Alabama Sports Bettors Requested Refunds for Lost Wagers via Venmo from Auburn QB Payton Thorne

Auburn senior quarterback Peyton Thorne recently told ‘The Next Round’ show that he receives Venmo requests to refund money to Alabama sports bettors after they lose wagers for which they deem him responsible.

"They're definitely not sending cash," Thorne said following Auburn University’s loss to Cal earlier this college football season.. "It's funny. When they lose money, they want their money back. But when they win money on a parlay, no one's ever sent me any of the money."

Thorne’s comments paint these interactions in fairly comical terms. But the anecdote has raised eyebrows. This story is yet further proof that online sports betting in the United States has led to an uptick in harassment for both student and professional athletes. As such, it is a matter that will no doubt resurface when the next round of Alabama sports betting discussions begin in 2025.

To be clear, the Auburn QB was not solely speaking about Alabama sports bettors. But as the university is in The Crimson State, there were most certainly plenty of Alabama sports bettors looped into those Venmo requests.

The question in all this, of course, is whether Peyton Thorne’s story can really be interpreted lightly or whether it’s one that demands action from those with the power to regulate Alabama sports bettors.

NCAA is Concerned About Safety of Student Athletes

On some level, Thorne’s story is funny. His ability to (publicly) laugh it off is also admirable. Public criticism is tough. He is seemingly coping with it at a high level despite being so young. 

Still, this idea that athletes can be harassed remains jarring. So much of the discourse around online sports betting in the USA focuses on consumer risk. Rightly so, too. Problem and underage gambling, for instance, are two serious areas that warrant a bunch of attention. There are a variety of other worthwhile issues, too. 

However, attention must also be paid to the athletes participating in these events. And when it is, it’s often framed in negative terms. Many worry about athletes fixing games. What we are talking about, though, is athlete safety. For the most part, we do not talk about the way gambling has changed the way Alabama sports bettors and others consume sporting events. 

Rooting allegiances have always added a layer of intangible stakes to live sports. But gambling is more tangible. People have money on the line. The loss of it can prompt some extreme responses. This is something about which the NCAA is particularly concerned. NCAA President Charlies Baker, in fact, has made combating responses to college sports betting awareness a top priority. And make no mistake, this deserves to be a priority.

As ESPN ‘s David Purdum wrote: “Results from a study by Signify, an artificial intelligence company and NCAA partner, found that 1-in-3 high-profile college athletes receive messages from individuals with a ‘betting interest.’” Now, the nature of these messages can vary. In Thorne’s case, he likely doesn’t only receive the ire of Alabama sports bettors who just lost a wager. But we would bet our money that those responses make up an outsize portion of the interactions. 

Alabama Sports Bettors are Not the Only Ones Who Reach Out to Athletes Following Lost Wagers

To this end, the issue Thorne’s Venmo story highlights goes well beyond the behavior of Alabama sport 

s betting. Heck, it isn’t just an issue among those who actively participate in betting on college football. On the contrary, athlete and employee harassment is a dilemma across all sports at all levels.

Just consider some of the biggest incidents in recent memory. Then-Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to media members his family receives threats following controversial losses. Even more recently, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said his family had to move after their address was leaked. Campbell did not mention a specific incident. But it says a lot that we all understand that select angry fans and sports bettors may have taken it upon themselves to use that information in morally corrupt ways. 

Granted, this is the first (very public) Alabama sports betting harassment incident we can remember discussing. But that does not mean it’s unique. Never mind the industry at large. Thorne himself referenced it has happened with (presumably) Alabama sports bettors on multiple occasions. Again, he was not describing just one loss. He made reference to multiple instances. 

Naturally, since this is clearly a longstanding and far-encompassing issue without a clear solution, we have to ask: Will incidents like this ultimately help prevent the legalization of sports betting in Alabama?

Can Athlete Harassment be Addressed in a Way that Makes Legal Sports Betting Safer?

This will be a topic of conversation for every state at some point—including those who have already legalized sports betting. But the resistance to making it legal for Alabama sports bettors to wager on college football and other sports could be especially susceptible to spotlight this incident as well as others like it.

Much of the opposition to making it legal for Alabama sports bettors to place wagers is rooted in concerns beyond the logistical. Even those who do not support it generally understand the financial benefits. But they tend to worry about its impact on individuals. Will legal Alabama sports betting disproportionately exploit people of varying socioeconomic statuses? Will it lead to an uptick in underage gambling? What about problem gambling in general? Is it immoral to bet on sports?

These are just some of the questions opponents of Alabama sports betting usually consider. And the safety of student-athletes is among them. State officials understand college football betting lines will be among the biggest draws in the market. After all, Alabama sports bettors only have two bigger-time teams in the region: The Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide. The reactions to their games will obviously be huge.

Tamping down that reaction will prove difficult. It might even be impossible. But the NCAA has encouraged states to disallow college prop bets on college players. Some markets are acquiescing to their preference. Maryland, Louisiana, Vermont and Ohio do not permit college sports betting props on players. 

This might be one way for betting on sports in Alabama to pass the legalization sniff test. If officials are willing to exclude college sports prop betting from their wager portfolio, any initiative may go over better among those on the fence. It should, in theory, also make legal sports betting safer for student-athletes. Once more, it won’t solve everything. But it’s better than nothing.

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