Wizards’ Bradley Beal under police investigation after confrontation with fan in Orlando over gambling loss

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal is under investigation by police in Orlando, Florida after a confrontation with a fan stemming from a gambling loss, according to police reports obtained by ESPN. The NBA issued a statement saying, “We are aware of the report and in the process of gathering more information.”

The incident occurred inside Amway Center following the Wizards’ loss to the Orlando Magic on March 21. As Beal and the Wizards were walking toward the locker room, the reports indicate that a fan yelled at Beal: “You made me lose $1,300, you f—.” Beal then turned and walked back towards the fan, and took a swipe at his friend, knocking the friend’s hat off in the process. 

Per the reports, “probable cause exists to charge Beal with simple battery,” though no charges have been filed as of Tuesday morning. Neither Beal nor the Wizards have offered a comment on the matter. 

Though sports betting is not legal in Florida, where the event took place, the practice has been legalized in 33 states in recent years. As a result, there have been an increasing number of confrontations between gamblers and players over lost bets, though most have happened online. 

Earlier this month, Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier was threatened by a fan on Instagram, who threatened to knock him out when the team came to Philadelphia. Rozier responded in kind. Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant, meanwhile, recently joked about the power he has to ruin bettors’ parlays. 

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving lamented the proliferation of gambling, saying it has “completely taken the purity and the fun away from the game at times” on one of his recent Twitch streams. Irving voiced his frustrations on the topic in an extended monologue, which reads, in part:

“There’s a difference between being a diehard fan and supporting your team and loving your team versus somebody that’s betting on a parlay. … Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want anybody wasting their money on me. But goddang this whole community of gamblers has come into the game of basketball.




Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/wizards-bradley-beal-under-police-investigation-after-confrontation-with-fan-in-orlando-over-gambling-loss/

Author : Jack Maloney

Publish date : 2023-03-28 16:49:06

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