In recent years, sports betting has exploded and has gotten to the point where it’s concerning for younger generations and their outlook on sports.
If you’ve watched any nationally broadcasted sports in the past few years, I’m sure you’ll understand exactly what I’m talking about. Betting advertisements have gone through the roof. Next time you watch a game, try counting how many betting commercials appear. Every break in the action seems filled with a new ad showing why betting is great and, personally, I am pretty annoyed by it.
I get that a large portion of sports fans are adults, but think of all the younger fans that are watching all of this. Children and teenagers are constantly being given the idea that gambling is simply a normal part of being a sports fan, long before they fully understand the risks. Many are being introduced to these ideas or habits of betting that could harm them later on.
All of this has slowly changed the way people watch games. Fans who used to sit back and enjoy the action now spend entire games sweating over bets. A missed layup, a single pitch outside the strike zone, or one dropped pass suddenly feel like a make-or-break moment for these fans. In my opinion, it becomes much harder to enjoy and appreciate the plays that make professional sports special when every small mistake feels like a personal loss.
It may sound a bit overdramatic, but what might start out as a fun side hobby can turn into something serious such as addiction without people even realizing it. When gambling becomes the focus, it encourages decisions that can get risky very quickly, especially for people who already struggle with self-control.
Consider the betting situation when it comes to the major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, the NBA finals, March Madness, the World Series, the Stanley Cup Finals and of course, the World Cup finals. We all know that these events are popular across the sports world and for good reason.
As a result, these events account for the biggest gambling days of the year. Believe it or not, fans collectively wager billions of dollars annually, with the average bettor ending up placing hundreds of dollars in bets.
Unfortunately, it’s becoming a trend among professional athletes and coaches as well, making the situation even more concerning. Just this past year, several professionals have faced suspensions, fines, or investigations for gambling-related issues. Players have bet on their own games and even themselves, leading to accusations of game rigging. MLB pitcher Emmanuel Clase, NBA point guard Terry Rozier, and NBA coach Chauncey Billups have all been investigated for gambling violations.
Fans have begun to question team or player results and the integrity of the games themselves. These betting scandals are comparable to the use of steroids and PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) to skew results, prevalent in the Olympics and in the MLB during the steroid era of the 1990s. Even though it’s a different problem, the cheating element and fear of losing credibility is similar.
I’ll end by saying this: watching pro sports should allow people to come together, forget pressures from work or school, and enjoy competition from the best athletes on the planet. Sure, making small side bets with friends can be fun, but continuously risking your money online seems unnecessary. Ask yourself if it will actually make the game more enjoyable, because being responsible with your money is extremely important. Everyone understands that at the end of the day, professional sports are a business that is trying to sell an entertaining product. Professional sports is filled with excitement and unforgettable moments that bring people and communities together through shared fandom. Let’s make sure we don’t prioritize gambling over the love of the game.
