San Francisco Giants fans are absolutely losing it right now, and for good reason. Just an hour after the Giants clinched an extra-inning win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, the team’s official social media account on X posted a game highlight that pushed a betting company, Kalshi, and fans were quick to call it “absolutely shameful.”
The Post That Blew Up In Their Faces
Seriously, you couldn’t make this up. The Giants’ social media account dropped a highlight from their narrow, one-run victory over the Pirates. The clip showed Osleivis Basabe reaching on a bunt, Rafael Devers getting intentionally walked, and Bryce Eldridge smashing an RBI double. Dylan Smith snagged the save in that nail-biter. But instead of just celebrating the clutch plays, the post came with a message that screamed “download the Kalshi app to trade what’s next,” along with a link. It even boosted the #SFGiants win probability from 49% to 77% in the caption. Are we watching a game or a stock market simulation?
“Absolutely Shameful”: Fans Unleash on the Giants
The backlash was immediate and fierce. Fans are *not* happy, and who can blame them? One fan on X, Pomegranate, laid it bare: “Been a Giants fan all my life. Absolutely shameful that we are promoting stupid gambling sites like this. Show some class.” Another, Old Fisherman, chimed in, saying the Kalshi advert was “disgusting” and that the team should be “stewards of this franchise, shame shame shame!” This isn’t just about one ad, either. It’s about how many teams are jumping headfirst into partnerships that, frankly, feel pretty slimy.
The League’s Complicity?
Here’s where it gets really murky. The Giants are one of five MLB teams, alongside the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers, that are linked up with Kalshi. The Braves seem to be the only other squad tweeting about it. Remember the days when pro sports leagues stayed far away from gambling, even banning legends like Pete Rose for life? Now, it’s commonplace across multiple leagues. One fan even asked the question we’re all thinking: “How do we know the games aren’t fixed when the team is being paid to post live betting odds?” That’s a gut punch. Even though Giants Senior Vice President Steve Tseng says the deal went through MLB vetting, and “the league puts a bunch of restrictions on them,” the optics are terrible. Players are already talking about receiving threats from angry bettors, and these partnerships just make things worse. This isn’t just a bad look, it’s a dangerous path. What’s next for a league that seems all too willing to take every single cent it possibly can?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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