Philadelphia Phillies’ star player Bryce Harper finds himself entangled in a major sports betting scandal involving Major League Baseball. Harper has spoken out about a contentious Cameo video he produced in November 2024 for bettor Terry Thompson. Harper intended to send a holiday greeting, but the message became a focal point of a lawsuit claiming FanDuel targeted Thompson, who spent $18.5 million on bets, losing over $1.5 million with them.
The lawsuit against FanDuel and others now includes Harper in its narrative. Facing public criticism, Harper addressed the situation through his Instagram Stories, striving to dissociate himself from FanDuel. “I joined Cameo to connect with fans through personalized videos,” he explained. “What happened here was beyond my knowledge or approval.”
Harper asserted he received what seemed to be a fan’s request and not a business proposal, promptly wishing “Terry” a happy Thanksgiving. He accused FanDuel of adding its logo and transforming the video into a promotional tool without his consent or prior knowledge.
“FanDuel then put its own logo on the video and used it as a gambling promotion,” Harper wrote. “I did not know FanDuel would do this, I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it.”
A significant issue with Harper’s statement is evident: the instructions and script he received explicitly mentioned the sportsbook. In the video, Harper directly refers to “your host Bryttanni from FanDuel,” implying clear awareness.
Although Harper claims good faith, reading a sportsbook’s name in a paid video without further inquiry looks questionable for a figure of his stature. Major League Baseball may scrutinize the incident further, with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board already examining FanDuel’s use of celebrity endorsements for VIP bettors.
Whether MLB deems Harper’s actions inappropriate is undetermined. Notably, Harper was not involved in betting activities but the promotion’s link to gambling is under scrutiny. FanDuel, the Phillies, and Harper’s representative have been contacted for comments.
Harper’s actions suggest naivety at best. He seemingly did not realize that including a “FanDuel host” in the script conveyed a gambling endorsement. At worst, accepting the task without due diligence and later attempting damage control raises questions about judgment.
The incident casts one of baseball’s prominent figures in a negative light. Awareness of details in professional dealings could prevent future controversies. Harper and teammate Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies were last seen exiting the field after a win against the New York Mets.