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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Better Hate An Owner

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Death To The NCAA

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Sports

Barry Petchesky

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 21: Shohei Ohtani (C) of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks with his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara (L) and agent Nez Balelo (R) prior to the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on December 21, 2023 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Gambling Addiction Is A Nasty, Nasty Thing

Kathryn Xu

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, pictured with his translator, Ippei Mizuhara, prepares for a game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch.

Not Even An Ippei Mizuhara Guilty Plea Will Take MLB Off The Hook

A screenshot of an ESPN broadcast, featuring a live win probability graphic displaying a 35-percent Dodgers win probability, and Chris Taylor making a beaver face.

ESPN’s Win Probability Graphic Wants To Give You Gambling Brain

Ray Ratto

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 24: Overall view of the FanDuel logo at the Legends Classic, played between the LSU Tigers and the North Carolina State Wolfpack at the Barclays Center on November 24, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. FanDuel was the primary sponsor of the tournament. (Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images)

The NCAA Is Concerned About Sports Betting; Good Luck With That

Patrick Redford

PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 09: Jontay Porter #34 of the Toronto Raptors warms up before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on March 09, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

Feeling Left Out, NBA Announces Its Own Betting Scandal

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 20: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is seen while his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara is seen in the dugout during the 2024 Seoul Series game between Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 20, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images)

MLB Has A Gambling Problem Even If Shohei Ohtani Doesn’t

Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers talks to his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara in the dugout during the 2024 Seoul Series game between Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

Shohei Ohtani’s Interpreter Gives Two Different Stories

Israel Daramola

Minnesota Timberwolves player Rudy Gobert reacts to a ref giving him a technical foul during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 8.

What If Rudy Gobert Wasn’t Wrong, Just Early?

Tom Ley

Some of the more than 400 proposition bets for Super Bowl LI between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots are displayed at the Race &amp; Sports SuperBook at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort &amp; Casino on January 26, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Defector Up All Night

We Have Confirmed The Existence Of America’s New Worst Bettor

College Basketball: NCAA Playoffs: View of sports book patrons betting on March Madness games at MGM Grand Hotel &amp; Casino. Las Vegas, NV 3/21/2013 CREDIT: Chris Farina (Photo by Chris Farina /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X156296 TK2 R1 F31 )

Life's Rich Pageant

We’ve Found Him: America’s Dumbest Bettor

Bill Simmons advertising a same-game parlay.

Sports Betting Industry Finally Predatory Enough To Make Money

Albert Burneko

A Bored Ape Yacht Club, uh, ape, whose eyes I have crudely blacked out, with blood running in rivulets from his empty eyesockets.

The Machines

When Blindness Hits A Hundred Bucks A Share, Then Who Will Be Laughing, I Ask You, “Doctor”

A general view of a DraftKings advertisement on top of the Green Monster during the ALS Awareness college baseball game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Boston College Eagles on May 19, 2023, at Fenway Park in Boston, MA.

DraftKings Apologizes For Pushing “Never Forget” 9/11 Parlay

A view of the ESPN logo on a camera after the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 30, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Media Meltdowns

ESPN Is About To Get Much More Annoying

Quarterback Hunter Dekkers #12 of the Iowa State Cyclones throws the ball in the second half of play at Jack Trice Stadium on September 24, 2022 in Ames, Iowa. The Baylor Bears won 31-24 over the Iowa State Cyclones.

Iowa State QB Charged With Being A Normal 21st-Century Sports Fan

Shams Charania gestures during an interview.

Shams Charania’s Whoopsie Sure Made Someone A Lot Of Money

BOULDER, UNITED STATES - APRIL 22: University of Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders secures his headset under his cowboy hat during the Spring football game as part of Black and Gold Day on April 22, 2023. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo for The Washington Post)

College Football

Vegas Doesn’t Stay Down For Long

Samer Kalaf

An Alabama Crimson Tide hat rests in the dugout during a game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers on May 12, 2018, at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA.

College Baseball

Something Weird’s Going On With Alabama Baseball

Laura Wagner

Football Outsiders logo on green background

The People Who Acquired Football Outsiders Are Screwing The People Who Built It

Dave McKenna

BOSTON - 1969: Bill Russell #6 of the Boston Celtics poses for a portrait in 1969 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1969 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)

Politics

FBI Releases Bill Russell Investigation Files, Slanders The Dead

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 18: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards rests during a break in the game against the Sacramento Kings at Capital One Arena on March 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Bradley Beal Would Like Gambling-Related Insults Kept To A Minimum

You Are Now Free To Complain To Your Congressional Rep About Sports Betting Ads

Krause gets his hands wrapped. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

The UFC’s Treatment Of Its Fighters Created The Conditions For The James Krause Scandal

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 13: Detail view of a DraftKings Sportsbook advertisement during the first period of the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena on October 13, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Where Betting Failed


<p>Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.</p>


Dan McQuade

NASHVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 13: Detail view of a DraftKings Sportsbook advertisement during the first period of the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena on October 13, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.