FanDuel Announces Decision On Bettor Who 'Heckled' US Track Star
Legalized sports betting has changed how many fans view leagues, athletes, events and sometime even sports themselves. Adding value to each game or event raises the stakes both literally and figuratively, and one Olympic gold medalist feels that a spectator crossed the line with their conduct.
After last weekend's Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia, sprinter Gabby Thomas said that she was constantly bothered by a man at the track.
Thomas, who won three gold medals last summer in Tokyo, responded to a video the man posted on social media.
"I made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win," the man said in the video's caption. In the video, a man can be heard telling Thomas "don't choke like you did yesterday" as she prepares for a race.
This grown man followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults- anybody who enables him online is gross https://t.co/f9a6vPkX0v
— Gabby Thomas (@itsgabbyt) June 2, 2025
In her response to the video, Thomas said the man "followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults."
The man posted his successful FanDuel bet in a screenshot on the video, and the online sportsbook has responded by banning him from the platform.
"FanDuel condemns in the strongest terms abusive behavior directed towards athletes," a spokesperson for the company told ESPN.
"Threatening or harassing athletes is unacceptable and has no place in sports. This customer is no longer able to wager with FanDuel."
Grand Slam Track, the organizer of the event Thomas competed in over the weekend, also says that it will look into the man's conduct, calling it "reprehensible."
"We will implement additional safeguards to help prevent incidents like this in the future. Let us be clear, despicable behavior like this will not be tolerated," organizers said.
Several athletes have reported instances of online abuse and harassment in recent years, but threats and other actions taken on the internet are often difficult to address due to anonymity and the jurisdiction of the offending party.
Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. recently received death threats towards himself and his family, and the Houston Police Department tracked the messages to an overseas bettor.
The incident with Thomas took place in person, and the bettor provided tangible proof of his actions - allowing FanDuel to act quickly and decisively.