© Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The world of sports gambling continues to get larger. And the extreme effects and impacts of that when it comes to interactions with professional athletes are becoming more pronounced as well.
Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal is currently being investigated by police in Orlando, Florida after an altercation with a fan supposedly over a lost bet. According to David Purdum of ESPN, a man who has not been identified said to Beal that he forced him to lose $1,300. Then, he called him a not-so-nice name.
What came next, per Purdum, is under review and could result in legal action being taken against Beal.
Beal, according to the report, turned around and walked toward a friend of the man who made the comment and swatted his right hand toward him, knocking the man’s hat off and contacting the left side of his head.
Police reviewed video footage of the altercation and heard Beal say this is his job and he takes it seriously, and the man is heard apologizing, implying he did not intend to offend him, according to the report.
The complaint states that “probable cause exists to charge Beal with simple battery” and that charges will be filed with the state attorney’s office. No charges had been filed as of Tuesday morning.
Gambling, as the ESPN article closes in saying, has become big business across America (although ironically not in Florida just yet due to it not being legal there at this time). And between that and the social media age, fans and bettors feel more entitled/able to approach these players than ever before.
But as Beal pointed out, this is his profession. The result of a bet that is placed on his work is really none of Beal’s concern, nor should it be. While the man, depending on how he placed the bet, is within his ability to place such a wager, whether or not it is successful is not on Beal. That’s why it is called “gambling”. You’re playing with chance.
But for sports betting, there are humans involved trying their best to compete for themselves and their organizations. As those lines become more blurred, more incidents such as this one are bound to occur.