It’s Sunday night. You have 6 missing assignments and 3 upcoming tests, but all you need is 8 points out of Pistons legend Andre Drummond to hit your parlay.
Your eyes are glued to the screen, all thoughts of homework tossed out the window. But no! With 3 minutes to go and 2 points away, Drummond fouls out! Your parlay is ruined. Your life is in shambles, but then you remember, you also bet on Ravens legend Joe Flacco to pass for over 2 touchdowns. You frantically look at the box score, and he passed for 3! You are happier than ever. Your life feels complete, and you are now up $2. Nothing can stop you.
There are tons of ways to enjoy sports, but only one way to profit from it. Sports betting is a very popular form of entertainment and a way to make some cash for sports fans. There are many ways to gamble on sports, from fantasy football, to extreme parlays, but all are just as addicting. The two main apps students reported using were Prize Picks and DraftKings Pick6. Participants bet by choosing over or under on players stats for a game. This got me wondering, how is this addictive hobby affecting Arcata High students?
AHS senior Colton Constancio recently got into sports betting. “I’ve always loved watching and being involved in sports.” Constancio said when asked why he started. “It just allows me to be more involved in a game.” Constancio doesn’t bet a lot of money, usually around 2 dollars, as he doesn’t want it to impact his financial state. Although he doesn’t spend a lot of money, he is actually up around $25! But even with his wins, Constancio warns others about getting into sports betting. “Don’t do it, it’s rigged, and it’s very hard to win actual profit.” This is because sports betting services do not put the odds in your favor. To profit, you need to correctly pick 56% of the time, which over a long period, is not sustainable.
Sports betting doesn’t always end great. An anonymous AHS student also recently got into sports betting through a friend. And has continued because of the “Thrill of winning”. This student has been less successful; he risked over $300 and has lost nearly all of it. He said even though he is down a lot of money, that he recommends people to do it because it’s a fun thing to do with friends and that it gets him “More invested in sports both emotionally and financially.” He has now taken a break from gambling. Although sports betting can be a fun hobby, it is not a way to make money. Studies have found that bettors lose an average of 7.5 cents per dollar spent while sports betting, not a reliable source of income at all.
