Chris Boucher recently mentioned that he was verbally abused by a sports bettor. Wizards star Bradley Beal also spoke about being verbally attacked by a fan. Needless to say, these experiences aren't so uncommon. Boucher was a guest on Hustle Play from Yahoo! Sports. In the interview, Boucher talks about the nasty messages he receives on social media. Including one particular message that has stuck with him since he first read it.
Boucher stated, “The betting is not going to make it better now, with the parlays and all that… Somebody said, ‘I chose the wrong slave today.’ Literally sent me that message… Cause I only had 5 points, and he needed me to score 10.” No player should have to see a message like this at any point in their life. Sports betting has, for the most part, been positive to the States that allow it. However, having degenerates like this send messages to athletes is completely uncalled for.
Chris Boucher Doesn't Deserve This Hate
It's unbelievable that people still act like this in this age. Hateful speech should not be welcomed by anyone, and situations like this must end. Boucher isn't the first, and sadly won't be the last to have to deal with something like this. Just like anything, you can take sports betting too far. Sports betting should be a fun experience. However, if you're spending so much money that you attack players, you need to re-evaluate your life. Boucher is living the life that many can only dream of. He should be happy instead of dealing with this nonsense.
Sports betting is becoming a part of everyday sports talk. When looking at scoreboards, you now see the betting odds alongside them. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Normal people know to bet responsibly and realize the players aren't to blame for a failed parlay. The hate Boucher received will not be tolerated, and changes must come. In what ways can social media sites protect people from hate speech? Do you believe that sports betting is bad for sports? Let us know the answers to those questions in the comment section below. As always, stay locked in with HNHH for all your sporting news.