Sunday, February 12th, 2023, is football’s Biggest Game, one of the most celebrated sporting events of the year. Along with the big game, the divisional and conference playoffs are among the most popular sporting events for placing bets. Given the roll out of legalized mobile sports betting, it is expected that wagers on the Big Game this year will once again surpass records set from the previous year, with as many as 45 million additional Americans placing legal wagers from their mobile devices.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that a record 31.4 million people in the US could wager as much as $7.61 billion dollars on this year’s Big Game. This number would be a 35 percent increase from last year.
While American football is the most popular U.S. sport for wagers, it is second only to Soccer, in the global sports betting market. Wagers on the NFL make up nearly three quarters of all sports bets placed in the US.
For most, the Big Game is traditionally a great time to have fun with family and friends, but for some, Partying, drinking, and gambling activities can get out of control. With mobile sports betting now available on the same devices people use to access their banking and credit cards, along with the ability to link those accounts directly to sports betting apps, the risks are greater than ever for a situation to quickly become out of control.
Many players may not realize how much actual money they are spending, since they are not physically holding cash in their hands like they would at a casino. These costs can easily add up and lead to gambling debt.
Tips to keep sports betting safe & fun…
- Know how the game works and what the odds are before you bet.
- Hope to win but expect to lose.
- If you place a bet, look at it as entertainment and NOT a way to make money or win back previous losses.
- Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose – set a money limit and stick with it.
- Limit the amount of drinking when you’re gambling – the more you drink, the more money you’re likely to bet.
What if you start feeling out of control?
- Know you can place in-app limits on mobile and internet betting
- Know you can block on-line gambling sites through BetBlocker or GamBan.
- Access the Voluntary Self Exclusion gambling program (VEP) offered in Maryland.
- Most Important - IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING FUN, PUT DOWN THE DEVICE AND TAKE A BREAK
Remember, sports betting should NOT be viewed as a financial solution – it’s just a game!
