DraftKings issued an apology Monday after offering a 9/11-themed bet in its app.
The wager, bearing the title “Never Forget,” was a parlay bet that the New York Mets, New York Yankees and New York Jets would win their respective games on Monday, September 11, according to a screenshot posted on Twitter, now called X, and confirmed by a DraftKings spokesperson. “Bet on these New York teams to win tonight on 9/11,” the offering read. A parlay bet combines multiple wagers into one single bet.
DraftKings offered a mea culpa for its decision to provide a 9/11-themed bet, saying the company respects the “significance of this day.”
“We sincerely apologize for the featured parlay that was shared briefly in commemoration of 9/11. We respect the significance of this day for our country and especially for the families of those who were directly affected,” DraftKings said in a statement.
DraftKings is not the first US company to spark backlash after offering a 9/11-themed social media post or marketing gimmick.
In 2016, Walmart apologized after approving a 9/11-themed display of Coca-Cola boxes stacked on each other to resemble the World Trade Center, with a “We Will Never Forget!” banner waving above it at a Florida store.
That same year, San Antonio-based Miracle Mattress promoted a “Twin Towers sale” that purported to sell all mattresses for a “twin price.” A commercial for the sale showed mattresses stacked side-by-side in two vertical columns.
“I say this unequivocally, with sincere regret: the video is tasteless and an affront to the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11,” Mike Bonano, Miracle Mattress’ owner, said at the time.
A few years earlier, AT&T apologized for a tweet sent by the company’s Twitter account that showed a smartphone held up against the New York skyline, facing lights beaming up where the World Trade Center towers stood.
“We apologize to anyone who felt our post was in poor taste. The image was solely meant to pay respect to those affected by the 9/11 tragedy,” AT&T’s account tweeted.