Baltimore Ravens’ Jackson Says Bettors Harass Players Even after a Win

Disgruntled bettors who harass professional athletes after losing wagers are nothing new. While most target sports players who lose, it seems that winners aren’t safe either.

Jackson: Individual Performance Doesn’t Matter

In a recent post on X, Lamar Jackson, star quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, expressed frustration with bettors who harass his team. He pointed out that these types of sports bettors do not care whether a team wins or loses and are only interested in multiplying their money.

On September 29, Jackson’s team steamrolled the then-undefeated Buffalo Bills, marking a historic victory. The Ravens dominated the Bills with a 35-10 result, demonstrating the team’s incredible potential in the NFL.

Yet, even that was not enough for bettors who allegedly criticized Jackson for his unremarkable performance. Jackson finished with 156 passing yards – a result that likely failed to meet some sportsbook enthusiasts’ prop bet requirements.

In his post, Jackson emphasized that football is a team sport and not an individual game. While he admitted that he was not satisfied with his personal performance, he added that even if he threw 50 yards and his team won, that would be good enough.

If I throw for 50 yds and we WIN, that’s wtf matters. Yall stop commenting on our socials about the yds yall fan duel or parlays ain’t hit.

Lamar Jackson

He was later asked to elaborate on his comments, to which he replied that football isn’t an individual game. Despite boasting two MVP accolades, Jackson admitted that individual stats are mostly irrelevant and that winning is the only thing that matters ultimately. The Ravens, he said, play to win games, not to help people win bets.

Athlete Harassment Is a Serious Issue

As mentioned, athlete harassment is not anything new. Since the PASPA’s repeal in 2018, legal sports betting has been quickly spreading across the US, engaging millions of Americans. Unfortunately, some sports fans have shown they care little about sports themselves and more about winning wagers.

The harassment of collegiate sports players in particular has been very concerning, sparking calls to ban certain forms of wagering that expose younger athletes to stress and danger.

The NCAA has been the main promoter of a ban on college player prop bets, arguing that it would protect the sports players while also maintaining the integrity of sports.