Just look at the faces of the guys in this ad. Once upon a time, the reason for those anxious faces would be that their team is on the verge of winning or losing and these guys are real fans who really, really want their team to win because...well, because they are fans.
Nowadays- and in commercials like this and for all the other Don't Just Watch, Bet "services"- the assumption is that those anxious faces are created by real concern for their wallets. What happens on the screen in the next few seconds determines if these guys win or lose money. In another instant, they are excited because they've won (these commercials never, ever show anyone losing, of course. That would be like Vegas slot machines making noise the 99 times out of 100 that the fruit symbols don't line up.) Being an actual fan of one of the teams is strictly optional and actually kind of pathetic, as the only legitimate reason to consume sports in 2023 is if you've got skin in the game in the form of cash.
Years ago, I went to a Sunday afternoon football-watching get-together in which every single person except me was constantly on their laptop or phone keeping track of the progress of their fantasy sports player. I thought that was lame and boring and kind of depressing because nobody was really watching the actual game; kind of like being at a Superbowl party where everyone is waiting for the dumb game to take a break for those Super Awesome Funny Commercials. I can't imagine hanging out with people who are hanging on every play because they placed a bet on the outcome- especially because I'd be watching a lot more losing than winning. It would make me nostalgic for the harmless Fantasy Sports Zombies.
Gambling: the cigarette of the twenty-first century. There's a reason I call it the stupidity tax: big numbers baffle most people.
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