Anonymous NFL Players Reveal Death Threats, Slurs and Venmo Requests from Bettors in New Report

Nearly 71 percent of the 78 NFL players polled by The Athletic said they have received direct communications from fans relating to a negative betting or fantasy football outcome.

"Oh my gosh, since that has been a thing, all the time," one player on an AFC team said. "You can't respond to it. Since betting and fantasy has become more relevant, it's crazy. Like, I'm talking about threats. But if we did something to a fan, it would be a big story."

One player from the NFC said fans contact him in direct messages "all the time."

"People use slurs. People have said they'd kill me," he said. "I hadn't seen the ball thrown my way, and I remember someone said they'd kill me. But I know it's anonymous, and it's just people saying stuff. It's the internet."

Multiple players said they've received Venmo requests from fans looking to recoup gambling losses. One said it happened when he was in college and his team competed in the national title game.

This problem isn't isolated to the NFL.

In May 2024, the NCAA published a report based on data collected during the 2023-24 championship season. It found that "one in 3 high-profile athletes receive abusive messages from someone with a betting interest."

More than 54,000 posts related to the men's and women's basketball championships alone were analyzed, and 4,000 were labeled as "abusive or threatening."

USA Today's Bob Nightengale spoke with multiple MLB players in June 2024 who have been targeted for abuse or harassment. Veteran pitcher Logan Allen recounted one instance in which an aggrieved fan followed him home after a game.

Paul Sewald, who was the Arizona Diamondbacks' closer at the time, called the situation "scary" and "sad."

"It used to be fans who were upset because you blew the game for the team, but now it's gambling," he told Nightengale. "These people don't really care about the Diamondbacks. They just care about their bets, and we're talking about money they don't have that they are losing. So, it's a very scary spot."

The Athletic story said that "most" of the NFL players polled choose not to respond to any gambling or fantasy-related messages.