When Pat McAfee walked away from a $120 million deal with FanDuel in 2023 to license The Pat McAfee Show to ESPN, many were shocked.
From the outside, it looked like McAfee was walking away from the future of the business (a partnership with a sportsbook) to the past (a cable network). And that’s before you even get to the money, with McAfee reportedly taking a hit on the deal.
We gained a better understanding of why McAfee sought to exit the FanDuel deal, as evident in his comments during and after Game 4 of the NBA Finals. During the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse over the weekend, McAfee took aim at the sportsbooks for making Oklahoma City the favorites over Indiana in Game 4 and to win the championship despite the Pacers’ lead in the series.
“That makes us the biggest underdogs in the history of the NBA Finals,” McAfee said. “That tells me that the sportsbooks don’t know.”
Of course, the Thunder won the game. And McAfee was ridiculed.
It wasn’t the first time that McAfee got on the wrong side of the sportsbooks. After coming up empty with his promo during Game 4, McAfee was careful to give his pick for Game 5.
“Thunder 9-and-a-half point favorites at home. I’m not saying anything. Pacers plus-10? Uh, I mean … this would be one, if you’re thinking about having one. Haven’t lost back-to-back games since March,” McAfee said Monday on The Pat McAfee Show. “Once again, I called out the sportsbooks very loudly, and they were right in that particular case.”
McAfee was hesitant not just because of his unfortunate luck in the arena on Friday night, but also because of the bad experience he had giving picks while FanDuel sponsored his show.
“I don’t want to say too much here, and wouldn’t want to give advice (to) anybody on what you should bet on, because we were in that world for a few years (and) it’s the worst world to be in,” he said. “Because people tell you that their kids can’t have Christmas anymore because you think a f*cking football team was going to score points. But just know that I, me, myself like the Indiana Pacers plus-9 and a half.”
Unlike FanDuel’s deals with Bussin’ With the Boys and The Ringer or DraftKings’ deals with Barstool and Meadowlark Media, ESPN Bet does not promote its app by pushing picks from key talent. That may or may not be the right marketing move, but it certainly is easier on the talent.
McAfee has seen both sides and clearly prefers carefree gambling analysis over needing to put out heavily researched picks as part of how he makes his living.