How Bryce Harper got involved in FanDuel video for gambler who lost millions to go into financial ruin

How Bryce Harper got involved in FanDuel video for gambler who lost millions to go into financial ruin

Terry Thompson was in the depths of gambling addiction when he received a phone alert and Bryce Harper was on the other end.

As revealed in an eye-raising story from the Philadelphia Inquirer, Thompson, a sports fan who gambled $18.5 million with FanDuel and lost nearly $2 million to fall into financial ruin, earned VIP status and exclusive perks from champagne to Super Bowl tickets — and even a call from the Phillies’ star first baseman.

That call from Harper has raised eyebrows due to the relationships between sportsbooks and players/leagues, and Thompson’s financial plight.

Thompson is suing FanDuel and DraftKings with the help of the Public Health Advocacy Institute, claiming they “intentionally” and “defectively” designed their apps to be “relentless, always-on addiction-amplifying machine.” Harper is not included in the lawsuit.

Bryce Harper does a special video for a struggling sports gambler on behalf of FanDuel. Philadelphia Inquirer

A source told The Post that Harper is not affiliated with FanDuel Sportsbook and that the VIP host went to the content-creation company Cameo to have this video made for the underwater betting client.

It is unclear whether this is commonplace in the industry or has happened previously with other athletes.

With Cameo, fans can pay celebrities for personalized messages, and the company also offers business-to-business services involving talent.

“FanDuel is committed to fostering a culture of responsible gaming and protecting our customers,” FanDuel told The Post in a statement.

“Unlike illegal offshore sportsbooks, FanDuel employees are trained to recognize and flag signs of problem gambling and offer resources and tools, and we continue to review and strengthen our policies to ensure we have the industry’s strongest consumer protection initiatives.”

In the clip, Harper wishes Thompson well.

“Hey Terry, what’s up, brother, your host Bryttanni from FanDuel wanted to make sure your Thanksgiving was extra special,” Harper said in the video with branded FanDuel watermarks.

“I just wanted to hop on here and wish your family a wonderful Thanksgiving. Tell [redacted name to protect the identity of minor] I said ‘Hello.’ I appreciate all of the support through the years.”

Thompson’s financial history adds to the scrutiny surrounding this video.

According to the Inquirer, after losing his last $10,000, he texted his therapist, which prompted police being called to Thompson’s home to prevent potential self-harm.


Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper walks to the dugout after striking out.
Bryce Harper has not yet commented on the story. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Thompson also received two sets of tickets to two different Super Bowls, as well as high-end champagne, from FanDuel.

He told the Philadelphia Inquirer he was addicted to micro-betting, the same type of wagering that ruined the MLB careers of Guardians relievers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both of whom threw pitches out of the strike zone on purpose to manipulate wagers placed by their associates.

He added that he even he took out second and third mortgages on his home, which later fell into foreclosure, and then sold shares of an investment company that he had run for two decades.

This video has emerged while the the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) is negotiating with owners over a new collective bargaining agreement, and has identified prop betting as something it wants outlawed.

Harper, who is a staunch advocate for the MLBPA and has been one of the leading voices against a salary cap in the collective bargaining agreement fight, will certainly have a lot of questions to answer as this could be a major blow in their quest to oppose player prop betting.

Harper’s agent Scott Boras declined to comment on the matter when shown the video by the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Phillies and Major League Baseball also declined comment on the original story.

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