He grew addicted to the effortless, rapid-fire action. Every game, every quarter, every play — click, click, click. Thompson would ultimately wager $18.5 million with FanDuel, earning him VIP status with the company. That meant exclusive perks, from champagne to Super Bowl tickets, which made him feel important and enticed him to continue gambling.
By late November 2024, Thompson had incurred steep losses and resorted to desperate measures to fund his addiction. Then, one afternoon, he flicked open his phone and received a FanDuel reward that momentarily distracted him from his debts: a personalized video message from Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper.
The Inquirer obtained a copy of the 21-second video. In it, Harper addresses Thompson by name and acknowledges Thompson’s young son. Harper ends by thanking Thompson for his support.
Snapshots from a failed country.
the recent trueanon ep on gambling/vegas was incredibly bleak. So much time, energy, and resources poured into keeping people addicted and draining them of every last cent possible. The addicts/gamblers just have no chance when these gambling corps have millions to pour into research to figure out how people tick and how they can exploit it to the absolute max.
One example they gave was how electronic machines aren’t allowed to adjust odds to keep people hooked so they skim a little bit off each bet and put it into a separate pot that’s used to give the player “wins” so they don’t get demotivated on a losing streak