During the 2019 NFL season, the sports world was introduced to a 23-year-old bettor and college kid named, Parley Patz. He ran into some extreme luck that netted him $672,000 on four parlays in three weeks.
His string of luck included a hitting a $1,800, 15-leg parlay for $239,000 and a $7,000 13-leg parlay that got him $333,000. His luck, however, would run out when he got charged with allegedly “threatening to carry out acts of violence against athletes and their families.” Patz lost $10,000 when he bet on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, so he in turn sent a threatening message to New England Patriots stars Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.
Fast forward to June 2021, and Patz has gotten his punishment. He was sentenced to 36 months probation after pleading guilty in March to transmitting threats in interstate or foreign commerce.
As part of the probation, Patz will be barred from “engaging in any activities that involve gambling, waging, or other betting activities, either online or in person.”
Patz also sent Instagram messages to an unnamed baseball player for the Atlanta Braves that said “I’ll behead you and your family” and “I’ll sever your neck open with a dull knife.” In 2019, he messaged an unnamed Pepperdine University college basketball player that threatened, “your entire family will be beheaded and burned alive” and “I will enter your home as you sleep and kill you.”
Patz’s attorney, David Weisbrod said the following in a statement to ESPN:
“In open court this morning, Mr. Patz expressed remorse for his actions and the hurt he caused and apologized to anyone who received one of his messages or was otherwise adversely affected by them. He is also grateful for the court’s decision to place him on probation. Other than that, there will be no other comments.”
