The news outlet has deleted a paragraph outlining Texas Tech Football's odds for the 2027 amid season in a report detailing new information in the Brendan Sorsby gambling story.
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby's personal admission into residential treatment for a gambling addiction is among the top stories in collegiate sports, but so, too, is the rise in gambling accessibility, especially in sports broadcasting and converging media.
So the two stories would, inevitably, collide sooner or later, and this ongoing situation with Sorsby is among the first mainstream examples.
Media companies have carefully tiptoed around the topic since it's emergence, but one outlet was blasted online for it's ill-timed inclusion of a supposed gambling advertisement or partnership within a report about Sorsby's story.
CBS Sports, in an online article outlining recent news related to Sorsby stepping away from the Red Raiders, included a paragraph explaining how his potential absence for the 2026 season might impact the betting odds of Texas Tech competing for another Big 12 title and potential national championship.
The paragraph has since been deleted after waves of online ridicule.
Below is a transcription from the piece, as accessed through a screenshot uploaded to social media by ESPN's Matt Schick:
"Texas Tech was an overwhelming favorite to repeat as Big 12 champions after acquiring Sorsby this offseason but has now moved to even money at +100, via FanDuel Sportsbook, after Monday's news. The Red Raiders' projected win total has also decreased, going from 11.5 at opening to 10.5 victories, and Sorsby's no longer on FanDuel's Heisman Trophy odds list after opening at +2500 just outside the top 10."
The bottom of the article now reads: "The original version of this article included information that was not sensitive to the subject matter. CBS Sports regrets this error."
Awful Announcing, a popular sports media news outlet and critic, detailed the situation as an understandably slippery slope, but one that still required more awareness than what was originally displayed.
"Sports betting has taken over the industry so completely and so rapidly that it’s second nature to now include odds shifts in detailing movements in the prediction markets," writer Matt Yoder said. "But the backdrop of increased problem gambling addictions, increased scandals in college and pro sports, and questions about what it is doing to society as a whole simply can’t be ignored.
"The impact of gambling on sports passed a critical mass a long time ago. But with the infinite dollars now seemingly a part of the industry, the leagues and media companies that are constantly looking for a new source of revenue have collectively decided that it’s worth the risk, or at least turning their heads the other way when a case like Brendan Sorsby comes along. It might be helpful for everyone in the sports world to take a step back and look at the big picture and ask what we’re doing instead of immediately jumping to the betting impact of someone’s gambling addiction."
CBS Sports offers several apparent partnerships with popular online betting platforms, such as FanDuel. On the broadcaster's website, under the "Betting" page, there is a dropdown menu with promo codes available for FanDuel, Kalshi, Bet365, TwinSpires, DraftKings, BetMGM, more. There is also a link that brings viewers directly to an article titled "Best betting sites: Top online sportsbooks in May 2026."
Sorsby, the No. 1-rated transfer recruit upon his commitment to Texas Tech, which also reportedly included an NIL package of $5 million, has reportedly placed thousands of bets on digital platforms dating back to his time at Indiana as a freshman in 2022.
Texas Tech said the university "is committed to supporting Brendan through his recovery process and to ensure his long-term health and well-being."
Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire also backed his quarterback publicly since the news has broke and his NCAA eligibility has been put into question.
"We love Brendan and support his decision to seek professional help," McGuire said. "Taking this step requires courage, and our primary focus is on him as a person. Our program is behind Brendan as he prioritizes his health."
