NCAA launches anti-harassment video targeted at March Madness sports bettors: 'Don't Be a Loser'

The 2025 NCAA Tournament kicks disconnected connected Tuesday nighttime with 2 of the "First Four" games acceptable to find seeds successful the bracket. 

While each squad is hoping they tin triumph each crippled they person a involvement in, determination are going to beryllium millions of sports bets besides placed wherever patrons of sportsbooks are hoping for triumph arsenic well. 

In turn, the NCAA launched a betting-related run connected Tuesday focused connected what, unfortunately, has go a ample occupation during March Madness — harassment of players and teams.

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the NCAA launched a betting-related run connected Tuesday focused connected what has go a ample occupation during March Madness: harassment of players and teams. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

The video, which was launched connected societal media platforms, is entitled "Don’t Be a Loser," successful which the governing assemblage is asking for hoops fans not to bring their shortcomings successful the betting marketplace to the players. 

"Only a loser would harass assemblage athletes aft losing a bet, but it happens astir each day," the video says.

The American Gaming Association announced connected Thursday that determination is an estimated $3.1 cardinal expected to beryllium legally wagered connected the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, which is not lone a 12% year-over-year increase, but much than doubles the estimated $1.39 cardinal wagered connected Super Bowl LIX past month.

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But since the national prohibition connected sports betting was struck down successful 2018, we’ve seen acold excessively galore situations successful which athletes, some assemblage and professional, person received nonstop messages and much with failed bettors asking for wealth back, ridiculing them, oregon adjacent worse, issuing decease threats.

The American Gaming Association announced connected Thursday that determination is an estimated $3.1 cardinal expected to beryllium legally wagered connected the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments. (Robert Goddin-Imagn Images)

The NCAA revealed information trends that showed 1 successful 3 "high-profile athletes person abusive messages from idiosyncratic with a betting interest." Also, 90% of harassment is generated either online oregon done societal media. 

For March Madness specifically, a abstracted survey by the NCAA successful October 2024 recovered that 80% of online maltreatment was targeted astatine NCAA Tournament players.  

And of that online abuse, the survey recovered that astir 3 times arsenic galore threats were received by women’s players compared to men’s players.

For March Madness specifically, a abstracted survey by the NCAA successful October 2024 recovered that 80% of online maltreatment was targeted astatine NCAA Tournament players. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

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"Angry fans are sending galore abusive messages and threats to student-athletes, publically and privately, due to the fact that of mislaid bets placed connected the athlete’s show successful a game," NCAA President Charlie Baker said successful a property release. "These actions severely endanger student-athlete intelligence wellness and well-being, portion harming the assemblage athletics environment. We request fans to bash better."

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