Sport gambling, where do you stand?

[Palatine]

Personally, I have never placed a bet on a UConn game. I occasionally visit a casino, not often, to play blackjack or roulette. When I was kid we used to get NFL betting cards from the local mafia guys. For one dollar you got a card that had every NFL game and the spread. If you picked four winners you got $10 dollars. I did this many times and neither I or anyone I knew ever won.

Now, it seems like you cannot go on the web or tune on the tube without hitting a sports gambling show. I understand some folks bet because it gives the game a little extra juice. But I get so involved in the games, I don't need any extra juice. In fact, I can watch a random NFL or NBA game and my rooting interest for one side or the other is very high. I immediate get captured by the competition. Not all sports, not women's sports, sorry, I just don't care. But high level athlete competition is fascinating to me. It's not like watching a UConn or Giants game but I don't need to bet on a game to get involved.

I am especially curious about UConn fans that bet on UConn games. If you didn't bet would it lessen your interest? Do you need to bet to have fun? Are you a UConn bettor or bet on everything? Did you used to watch the Huskies without betting and enjoy them?

 

[Deleted at users request]

For UConn basketball? Absolutely not. For regular NBA games or NFL games, it definitely helps me watch and be invested in games I’d have no interest in otherwise.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

I bet on the other team. If UConn wins, worth it. If not, at least it’ll soften the blow. And I’m talking small amounts like $25 to hedge my fandom. It was worth $25 to me for UConn to win Saturday for example. And when they lost to Seton Hall? I got like $80 back so it had a small silver lining. As the games get more important, I’ll probably bet more.

 

[willie99]

Just win baby, the spread would be secondary

 

[phillionaire]

sports gambling needs to go back to only being accessible from sketchy websites based in eastern europe. The constant bombardment with advertisements is disgusting.

 

[husky429]

I bet on the other team. If UConn wins, worth it. If not, at least it’ll soften the blow. And I’m talking small amounts like $25 to hedge my fandom. It was worth $25 to me for UConn to win Saturday for example. And when they lost to Seton Hall? I got like $80 back so it had a small silver lining. As the games get more important, I’ll probably bet more.

I have never disliked a post more than this.

 

[MDHuskFan]

Don’t bet UConn w/L or spread, but I do bet individual player props

 

[firstnline]

I bet on horse racing not on college or professional sports. To each his own.

 

[JMick]

I personally hate gambling and do not enjoy watching my money that i work hard for, disappear. I'm fine with legalized sports betting but I don't think they should be allowed to advertise or run promotions.

 

[Chin Diesel]

1. Never bet your team as a favorite
2. Never bet what you can't recover in total losses through comp'd drinks, meals or tix.
3. Game spread is for simps. You want to make money look for the props. There's always money to be had in there.
4. Go Ravens. Two weeks ago I decided I needed a rooting interest for the NFL so I have Ravens at +350 to win the SB.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

In the red…

 

[J187Money]

I bet on the other team. If UConn wins, worth it. If not, at least it’ll soften the blow. And I’m talking small amounts like $25 to hedge my fandom. It was worth $25 to me for UConn to win Saturday for example. And when they lost to Seton Hall? I got like $80 back so it had a small silver lining. As the games get more important, I’ll probably bet more.

WHEN I bet against my team that is exactly how I feel, but I don't bet against my team just for that reason. I look at the lines and bet what I think. I won't NOT bet against my team due to principle. I feel that I know my team better than I know teams I don't watch so if I see a line that tells me to bet against my team? So be it. But I don't bet a lot in those circumstances because I never want to root against my team. So I will usually do it in a parley.

 

[Waquoit]

I think it should be legal. And I think it's up to adults to handle this like adults.

 

[The Viking]

I bet on the other team. If UConn wins, worth it. If not, at least it’ll soften the blow. And I’m talking small amounts like $25 to hedge my fandom. It was worth $25 to me for UConn to win Saturday for example. And when they lost to Seton Hall? I got like $80 back so it had a small silver lining. As the games get more important, I’ll probably bet more.

This is the way to do it. It's like the basketball gods come to you say you want your team to win? It's gonna cost ya.
Ok I'll pay X for a win you say.
Then if they lose you get something for the effort.

 

[Seamus84]

I totally get the popularity of online gambling, but with the speed of technology enabling real-time betting on Rory's next putt or Djokovic's next serve, I wouldn't be surprised to see someone in attendance try to influence an outcome.

 

[gtcam]

I love money too much to have it stolen from me by faceless/nameless persons

 

[Deleted at users request]

In the red…

January has been horrible to everyone it seems. Honestly I can’t wait for the MLB to come back. NBA sucks.

 

[JayKoz]

DraftKings paid for my trip to the Final Four last year. I can share the story if people are interested, but I just kept rolling the money over on us in the tournament.

 

[Mr. French]

This is the way to do it. It's like the basketball gods come to you say you want your team to win? It's gonna cost ya.
Ok I'll pay X for a win you say.
Then if they lose you get something for the effort.

