Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication

First Advisor

Dr. Malcolm Jason

Second Advisor

Dr. Troy Comeau

Third Advisor

Dr. Lynn Murray

Keywords

Sports Gambling, Rhetoric, Daily Fantasy Sports, Grounded Theory, TikTok, Sports Advertising

Abstract

In the years since the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, sports gambling and related products have become increasingly visible in U.S. sports culture. Daily fantasy sports sit within this larger environment and are often promoted as skill-based, social, and routine parts of fandom. This study examined how daily fantasy sports are rhetorically framed on TikTok by comparing official daily fantasy sports advertisements with content posted by referral-code creators, a term used here to describe TikTok users who promote platforms through referral or partner codes while presenting picks, tips, or betting advice. The guiding research question asked how the rhetorical frames used by referral-code creators on social media differ from those used in official daily fantasy sports advertising.

Using a qualitative grounded theory approach, this study analyzed transcripts from 45 referral-code creator TikToks and 20 official TikTok advertisements. Open, axial, and selective coding were used to identify recurring patterns in how daily fantasy sports participation was promoted, justified, and normalized. The analysis found that both datasets encouraged participation, but they did so through different rhetorical patterns. Official advertisements more often emphasized platform legitimacy, ease of use, app features, and daily fantasy sports as a routine part of sports engagement. Referral-code creator content leaned more heavily on creator expertise, referral pressure, bonus-based inducements, certainty, and language that reduced the visibility of risk.

These findings suggest that referral-code creators perform a distinct kind of promotional work. Their content can make daily fantasy sports participation feel more personal, more certain, and less recognizable as advertising. This study argues that creator-linked promotion deserves closer attention in discussions of gambling advertising, responsible messaging, and platform-based sports gambling culture.

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