My questions are more meta. Feel free to answer as many or few as you would like:
1.) Do you gamble on sports? Why or why not?
2.) Do you think it enhances sports or detracts from sports for betting information to be prevalent on a website, on the tv broadcast, etc?
3.) Do you find betting information interesting/useful?
I'm asking this because the fox sports RSNs just got switched over to Bally's. I didn't think of myself as a gambling curmudgeon before this but this Bally's transition has made me think about what I care about when it comes to sports/gambling. I've personally never bet but have never been against it. Now that the pregame shows (for the Cardinals/Blues at least) are all lines and O/Us, I find myself getting annoyed. I'm generally interested to hear from others to see if y'all prefer sports through the gambling lens or if you'd rather leave it out, or if there's some happy medium.
Comments
I don't gamble on sports. Partly because I haven't accounted for that in my budget, partly because I know that in order to do so with confidence I would have to spend A LOT more time watching the sports I'm betting on and I don't have the time for that. I haven't really watched enough sports lately to notice that betting odds are being broadcast so I can't say for sure whether I think it enhances, or detracts from, the experience. I'm sure if I was more invested in gambling on sporting events I would appreciate the available information but as someone who doesn't gamble on sports I would probably just ignore that information and focus on the game. I would probably only really be annoyed if they cover up graphics (like the score, clock, other game info, etc.) with betting info. It drives me nuts when the producers decide it's fine to cover up the game clock or the score or something with other graphics for any amount of time. Or if they cut away from the game action to talk about anything else. That irks me too. Avoid those two things and I couldn't really care less what info they share regarding betting odds.
I don't gamble but I do like to follow some of the lines. I think the pregame shows and what not have probably focused on it more than I like, but don't necessarily find it annoying. For me, I get the most enjoyment out of sports by having a genuine interest in the outcome (Hokies). But, if I was single and had more time to watch teams I don't have a personal interest in, I could see how modest betting would enhance the experience.
Other that march madness and fantasy football I had not ventured into sports gambling until this year when online betting became legal in VA. I definitely enjoy it and it makes the games more interesting for me especially when it is two teams or a sport I have little to no interest in. I also have good self control and usually bet less than 5 dollars and try not to chase too many longshots. I usually bet on my guts as well and do not listen to what the talking heads say, that kind of takes away from the fun for me if you are playing someone else numbers.
I bet on sports. It makes almost anything I'm watching that much more interesting. I'm talking $1-2 bs bets that don't really effect anything but it still makes it a lot more fun to watch for me. I've watched every pga tour event this year with great interest because every shot could mean I've made a few bucs. As far as betting lines and things of that nature being brought up in the broadcast I'd prob like that being taken out. Don't need it. I have all that information usually if I'm watching. Just focus on the broadcast and the game. Maybe have a little graphic on the side every now and then sure but don't need to make a huge deal about it.
The only gambling I do on sports is to always bet a small amount against Virginia Tech in any bowl game if I can find someone willing to give me the other team straight up. Thankfully, a co-worker of mine, Emily, is almost always willing to help me out. No point spreads allowed, but I will give odds if VT is favored. Rationale is:
(1) VT is not very good in bowl games (13-20/less than 40% winning percentage), so I usually win the bet.
(2) If VT wins, I am happy even if I lose $5-$20.
(3) If VT loses, I am not happy, but at least I get a free lunch out of it.
I'm heading to Vegas this week specifically to bet on the Masters. I bet frequently on sports but only when I go to LV, I won't bet on an online app or through a book based in the Caribbean as that would make it too easy to lose money. Betting on sports definitely makes a game more interesting to me. I GOTTA HAVE THE JUICE!
i don't bet on sports or really much of anything because it's basically a big money pit for me and i have a very addictive/attachy personality -- get way down in the weeds on stuff, and it's very easy for me to fixate and get "stuck" on things --- BAD NEWS for gambling.
I do indulge in a single $10 fantasy buy-in. FPL minileague where second place gets their money back and first gets everyone else's buyin. Last year i (first year doing it) I got my money back, and this year I'm sitting pretty for first place and $120 profit.
I do gamble on sports, but nothing crazy and usually not on my teams (unless I think they have no chance and then it's a bit of an emotional hedge). Most games are just more fun to watch with a little bit of skin in the game, even if it's only a few bucks. I also think it makes you a bit more attentive as a fan, similar to how fantasy football will make you learn about teams and players you'd otherwise just ignore.
In terms of having the gambling info on the broadcasts, I don't love it. It just doesn't do a lot for me because if i want to bet the game, I probably already know the line, but i also haven't noticed it being too obnoxious yet from the channels and games that I get.
I don't gamble on sports, but I do gamble away my money in stock market/options trading. 💎🙌
via GIPHY" target="_blank">
via GIPHY
The stock market is gambling. This counts. It's not sports gambling, but it's gambling. You can even get a bit risky and hedge your bets against a stock and make bank.
If I understood either sports gambling or stocks any bit better, I'd gamble some money. But right now, it's like translating ancient languages into English.
The stock market is not gambling. The market is a means to exchange ownership rights of public companies. The subsequent appreciation or depreciation of those ownership over time is a secondary effect. Gambling involves no ownership. It is just a binary zero-sum bet on a singular event. It is true that people can gamble using the stock market but it is false to say because some people gamble using the stock market any participation in the market is gambling.
Day trading on margin is gambling and IMHO it is for idiots.
Regular trading is a lot safer and isn't much of a gamble. Especial index funds.
An S&P 500 Index fund (and other similar indexes) are pretty much guaranteed to yield a return better than any savings account over enough time. Although there is a recession about once a decade or so, you can bank approximately an average of 10% annual return each year as long as you don't sell during the recession. While it is true you can't predict the future, 90 years of historical data is pretty reliable.
Correct. I loved the interview with Warren Buffett where he said if he could have done it all over he would have just invested in index funds.
I like a blend of actively managed and index.
I like betting on college football and basketball. Usually bet on totals, but I'll play money line when it's ridiculous odds or spread if it's obviously too big.
I really dislike that I can't make bets on games with Virginia teams though.
I absolutely HATE how much advertising there is for it now though.
I dont gamble, I LOVE my money, I HATE losing my money.
I played fantasy football one season and it ruined football. I couldn't watch the game, no enjoyment, just me yelling at Jay Cutler to throw the ball to Greg Olsen, he was open!
Ha I get it. My players always seem to get tackled at the 1 yard line.
Stop drafting Danny Coale, then.
I love gambling. I am also horrible at money management and it drives my wife insane.
She does not appreciate when I tell her they print more of it every day. I imagine my view of money and gambling go hand in hand. I rarely get stressed about it even when the situation calls for it. Maybe a blessing and a curse?
I mean my wife was horrified at my money management. Before we combined things I had the same stock bought through 3 different brokerage accounts. She was modified, my response was "well they tell you to diversify".
Don't use Fan Duel. I signed up for March Madness. After one day's bets, they locked my account for suspicious activity. I have provided every piece of documentation asked for, and they still won't unlock my account and allow me to withdraw my remaining balance.
Ouch. Good reason to avoid online betting with any vendor.
TL;DR - RIP PAPN