The common mistakes every sports gambler should avoid
We are about to find out. More than half of U.S. states now allow some form of online sports betting (some only allow in-person options), and others appear likely to follow in the next few years. The normalization of a practice that was considered taboo less than a decade ago — combined with addiction risks that are unique to gambling on sports — may have created a combustible climate.
Along with it has come a movement to fight the risk of problem gambling. That movement includes not only the organizations you would expect but some you may not. The NFL, for example, has poured $6 million into the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) — the group’s biggest donation ever. Some states have delegated funds as well — $3 million in Michigan’s 2023 budget, for example. And the operators themselves — DraftKings, FanDuel and the like — have devoted roles and resources to helping those in need.
Is it a useful countermeasure? Or merely a quiet alarm bell drowned out by the promotional clamor? Lives and livelihoods may depend on the answer. One report in the United Kingdom — where sports betting has been more liberalized for a while — found 55,000 “problem” gamblers between ages 11 and 16.
Responsible gambling advocate Brianne Doura-Schawohl said “the public crisis is already here” in the United States — it’s merely “bubbling under the surface.”
“We basically have poured kerosene on it by legalizing without giving it significant attention,” she said. “It’s only going to become more prominent and more severe in its presentation.”
While gambling has been part of American society from the start, the study of sports betting and the problems it causes is just beginning. A 2019 report in the Journal of Gambling Studies is, according to the authors, “first to our knowledge to examine risk factors for gambling problems specifically related to sports betting, rather than gambling in general.”
And what experts have found is that sports betting may create problems worse than the traditional casino and cards. People who bet on sports often believe they have an edge because they follow the teams. The random bounce of a football or a blown call doesn’t tend to factor into a bettor’s belief system.
“Psychologically, it’s a little different,” Fong said. “You’re not necessarily betting to make money; you’re betting to make yourself look smarter.”