ESPN fires sports betting analyst over slurs from 2012

ESPN has fired sports betting analyst Kelly Stewart after uncovering homophobic tweets she sent out in 2012.

Stewart worked at ESPN for approximately a month before her career at the worldwide leader in sports came to an end. Stewart, who goes by @kellyinvegas on Twitter, was expected to play a prominent role on ESPN programs “Daily Wager” and “SportsCenter.”

Stewart addressed her termination on Twitter Friday while defending herself from online attacks.

“I know the words I used are unacceptable and hurtful and I am terribly sorry for the lapse in judgment, but I cannot apologize for standing up to the vicious attacks I, and so many other female personalities, endure from anonymous online trolls,” she wrote.

Originally from Kansas, Stewart has emerged as one of Las Vegas’ most popular sports betting analysts in recent years. Her Twitter page has more than 114,000 followers.

Stewart is owner of WagerTalk, a website that offers picks and contests. She was previously an on air analyst at Bleacher Report and contributed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal and ESPN Radio in Las Vegas.

Stewart was expected to appear across several platforms at ESPN, including television, podcasts and radio shows.

Stewart expressed frustration at ESPN’s decision to fire her.

“Women in sports have challenges online that men can only imagine, I wish ESPN had been willing to stand behind me, particularly because I’d already been suspended for these tweets by another company several years ago, but I cannot control their decision,” she wrote.

Ezra Amacher

Visit Profile

Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.