Last week, the Philadelphia Phillies faced heavy backlash after Bryce Harper came under criticism. The controversy came to light after a personalized video was shared with Terry Thompson, a FanDuel VIP, and it quickly dominated headlines. As the situation intensified, the two-time National League MVP has now shared his side of the story.

“I joined Cameo to engage with fans through paid personalized videos. What happened here went beyond anything I knew about or approved. In November 2024, someone identifying themselves only as ‘Bryttanni’ submitted an order through Cameo for a personal ‘holiday video for Terry,” Bryce Harper added in his recent IG post.

“Cameo had a separate category for business video requests, and at the time, I did not know this video would be used for commercial purposes. The request included a short script. I read it in good faith. FanDuel then put its own logo on the video and used it as a gambling promotion. I did not know FanDuel would do this; I did not consent to it, and FanDuel had no right to do it,” the 33-year-old first baseman added. 

The former Washington Nationals player continued by saying that he never would have accepted the request if he had known the real purpose behind it:

“Had I known FanDuel’s true intent, I would not have made the video. The same is true had I known anything about Terry or his situation, or about any alleged ‘partnership’ between Cameo and FanDuel. Contrary to the Inquirer’s suggestion, I did not know the Cameo video would be used for a FanDuel VIP promotion, and I have no affiliation with FanDuel whatsoever. Counsel has directed me not to comment any further at this time.”

Later, Harper posted another message to his IG story where he shared a screenshot of the original Cameo request that had been sent to him.

“Hey Terry, Your host Bryttanni (Britt-Knee) from FanDuel wanted to make sure your Thanksgiving was extra special, so I just wanted to hop own and wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving. Tell Max (son) I said hello,” the instruction quoted.

The controversy became even bigger when Thompson’s personal story got the limelight. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, one click on the FanDuel app six years ago started a gambling addiction that eventually led him toward bankruptcy.

By 2024, he had attained VIP status on the app, which gave him exclusive benefits, including Super Bowl tickets, champagne, and a personalized video from MLB star Bryce Harper. In turn, those perks encouraged him to place even more bets in the days that followed.

According to the video shared with Thompson, nothing indicated that the 33-year-old had a partnership with the sportsbook company. However, the video did include a blue FanDuel watermark at the bottom.

In the meantime, Harper has never publicly promoted any sports betting company as of now, with his previous endorsements including major brands like Under Armour, Gatorade, and Dairy Queen.

The Major League Baseball rules strictly ban players from placing bets on baseball. However, the current collective bargaining agreement allows all the players to advertise for or appear in promotions involving betting companies, as long as they do not encourage people to bet on baseball games.

Thompson ultimately gambled away a total of $18.5 million and suffered losses worth $1.5 million. As his addiction worsened, he lost his home as he took out multiple mortgages. 

After losing the last of his $10,000 on DraftKings, he decided he wanted to end his life. Thompson told his therapist about his decision, who immediately alerted the local police, and authorities reached him before he could harm himself. 

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, attorneys representing the nonprofit Public Health Advocacy Institute filed a lawsuit in March on behalf of Thompson and another plaintiff. The complaint alleges that FanDuel and DraftKings designed their sportsbooks and VIP programs to encourage addictive gambling behavior. However, Harper is not listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.

As the controversy continues to grow, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold from here.

<Gambling involves financial risk and can be addictive. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, seek help from a qualified professional. Please gamble responsibly and only if you are of legal gambling age. The National Problem Gambling Helpline™ offers call, text, and chat services on 1-800-MY-RESET.>