FILE: Rey Ordonez and Edgardo Alfonzo stand with first responders from 9/11 during a ceremony prior to a game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, in New York.
Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty ImagesPopular sports gambling company DraftKings issued an apology Monday after promoting a 9/11-themed parlay bet, encouraging people to patriotically risk losing money on three New York teams of questionable skill and ability.
“We sincerely apologize for the featured parlay that was shared briefly in commemoration of 9/11,” a spokesperson wrote. “We respect the significance of this day for our country and especially for the families of those who were directly affected.”
The promotional bet in question — since confirmed as real (and now removed) by DraftKings — was headlined “Never Forget” and called for DraftKings users to “Bet these New York teams to win tonight on 9/11.” The teams are MLB’s New York Yankees and New York Mets and the NFL’s New York Jets. (A parlay involves multiple accumulated bets combined into one, with longer odds but potentially higher winnings.)
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If viral screenshots are to be believed, hundreds of people did indeed “bet these New York teams to win tonight on 9/11.”
Not only did it trivialize the deaths of nearly 3,000 people; it also required users to back the hapless New York Mets and support Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who reportedly might have some heterodox feelings and opinions about the events of Sept. 11.
DraftKings’ chief competitor, FanDuel, declined to comment on the DraftKings offer when reached by SFGATE. Caesars Sportsbook did not return a request for comment.
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Californians voted down sports gambling legalization bills in 2022, meaning Bay Area patriots did not have the opportunity Monday to “Never Forget” by legally betting on a late-summer game between two American League also-rans.
In its apology, DraftKings did not specify what, exactly, it was sorry for or how it otherwise planned to mark 9/11. Bettors can, in theory, still draw up the same 9/11-themed three-team parlay, but it will no longer be institutionally endorsed by DraftKings.