NBA Insider Shams Charania is leaving FanDuel for ESPN, swapping one sports betting brand for another, as the the complicated relationship between newsbreaker and sportsbook evolves.
Charania, who boasts the largest following on Twitter among sports insiders not named Adam Schefter, became the first high-profile newsbreaker to sign with a sportsbook when he joined FanDuel TV in 2022. Charania announced the move on his Twitter account Monday.
He joins ESPN following the network’s partnership with Penn Entertainment to operate ESPN Bet, a direct competitor to FanDuel.
FanDuel contract expired
Charania’s contract with FanDuel expired at the end of the summer, according to a report from the New York Post. He also removed The Athletic and Stadium from his social media, the platforms on which he previously broke his news.
Sources with knowledge of his contract stated it is highly unlikely that Charania could simultaneously break news for ESPN and renew his role at FanDuel.
Sports betting complicates insider role
The information shared by insiders like Charania plays a role in shaping how oddsmakers price betting markets and how the public bets. Inside information is considered one of the most valuable resources in sports betting, which is one of the reasons the NFL and NBA have increasingly pushed for more transparency in injury reporting.
FanDuel faced controversy after Charania incorrectly reported the 2024 NBA draft order, dramatically swaying draft betting markets. Following the incident, FanDuel issued a statement clarifying that it is “not privy to any news that Shams breaks on his platforms.”
The sportsbook has maintained he had no relationship with its trading room and his role at FanDuel was strictly as a reoccurring guest on its network.
Charania’s role at ESPN
As ESPN entered the sports betting space, it issued strict guidelines for its reporters related to betting and insider information.
The network has increasingly leveraged its talent in commercials for ESPN Bet and expanded its sports betting coverage.
ESPN has employed prominent newsbreakers during its time as a sports betting partner, including Schefter and former NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. Neither played any role in ESPN’s betting coverage.
