Sydney Sweeney’s prediction ad is cynical, unhealthy and reveals plenty about modern sports | Jane McManus
The actor’s latest promotion has stirred outrage but will no doubt be good for the prediction markets hoping to lure in young men Prediction markets are a cynical business. Many customers will lose money, and the real product may just be the delightful dopamine hit that comes in that brief window between placing a bet and its outcome – which is statistically more likely to be a disappointment…
Sydney Sweeney, the actress known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus, is facing criticism from athletes and sports fans after appearing in a commercial for a U.S. betting platform. The advertisement, created by prediction market company Novig, showed Sweeney posing with sports equipment and sitting naked on a basketball hoop. Critics argue that the ad sexualizes women's sports and trivializes the dedication and hard work female athletes put into their professions.
Athletes such as Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus and U.S. gymnast Gracie Kramer responded to the ad on social media, expressing their disdain for Sweeney's portrayal of women in sports. Kramer's post inspired a trend among elite female athletes, many of whom shared their own training regimens and competed alongside Sweeney to showcase the true nature of women in sports.
British sprinter and four-time European champion Amy Hunt directly addressed Sweeney, stating that women in sports are not always "pretty" or "glamorous," but rather face "muscles, hard work, blood, sweat, tears." Olympic water polo silver medalist Tilly Kearns also voiced her disapproval, writing, "I absolutely fking hate Sydney Sweeney’s new sports ad" along with a reel of her training with the Australian Olympic team.
Sweeney, who is a strategic partner and equity holder in Novig, has not responded directly to the backlash. However, she shared images of various athletes posing naked in ESPN's now-defunct The Body Issue magazine, including Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey. World Champion boxer Skye Nicolson emphasized that the issue lies not with Sweeney's appearance but rather with the exploitation of women in sports.
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