ESPN host Rece Davis found himself in trouble this weekend after a comment he made on ESPN’s pre-game show broadcast, College GameDay.
The segment was promoting PENN Entertainment’s sports betting platform, ESPN Bet, which launched in November and received more than 1.5 million downloads in 12 days. During the show, Davis spoke with ESPN Bet analyst Erin Dolan, who explained why she recommends betting on Northwestern to score under 60.5 points during their second-round matchup against UConn in the NCAA Tournament.
Davis’ response, labeling Dolan’s advice as “a risk-free investment,” sparked controversy on social media, especially considering U.S. regulations banning the use of the term “risk-free” in gambling advertisements.
On Sunday, Davis retracted his statement, acknowledging the risks involved in sports gambling.
“During a segment this morning on @CollegeGameDay, due to @ESPNBet picks hitting yesterday, I joked the advice was more like “risk-free investing.” As we all know, such a thing does not exist. Obviously, there are risks,” Davis wrote in a post on social media platform X. “Though I’m not a gambler, I strongly encourage those who do partake, do so with prudence, care, caution, fiscal and personal responsibility and never over-extend. Sports are unpredictable. Wagering is tricky. So let’s agree to manage monetary risks appropriately. I’m sure most recognized my comment was tongue-in-cheek. Just to clarify”.
The timing of Davis’ comment was unfortunate, given that March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month in the United States. This initiative aims to encourage people to seek help for gambling-related issues, with this year’s theme being Every Story Matters.
ESPN broadcasts College GameDay from 9 a.m. to noon during football season. The show is also available to stream through the ESPN app and on ESPNU.
