Barstool Sports personality Evan McDowell, commonly known as “Big Ev,” appears to have been sidelined by the outlet amid multiple accusations from fans alleging he stiffed bookies they helped connect McDowell to, or in other instances, failed to repay followers who placed wagers on his behalf.
Since allegations first surfaced, McDowell has gone silent on social media, ceased appearances on Barstool’s gambling show Picks Central, and been removed from promotional material for the show on the DraftKings app. Additionally, Picks Central, which streams live, has disabled the chat function on its broadcasts since accusations about McDowell went public.
Awful Announcing has spoken with two alleged victims, both providing similar accounts of McDowell. Both allege that the Barstool personality requested introductions to illegal bookies and subsequently failed to pay those bookies.
Multiple efforts seeking a comment or an update on the situation went unanswered.
The initial post that sparked conversation of McDowell’s behavior, which has since been deleted along with the account that posted it, reads as follows:
“@stoolpresidente, @PicksCentral, @BarstoolBigCat, @DoubleVodkaDon big ev is a scumbag who dms stoolies for bookies then robs them and ghosts when he loses.”
Follow-up posts from other users, many of which included screenshots of text messages or DMs with McDowell, showed followers pleading with Big Ev to reimburse them or the bookie, as they felt pressure to resolve payment situations.
One screenshot circulating online appears to show one of McDowell’s fans pleading with him to repay a bookie he helped connect to the Barstool personality:
“Hey man, I gotta reach out about this situation with the bookie I connected you with. I was a big fan of yours and Barstool, so I was stoked to help out when you asked, but things have gone south quick. He says you stiffed him within like two weeks, and now he’s coming at me hard, holding me responsible since I made the intro. It’s putting a real strain on my friendship with him, and honestly, I feel pretty fucked over with how quickly this happened after I vouched for you. I get that stuff happens, but can you sort this out? l’d appreciate it if you could make it right with him so this doesn’t blow up more.”
In the screenshot, Big Ev replies, “I’m taking care of it bro no worries I got you I’m not stiffing him.”
Another screenshot showed the following exchange.
“Hey I got this guy telling me I’m gonna be on the hook for $17k if he can’t get ahold of you? He said he’s willing to figure it out but if you can reply to him would be much appreciated. I’m not looking to be in the middle of it.”
The screenshot shows no reply from McDowell.
In the week since these accusations first surfaced, McDowell’s status with the company has increasingly come into doubt. McDowell ceased posting to social media soon after allegations became public. Considering his past posting frequency on social media and the timing of his silence aligning with a major sporting event in the Final Four, the lack of posts can be seen as connected with the accusations.
McDowell has also stopped appearing on the Barstool show, Picks Central, which has since disabled the show’s live chat after a barrage of comments about McDowell’s status. Fans of Big Ev have yet to hear anything from McDowell himself, and multiple social media replies to posts by fellow Picks Central hosts and other Barstool personalities have not yet prompted a public explanation on the matter.
Additionally, DraftKings’ Picks Central parlays no longer feature McDowell in promotional materials.
Awful Announcing contacted two individuals who initially spoke out on social media as being victims of McDowell’s. Both share similar stories and were granted anonymity due to the topic’s sensitivity.
The first individual claims he DM’d McDowell about a game McDowell intended to bet on, mentioning that his bookie had a better line on that particular football game. The individual claims McDowell then asked him for an introduction to the bookie. The apparent victim contends he was later informed McDowell had not paid his losing bets and had not responded to the bookie’s repeated inquiries.
After several attempts to remedy the situation, the bookie communicated that the amount (in the mid-four-figures) would be deducted from winnings the apparent victim had made during football season.
“I’m usually a private person when it comes to gambling and things, especially when it’s not via the apps,” the individual shared. “I don’t like to air out people’s business, especially if it’s a misunderstanding. But when it was brought to light that this happened to other people, I realized it wasn’t just me.”
A second individual who posted screenshots of conversations he had with McDowell, citing losses of over $15,000, shared that he put Big Ev in touch with a bookie who was “a friend of a friend,” and not someone he directly bet with, saying he bet solely through legal apps.
“I just got made aware he wasn’t paying up, so I was told I had to pay a portion of the debt for referring him. Kinda just got caught in the middle. My buddy who had the connect is a good friend, so I didn’t want him to get screwed over,” he said.
The individual was recently told that the bookie had been repaid in full over the weekend.
Given that many social media posts about McDowell’s apparent lack of payments have since been deleted, it’s possible McDowell has been paying off these lost bets, or that a third party is allocating funds to cover these repayments to keep it quiet.
When told that McDowell was potentially facing serious consequences for the situation, one of the victims said, “Can’t go around burning a bunch of people and expect nothing to happen.”
The other victim had more extensive thoughts on the situation.
“When you’re in the gambling world, there’s kind of an unspoken understanding that if you make bets, you pay your debts, especially when someone is referring you to a bookie they already have a relationship with,” they said. “Usually, you don’t refer people you don’t really know. But the way the Barstool guys carry themselves, it gives off the impression that they get the rules of wagering and wouldn’t leave someone hanging. It didn’t ruin my relationship with my bookie, but he did tell me no more referrals from me, which honestly I completely understand.”
The individual later shared, “If Big Ev does have a problem, I hope he gets help. Gambling addiction is serious, and it’s ruined a lot of lives. I don’t want him losing his job and his income over this, but I hope he gets help if he needs it.”
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.