Sports Gambler, Benjamin Patz, Pleads Guilty to Threatening Players

Sports Gambler, Benjamin Patz, Pleads Guilty to Threatening Players

On Wednesday, sports gambler Benjamin Tucker Patz pleaded guilty to threatening Tampa Bay Rays players over social media. Patz will probably face up to 5 years in federal prison in addition to paying a large fine, however he does not yet have a sentencing date. 

Benjamin is a 24 year old sports gambler out of Napa, California, who, in the gambling community, is often referred to as “Parlay Patz.” He is alleged to be a millionaire, and there are articles that outline his “hot streak” in 2019, that helped him amass his wealth. However, as with many gamblers, he did not do well with losing.

While over the past few years, he has harassed and threatened nearly 300 professional and collegiate athletes over social media, what the lawsuit focuses on is his threatening of the Tampa Bay Rays. Following a 2019 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Patz threatened 5 Rays players and one White Sox player over instagram (their names are confidential.)

He threatened horrific things to the athletes and their families. A few of the threats also contained racial slurs.

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In addition to the complaint filed by the Rays that lead to this lawsuit, players on many other teams in the US and abroad have also spoken out about the antics of Parlay Patz. 

While it is not clear if Benjamin was actually able to “fix” any games by threatening the athletes, that is definitely a possibility, and it is something that will be looked into. 

The anonymity that comes with technology has brought about a new wave of death threats towards athletes over the past few years, which is why it is somewhat amazing that Patz was caught.

Avi Paulson

Avi Paulson is a student at the College Preparatory School. He lives in the Bay Area, and is an avid viewer of baseball. He plays various sports, and is a writer for At the Buzzer.