FanDuel Push Backs on High-Roller Image: Median Bet Is Just $5

FanDuel faces ongoing criticism over allegations that its sportsbook platform preys on losing bettors and incentivizes VIP customers through various perks, most notably personalized video messages from professional athletes and entertainers. The company’s latest response discloses internal data that suggests the vast majority of FanDuel patrons bet responsibly. A FanDuel billboard for its online sports betting app is pictured in New York City’s Penn Station in May 2026. FanDuel continues to defend its VIP program. (Image: Getty) America’s largest sportsbook with a market share of roughly 44%, FanDuel has published a webpage titled Fast Facts that reveals bettor insights on its platform. The sportsbook says the median bet on FanDuel is just $5 and the median sports bettor loses $63 a month wagering. In comparison, the average American spends $329 a month dining out,” the FanDuel website said, citing 2024 Consumer Expenditures data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Calculating the median sports wager differs from calculating the average. To find the median, all values are ordered from smallest to largest, and the middle value is selected. FanDuel VIP Defense FanDuel has faced intense criticism, including from US Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), over its VIP program. The controversy made national headlines after Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper sent a personalized video message to a problem gambler who allegedly lost $1.5 million on the platform. FanDuel commissioned the video via Cameo, though Harper stated he was unaware it would be used to entice a gambler, adding that FanDuel “had no right to do it.” After Blumenthal’s demand for answers, FanDuel acknowledged it sent customers approximately 30 personalized videos from athletes and celebrities over a two-year period. To defend its practices, FanDuel cited research from Cambridge University’s Journal of Financial Literacy and Wellbeing, showing that the vast majority of US sports bettors gamble infrequently: 50.5% bet a few times a year and 21.9% bet once a year, compared to just 4.7% who bet weekly and 2.3% who bet daily. FanDuel also cited a 2026 Gallup poll that suggested the percentage of Americans who bet on pro sports has declined from 22% in 1989 to just 7% this year. “While mobile sportsbooks have changed how Americans can place wagers, betting on sports existed long before today’s legal online market. Historical surveys show that this activity was actually more popular in the late 1980s and ’90s,” the FanDuel website said. FanDuel concluded that the research and data insights “provide a clearer picture of today’s average sports bettor.” FanDuel Responsible Gaming Tools FanDuel concedes that medians and averages “only tell part of the story.” That’s why the sportsbook offers a range of player tools that bettors can utilize to keep their play in check, including bet limits and cooling-off periods. Blumenthal wants more disclosures from FanDuel regarding its VIP program. Fess up. Give us the videos that you’re using with personalized celebrity messages to addict gamblers and exploit their vulnerabilities. I’m demanding that you come clean,” Blumenthal said. FanDuel operates in Connecticut through a partnership with Mohegan Sun. The post FanDuel Push Backs on High-Roller Image: Median Bet Is Just $5 appeared first on Casino.org.