FanDuel Sent Bryce Harper Video Message to Bettor Who Wagered $18.5 Million and Battled Gambling Addiction

Following its recent expansion, FanDuel Sportsbook sent a personalized video message from Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper to a VIP customer who had wagered $18.5 million on the platform and was later diagnosed with a gambling addiction, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer investigation. The video, sent as a Thanksgiving greeting in November 2024, thanked Terry Thompson of Montgomery County by name and referenced his young son.

Thompson began betting on FanDuel in the fall of 2020 with a wager on his favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles. He quickly moved into microbetting, placing rapid-fire wagers on individual plays, quarters and halves. Over roughly five years, Thompson wagered more than $22 million combined between FanDuel and DraftKings and lost more than $1.8 million, ultimately checking himself into a psychiatric facility after contemplating suicide.

VIP Treatment Fueled the Addiction

Court records tied to a lawsuit filed in March by the Public Health Advocacy Institute allege that FanDuel assigned Thompson a personal VIP host who sent him gifts including a $500 bottle of champagne and tickets to Eagles, Flyers and Sixers games. After Thompson sustained losses in 2021, the host reportedly sent him betting credits along with a message encouraging him to keep wagering. In January 2023, the host offered Thompson two tickets to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona along with hotel accommodations, court documents show.

The Harper video was one of several rewards FanDuel provided as Thompson’s betting activity escalated. In the clip, Harper says, “Hey, Terry. What’s up, brother? Your host Bryttanni from FanDuel wanted to make sure your Thanksgiving was extra special,” before greeting Thompson’s son and thanking him for his support. There is no indication Harper has an official endorsement partnership with FanDuel or was aware of Thompson’s gambling struggles when the video was recorded.

Lawsuit Alleges Deliberate Targeting

The lawsuit accuses FanDuel and DraftKings of designing products specifically to maximize addictive behavior among vulnerable bettors, citing constant push notifications promoting microbets and personalized outreach that continued even after signs of financial distress emerged. Thompson is one of two plaintiffs named in the case; both allege the companies feigned personal relationships with bettors to keep them wagering.

The episode adds to mounting scrutiny of sportsbook VIP programs nationally, as regulators and advocacy groups increasingly question whether promotional tactics used to retain high-volume bettors cross the line into predatory marketing toward people showing signs of addiction. Thompson is currently undergoing treatment for his gambling addiction.