Yours and the OP here are just wild takes, I must say!

We're talking real life, real games, real money, I'm not going to bet against my team just in the hopes of making money, why guarantee yourself 1 loss? You CAN win both?!?! If you don't love the spread or the matchup, don't bet it - but why on earth make it a PHILOSOPHY to bet real dollars on the team for whom you root to lose?!?!

 

[Chuck]

Legalized gambling has been great for the popularity of sports. I personally don’t bet. If I’m in Vegas or AC with friends, I’ll put some money in to bet some games as a group, but that’s it. I’ve decided I hate losing money more than I enjoy winning similar amounts.

I’m actually surprised that we don’t read more stories about people throwing away their lives (money and relationships) gambling. The ability for these apps to grab you and keep you betting on the mundane is impressive and scary. Microbetting on speed of next pitch and at bat results is just nuts to me.

 

[Ctedgeman]

I had never done anything other than like nickel, quarter and $1 daily fantasy lineup tournaments on FanDuel for NBA and whenever they gave me a free voucher for NFL stuff. I don't watch football much, so I know way less about those teams and players to spend real money. Never tried spreads or prop bets. I would say it generally made me watch along with those games more than I would have otherwise.

Don't really know why, but I started looking at FanDuel sports book last year before the season started and randomly saw those +8000 futures odds for UConn and put down $200 since I felt good about who was coming back, clingan, and Joey/Nahiem. We all know how that ended. Made a pretty good chunk of change. I don't plan on making those types of bets often.

 

[B1GEast]

I don't mind sports betting. My only gripe is that bets should not be placed once the game has started.

Just like horse racing, you can't bet once they're off.

It makes one wonder if Vegas can influence the game as the money line and spread fluctuates.

In the NFL I've seen things happen in the 4th quarter that have made me question the integrity of the game.

 

[DisabledVet]

I put three kids through college by gambling. Unfortunately, they were not my own.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Personally, I have never placed a bet on a UConn game. I occasionally visit a casino, not often, to play blackjack or roulette. When I was kid we used to get NFL betting cards from the local mafia guys. For one dollar you got a card that had every NFL game and the spread. If you picked four winners you got $10 dollars. I did this many times and neither I or anyone I knew ever won.

Now, it seems like you cannot go on the web or tune on the tube without hitting a sports gambling show. I understand some folks bet because it gives the game a little extra juice. But I get so involved in the games, I don't need any extra juice. In fact, I can watch a random NFL or NBA game and my rooting interest for one side or the other is very high. I immediate get captured by the competition. Not all sports, not women's sports, sorry, I just don't care. But high level athlete competition is fascinating to me. It's not like watching a UConn or Giants game but I don't need to bet on a game to get involved.

I am especially curious about UConn fans that bet on UConn games. If you didn't bet would it lessen your interest? Do you need to bet to have fun? Are you a UConn bettor or bet on everything? Did you used to watch the Huskies without betting and enjoy them?

I only bet on UConn games because I feel like I have an edge on Vegas. I know more about UConn than they do. So far, the results bear that out. I don’t bet every game, but I think I am about 16-1 on the games I’ve bet (or the bet to win it all last year).

 

[GlastonTim]

Not a fan. Don’t gamble on anything. Would take the enjoyment out of it for me. Don’t like lotteries either. Never been to the casino except for a concert. But I do have other vices that I enjoy.

 

[The Viking]

Yours and the OP here are just wild takes, I must say!

We're talking real life, real games, real money, I'm not going to bet against my team just in the hopes of making money, why guarantee yourself 1 loss? You CAN win both?!?! If you don't love the spread or the matchup, don't bet it - but why on earth make it a PHILOSOPHY to bet real dollars on the team for whom you root to lose?!?!

You're looking at it wrong. I don't guarantee 1 loss. I guarantee 1 win. I dont do it for every sporting event for my favorite teams _ just the ones that are bigger.

 

[The Viking]

Amazing that the state thinks nothing of taking from anyone who wants to buy a lotto ticket or scratchy or keno or sports gambling.
But online poker where skill is actually required?
Hell no, CT says.

 

[temery]

I just can't wait for the time when players can bet on their own team.

 

[dennismenace]

I bet a small amount once on a Big East game. It changed the entire way I watched a game. It took all
of the enjoyment out of watching as a fan and the excitement of the game. Never repeated that choice. I now find the constant betting advertisements (like watching a Yankee game) disgusting. I was watching baseball games below the age of 10 and can still remember the beer commercial jingles so it does get into your head. The thought of young kids having gambling drummed into their heads is sickening to me.

 

[dennismenace]

Amazing that the state thinks nothing of taking from anyone who wants to buy a lotto ticket or scratchy or keno or sports gambling.
But online poker where skill is actually required?
Hell no, CT says.

And when you see the people who look the poorest in the gas station/convenience store buying a lot of scratch tickets at ridiculous odds you realize that tax and spend governments will prey on peoples weaknesses like addiction (cigarettes, alcohol, gambling etc.) you realize how far we have come. Very sad.