BetMGM Removes Viral 'North Carolina To Hire Phil Jackson' Social Media Post

Mar 25th, 2026 4:34 PM EDT

A viral social media post from BetMGM feed touting Phil Jackson as the next men's basketball coach at North Carolina was deleted Wednesday. The post amassed more than 1.3 million impressions. BetMGM deleted the post around 3 p.m.

BREAKING: UNC is finalizing a deal to hire NBA legend Phil Jackson as their next Head Coach This move comes one year after the Tar Heels decision to hire NFL legend Bill Belichick, who went 4-8 in his first season.

An AI image of Jackson in a Carolina blue sports coat appeared next to an image of Belichick. Jackson coached the Bulls and Lakers to 11 combined NBA championships. Jackson coached former UNC star Michael Jordan on each of his 6 NBA title teams.

There was nothing to indicate on the post that it was facetious. Multiple unlicensed books and social/dual currency sites have resorted to these sorts of hyperbolic "fake news" social media posts, using them as a ploy to boost engagement.

A spokesman for BetMGM confirmed to Bookies.com that the site was not hacked. He added that that the social team was being "cheeky." BetMGM took down the post about 30 minutes after it responded to Bookies.com's inquiry as to its legitimacy.

BetMGM had no comment after taking down the post.

UNC fired Hubert Davis, the school announced Tuesday. VCU bounced UNC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this month. Davis succeeded Roy Williams in 2021. His team reached the 2022 Final Four.

Jackson, 80, last coached in 2011. His NBA coaching resume includes 11 NBA championships.

'Cheeky' Post Sign Of The Times?

Sports books face increasing competition from prediction markets. They remain unbound by any state regulations that may govern these sorts of social posts. Regulators have zinged licensed operators in the past for promotions shared on social platforms.

BetMGM does not currently offer any markets related to the Tar Heels, or their future coach, in the U.S.

Barstool Sports spent more than a year in back-and-forth hearings with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission when it shared a "Can't Lose Parlay" on its social media feeds. It came on the day online sports betting began in Massachusetts in 2023. That post purportedly violated state regulations due to its language, despite its clear sarcastic tone. The MGC fined Barstool $25,000.

A licensed sports betting operator sharing "news" meant to be sarcastic could open the door for scrutiny among regulators.

Also on Tuesday, in an unrelated case, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board fined BetMGM $100,000. The operator "failed to have sufficient procedures to prevent fraudulent behavior on its BetMGM and Borgata wagering platforms." There were four separate fraud rings that operated a combined 2,204 fraudulent accounts that wagered $2,007,180 from between 2021-2024.

At that same hearing, BetMGM announced it would be phasing out credit card deposits in the Keystone State starting March 31.

BetMGM Removes Viral 'North Carolina To Hire Phil Jackson' Social Media Post

'Cheeky' Post Sign Of The Times?

Comments