Gambling Addiction and Celebrity Support

The 2020 NFL season kicked off with Terry Thompson placing his first bet through the FanDuel Sportsbook app, choosing his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. It was a new experience for him, and he quickly became enamored with microbetting—simple wagers on upcoming plays.

This newfound involvement in every game made betting exciting for Thompson. Ultimately, he wagered an astonishing $18.5 million on FanDuel, which granted him VIP status. This came with some pretty sweet perks like Super Bowl tickets and champagne, making him feel special and motivating him to keep betting.

However, by late November 2024, Thompson faced severe losses and took drastic steps to address his gambling addiction. One day, while he was scrolling through his phone, he received a surprising distraction from his financial troubles: a personalized video message. It was from none other than Phillies star Bryce Harper.

The brief 21-second video was shared widely. In it, Harper greeted Thompson by name and mentioned his young son, wrapping up with a thank you for Thompson’s fan loyalty. While Harper didn’t wear any FanDuel gear in the video, the company’s logo was displayed. He mentioned reaching out at the request of his VIP manager, “FanDuel host Brittani,” emphasizing that he wanted to make sure Thompson’s Thanksgiving was memorable.

Interestingly, there’s no indication that Harper was affiliated with FanDuel, nor is it clear if he was aware of Thompson’s gambling issues. The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that they found no other instances of athletes sending personal messages to VIP customers of sportsbooks.