Portland Trail Blazers Address Gambler’s Comment with Addiction Hotline

The expansion of sports betting across the United States came along with fears of excessive gambling and abuse against professional and collegiate athletes. As it turns out, concerns about athlete abuse are not unfounded, considering there’s a growing number of bettors who may post threatening messages on social media or use other means to affect athletes. One such case involving a Portland, Oregon basketball team exploded in the face of a gambler who took the issue to social media.

Injury Update Sparks Unexpected Criticism

Earlier this week, the Portland Trail Blazers, a popular Portland-based basketball team that competes in the NBA, posted an injury update regarding Anfernee Simons. After the team’s first-quarter win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Emirates Cup, the guard complained of shortness of breath.

This was unexpected but the Trail Blazers were not prepared to risk the health of their player which is why they released an update on X, formerly Twitter, explaining that Simons won’t be returning for the game. “INJURY UPDATE: Anfernee Simons (chest) will not return to tonight’s game vs. MIN,” reads a statement released by the Trail Blazers.

The injury update captured the attention of one gambler who likely placed a parlay bet, considering their criticism of the injury update. The user with the nickname Michigan Made responded to the Trail Blazers’ update writing: “There goes everyone’s parlay smh injuries are ruining the fun of sports betting and rigging is at an all-time high.” The response reached many users and at the time of writing had amassed a mind-boggling 5.7 million views, many likes and hundreds of comments.

But the Trail Blazers wouldn’t let a bettor criticize them for the decision to keep Simons away from the game due to an injury. The team posted a serious response, although some users online found it hilarious. In response to the likely bettor, the Trail Blazers submitted a screenshot containing information about the national gambling addiction helpline number, 1-800-GAMBLER.

The Debate Attracts an Avalanche of Replies

The X user Michigan Made replied to the team’s screenshot with the national gambling addiction helpline by writing: “Lmao” along with a clapping hands emoji. After that, they tagged FanDuel and DraftKings, asking if changes could be implemented to the rules for parlay bets regarding in-game injuries. “Respect to all the players battling injuries,” the same user wrote.

An avalanche of replies on the topic followed with some users posting funny GIFs, while others wrote “Lmao” and some even insulted the bettor who started the discussion. One online user who joined the debate wrote “Seek help,” while the opinion of another one was: “Delete this, then get help.” While some users encouraged the bettor to stop using the parlay option, others told him to stop gambling altogether and call the gambling helpline.

The joking responses may have put a smile on the faces of many gamblers and sports fans alike. Still, the heated debate once again raised concerns about the impact of betting on sports and the difficult position of athletes who want to do their best for their team but are sometimes bullied online by disgruntled gamblers.