LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Super Bowl is the most-watched sporting event in America, and gambling on the big game has become a huge priority for many individuals. The rise of sports betting is spreading everywhere, with people placing bets on such things as the color of Gatorade that will be dumped on the winning coach, the songs that will be played during the halftime show, or even how long the National Anthem will last. People tend to bet on anything during the big showdown.
Mobile sports betting is popular among youth as many apps only require you to be 18-years-old, but in some states it may require you to be 21-years-old. The decision to legalize sports betting in some states happened in 2018 following a Supreme Court decision to let states to decide on the issue.
Sports betting is becoming more popular to sports fans across the country after 38 states and the District of Columbia made the decision to legalize it. Some states are still considering legislation to legalize sports gambling. New Mexico is one of the states where it is legal to bet on sports and that is showing at NMSU.
Some NMSU students decided to place a wager when watching the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 9. Even some who don’t normally bet on sporting events wanted to gamble.
Figure 1.1 shows that of the students interviewed, 50% who placed a bet on Super Bowl Sunday won money, while the other 50% who placed a bet lost money. Bets ranged from $10-100.
NMSU freshman Antonio Cano decided to place a couple bets himself.
“I don’t often bet, but the environment that comes with the Super Bowl and a chance to be able to have a win to celebrate with the winning team is always a good way to end Super Bowl Sunday,” Cano said. “I do enjoy the thrill of setting up my parlay.”
Cano isn’t the only student who decided to place bets for the big game. Philadelphia Eagles fan Josiah Herrera, a junior at NMSU, placed a bet and won $120 during the Super Bowl.
“I do bet on almost every big game like the Super Bowl, NBA playoffs,” Herrera said. “What made me decide to bet on the Super Bowl was I’m an Eagles fan, so I had to trust my team, but I’ve been a huge sports guy my whole life.”
When it comes to sports betting, students need to do some research on the game and teams they are betting on to help them win money.
“You always wanna look at what the player/team has been doing the past few games.” Herrera said. “How they did against that certain team before as well.”
Research is also important to NMSU student Anthony Crespin.
“You gotta know the odds and spreads on the team,” Crespin said. “Knowing football is an advantage and crucial.”
Students interviewed all used mobile betting apps to place their bets. The most common app used by students is Underdog Fantasy, while PrizePicks is a close second (see figure 1.2).
Despite the concerns for addiction to gambling, the trend of betting on sports and events like the Super Bowl does not seem like it will slow down anytime soon—an observations supported by the number of states with pending legislation to legalize sports betting.
Whether for fun, profit or just to add another layer of entertainment to the Super Bowl, betting has undeniably become a major part of the experience for fans including students at NMSU.
National Problem Gambling Helpline 1-800-GAMBLER
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