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ESPN Bet hasn’t been a smashing success since launching in August 2023, to say the least, as the sportsbook reportedly has just 3% of the market share.
It certainly doesn’t help that the personalities being used to promote the app don’t appear to be all that educated on what ESPN Bet has to offer, as Erin Kate Dolan, a sports betting analyst at the network, gave out four picks for Thursday night’s Chiefs vs. Ravens game, and three of them weren’t even available on the app.
ESPN betting analyst gives out four picks, three of which ESPN Bet doesn’t have markets for. You can’t make this stuff up. https://t.co/iecmrMstYa
— Dustin Gouker (@DustinGouker) September 5, 2024
“In terms of player props, this is what I’m liking. Number one, Isaiah Pacheco, first quarter, over 14.5 rushing yards. Just trust me on that one,” Dolan begins.
“We’re going Xavier Worthy under 45.5 receiving yards. You’re a rookie, I don’t care what anybody says — fast as hell, this man is fast — doesn’t mean that he’ll get over that especially against this Ravens secondary. Speaking of the Ravens, Lamar Jackson, under 8.5 rushing attempts. You don’t get King Henry to just not have him run the ball. And lastly, you guys know me as the interception queen, so we’re going Mahomes to throw at least one pick.”
Forgetting, for a moment, whether or not ESPN Bet even offered these markets, let’s see how Dolan did. She hit on Patrick Mahomes throwing an interception, and missed on Xavier Worthy and Lamar Jackson. As for Pachecho, it’s difficult to find a website that logged his stats by quarter. If you watch the highlights, however, the majority of his 45 rushing yards seemed to come in the second half, meaning it’s likely that pick was also a loss.
NFL picks are back baby!!! pic.twitter.com/iH8uUx3pl8
— Erin Kate Dolan (@erinkatedolan) September 4, 2024
“ESPN fired 99% of their employees in order to give us “Just trust me on that” bets, with no odds mentioned, that weren’t even available at ESPN’s own sportsbook,” said one viral response to Dolan’s video.
“’Isiah Pacheco over 14.5 rushing yards in the 1st quarter… just trust me on that one,’ For the numb nuts who blindly tail picks without any analysis, just know that ESPN Bet doesn’t even offer this prop,” read another popular reply.
ESPN Bet is run by Penn Entertainment, who were previously operating a sportsbook with the Barstool Sports branding.