By: Anne Falcetano
Posted In: Sports
According to Betsoff.com, 1.5 percent of the adult population is suffering from Pathological Gambling Disorder. With the advent of internet gambling, a new concern is arising; gamblers are getting younger and younger, and the majority of those new gamblers are college students.
In a time when money is tight, students around the country have a surprising amount of access to new credit cards and even their parents’ cards, making it easier for them to risk this intangible money on things such as sports betting.
In the next four months are the two sporting events that more people bet on all year than
any others, the Superbowl and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, also know as the “Final Four.” The Superbowl has become the most bet on professional sporting event. Last year it was projected that $5 billion dollars was waged on this one game and each year this number increases, as does the number of gamblers. So why would a college student, most of which
exist on restricted budgets to begin with, spend money on sports gambling, college sports being the most popular?
“College kids are trying to get some quick money,” said Scott Fitzgerald, senior at SRU, “and thinking that betting on something they know, college, is a safe bet with a good rate of return.”
“It [gambling] makes the games more fun to watch,” said a student who chooses to remain anonymous, “and you can make some money doing it.”
When one thinks of sports gambling, most think that it is an area where the men dabble. They will do the research and spend the time trying to learn as much as possible in order to make the best wagering decision they can. Youth Gambling International says that, “boys may be more attracted to the competitive nature of gambling.” Additionally, games are a risk to bet on by nature. Anything can happen; the research that people do may not have any relevance on the day of the game, and in turn, now increases their chances of making that winning bet.
In a recent article, the NCAA released a series of questions for gamblers to ponder. Check out the questions below, your gambling may be a bigger concern than you think it is.
1. Do you find yourself gambling more frequently than you used to?
2. Has anyone ever suggested that you have a problem with gambling?
3. Did you ever gamble more than you intended to?
4. Do you have a fantasy that gambling is going to make you rich?
5. Do you believe you have superior knowledge when you make a bet?
6. Do you lose time from school because of gambling?
7. Do you have intense interest in point spreads and odds?
8. Do you make frequent calls to sports phones or lotteries?
9. Have you ever bet with a bookmaker or used credit cards to gamble?
10. Have your grades ever dropped because of gambling?
11. Have you ever done anything illegal to finance your gambling?
12. Is gambling language or references part of your vocabulary?
13. Do you prefer to socialize with friends who gamble?
14. Does anyone in your family have an addiction?
15. Have you ever borrowed money to finance gambling?
16. Has anyone ever paid your gambling debts for you?
17. Does gambling give you a “rush”?
18. Do you find yourself craving another gambling experience?
19. Do you find yourself “chasing” your losses?
20. Have you ever tried to stop or control your gambling?
21. Have you lied about your gambling to family or friends?
22. Are you spending more time on the Internet?
23. Are you playing poker on the Internet?
