing does not exist,” Davis wrote.
“Obviously, there are risks. Though I’m not a gambler, I strongly encourage those who do partake, do so with prudence, care, caution, fiscal and personal responsibility and never over-extend. Sports are unpredictable. Wagering is tricky. So let’s agree to manage monetary risks appropriately. I’m sure most recognized my comment was tongue-in-cheek. Just to clarify.”
During a segment this morning on @CollegeGameDay,due to @ESPNBet picks hitting yesterday, I joked the advice was more like “risk free investing.” As we all know, such a thing does not exist. Obviously, there are risks. Though I’m not a gambler, I strongly encourage those who do
— Rece Davis (@ReceDavis) March 24, 2024
While little will likely come out of Davis’s comments, his quip feeds into long-held concerns about the blend of Disney-owned ESPN and gambling.
With the marriage an uneasy one from the beginning and regulators on high alert, Davis and his ESPN cohorts will want to be more careful.
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