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Major League Baseball players are dealing with growing levels of online harassment, and many believe sports betting is fueling it. As reported by Associated Press, Several athletes have come forward to share how threats and abusive messages are now part of their daily lives, both on and off the field.
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Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. recently hired 24-hour security to protect his family following death threats. Though he did not blame betting directly, others in the league say they are certain angry bettors are behind many of the abusive messages.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Justin Wilson noted the pattern: “You get a lot of DMs or stuff like that about you ruining someone’s bet or something ridiculous like that,” he said. “I guess they should make better bets.”
Veteran players like Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich say the harassment has become constant. According to him, the volume of abuse is now so high that it barely phases players anymore.
“It’s increased to the point that you’re just: ‘All right, here we go,’” Yelich said. “It doesn’t even really register on your radar anymore. It’s not just me. It’s everybody in here, based on performance.”
With legal sports betting now active in 38 U.S. states, fans can wager from their seats or phones during live games. Many players say they regularly hear bettors heckling them from the stands.
Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene removed himself from social media altogether after repeated abusive messages from upset bettors.
“It sucks, but it’s the world we live in, and we can’t do anything about it,” Greene said. “People would DM me and say nasty things, tell me how bad of a player I am, and say nasty stuff that we don’t want to hear.”
In one alarming case last season, Cleveland Guardians pitcher Logan Allen said a bettor actually followed him home after losing a wager, leading to a face-to-face confrontation.
Others have reported unsolicited money requests on Venmo and regular abuse through direct messages.
Enough is enough.
After McCullers received threats, the Astros contacted both the league and local police in Houston. Authorities confirmed an active investigation. In response, McCullers arranged immediate protection for his wife and two daughters.
“You have to at this point,” he told the Associated Press.
Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendricks, who also received threats, voiced his frustration over the lack of meaningful response from MLB security. “Nothing ends up happening,” he said. “The abuse occurs again the next night.”
Hendricks called for collective action. “Enough is enough,” he said. “At some point, someone has to make a stand. The more eyes we get on it, the more voices we get talking about it, hopefully it can push it in the right direction.”