The ability to instantly bet on professional and collegiate sports impacts the average fan experience, for better or worse.
“[Sports gambling] enhances the thrill of watching [games], putting some money on it and making it a little more intense [means] something more is at stake rather than just the thrill of my [favorite] team winning,” John Gorres, music education junior, said. “If I put five bucks on it and end up winning 60-70 bucks, it just makes it that much more enjoyable.”
Even though platforms such as FanDuel and DraftKings are prohibited in Texas, apps like Underdog, PrizePicks and Fliff allow people across the state to place legal bets on sports within seconds. In the past, less accessible illegal forms of gambling were the only option. According to a 2023 NCAA study, 67% of 18 to 22-year-olds on college campuses have indulged in sports betting. With these new-age platforms being legal and easily obtainable, there’s no question that the number of people who bet on sports has increased.
The online sports gambling era has created a landscape where sports fans view games much differently than before.
“[As a fan], the highs are so much higher and the lows are so much lower… [sports betting has] had a major negative impact on my life,” Dylan Hudson, business senior, said.
To many, the idea that betting on sports can be addictive seems absurd, however, 1-800-GAMBLER exists for a reason. According to a National Council on Problem Gambling study, 16% of online sports gamblers meet the clinical criteria for gambling disorder and another 13% show signs of gambling problems.
“Whenever you’re not betting on the sport, it’s not as fun, so [gambling] hinders [the fan experience]. It’s addicting. You have to keep on doing it to keep that thrill,” Gorres said. “But the positive is, if you bet on your team to win, [and] they [do] win, you cash a parlay.”
Since The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a law preventing states other than Nevada from allowing sports betting, in 2018, total sports betting revenue rose from $430 million that year to $11.04 billion in 2023, according to Statista. While some people might spend their last $10 on a parlay, sports betting companies are seeing unprecedented profit.
“[Sports betting] makes your budget a little bit more tight, [it’s] just sometimes harder to do things,” Zach Terry, film sophomore, said. “I could spend this $25 at the bar, or I could spend it on Lebron over. It definitely affects you socially.”
Sports betting affects how people watch sports and live their lives. But does it affect the product on the field? The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL all have business partnerships with sports betting companies, creating speculation among fans.
“I 100% think games are rigged for sports betting reasons,” Gorres said. “I think the most recent example is Texans-Chiefs in the divisional round game that just happened. The Chiefs were 9.5 point favorites, and they took a last-second safety that had no impact on their ability to win the game.”
There is no known evidence that professional sports leagues rig games, but these leagues’ financial benefits from sports gambling make fans wonder. That speculation, along with the ups and downs of sports betting, has created an entirely new outlook for sports fans.
