NCAA Drops “Don’t Be a Loser” Video to Tackle Betting Harassment in March Madness
The NCAA’s stepping up its game this March Madness with a fresh video, “Don’t Be a Loser,” hitting TV broadcasts and online channels as part of its Draw the Line campaign. Launched during the opening week of the 2025 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, it’s a loud callout to fans losing their cool and their bets over student-athletes.
A Betting Boom with a Dark Edge
March Madness is the biggest betting event in the U.S., doubling the Super Bowl’s $1.5 billion handle, per the American Gaming Association. But that cash comes with a catch. Last year’s data showed one in three student-athletes got slammed with abusive messages from bettors, with 80% of that heat aimed at March Madness players. Women’s basketball stars took the brunt, facing triple the threats of their men’s counterparts.
The NCAA’s new video offers an important reminder: losing a bet is not an excuse to engage in negative behavior online.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said: “The horrific messages we are seeing across online platforms is absolutely unacceptable.” He’s pointing fingers at fans who bombard athletes with threats over busted parlays, saying, “Angry fans are sending numerous abusive messages and threats to student-athletes, publicly and privately, because of lost bets placed on the athlete’s performance in a game. These actions severely threaten student-athlete mental health and well-being, while harming the college athletics environment. We need fans to do better.”
Draw the Line
This isn’t just a PSA. It’s part of a broader NCAA push against betting fallout. Over 100,000 student-athletes have gone through gambling harm prevention training with EPIC Global Solutions, both live and online.
The organization monitors 22,000+ contests worldwide for integrity risks, and it’s teamed up with Signify Group to track harassment during championships, covering players, coaches, and refs. Surveys are digging into betting trends among 18- to 22-year-olds and campus compliance headaches, too.
18 states plus D.C. have axed player prop bets after NCAA lobbying. Baker’s urging more to follow: “We need states to do better and ban player props that target student-athletes and enable detrimental abuse.”
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