'Use Sex To Sell Gambling': Sydney Sweeney's Novig Ad Under Fire Over Completely Naked Sports Betting Campaign

Sydney Sweeney has stripped down for a provocative new Novig sports betting campaign, appearing completely naked while sporting equipment strategically covers her body.

The actress stars in the ad for Novig, a sports-only prediction market app, delivering the message: 'Think you know sports? Prove it.'

According to the discussion on The Philip DeFranco Show, the actress is also an equity partner in Novig and serves as a creative director for the campaign.

Critics Say Sex Is Selling Gambling

The ad has quickly become a talking point because of the decision to use Sweeney's naked body to promote a sports prediction platform.

Some viewers have praised the campaign as attention-grabbing advertising, while others have questioned the decision to use sex appeal to market gambling-related products.

The controversy comes at a time when prediction markets are becoming increasingly visible and increasingly aggressive in their marketing.

A few days before the Novig campaign, Polymarket released an advertisement featuring LeBron James, using his famous King nickname as part of a promotional code.

That partnership raised a different set of concerns because James is an active professional athlete and sports are one of the biggest categories in prediction markets.

Investigative reporter Coffeezilla has also criticised the growing relationship between celebrities and gambling companies.

'Is there anyone who says no to these gambling companies?' he asked, before adding: 'Every major celebrity is lining up to take the check.'

The criticism points to a bigger issue surrounding celebrity involvement in gambling: stars with enormous audiences can make betting and prediction markets appear more mainstream and socially acceptable.

Celebrity Deals Are Drawing Bigger Questions

The controversy surrounding Sweeney's Novig campaign comes as prediction companies are spending heavily on celebrity partnerships.

The Philip DeFranco Show discussion argued that these companies have the financial power to offer major deals partly because many users ultimately lose money.

The episode cited a figure suggesting 96% of gamblers lose money, although the statistic was presented as part of the broader discussion rather than as a finding independently established within the segment.

Sweeney's involvement is particularly notable because she is not simply receiving an endorsement fee. As an equity partner and creative director, she has a deeper financial and creative connection to the brand.

The campaign's provocative approach could therefore be seen as more than a traditional celebrity commercial. It places Sweeney directly at the centre of the company's marketing strategy.

For critics, that makes the campaign part of a larger trend in which famous personalities help turn gambling and prediction markets into entertainment.

Prediction Markets Face a Bigger Spotlight

The backlash over Sweeney's advert also arrives as prediction markets expand into politics and other areas far beyond traditional sports.

The Anti-Corruption Data Collective was cited in the podcast as reporting that $183 million (£135.4 million) had already been wagered on the 2026 US midterms, with two months still remaining at the time of the discussion.

That was reportedly around double the amount wagered during the entire 2024 election cycle. The Texas Senate race had attracted the most money, while 10 wallets reportedly controlled 17% of all congressional volume on Polymarket.