The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
When it comes to sports gambling, the game is rigged
Just because you can do something doesn’t always mean you should. For sure you love your Instafacetwit social media accounts, but posting upcoming vacation plans is just an invitation to thieves while you’re away. And when your friend dares you to eat that funky food from the back of the fridge, just say no. And of course never, never drunk dial your ex. Know what else is something we shouldn’t do just because we can — dive headfirst into legalized sports betting.
In 2018 the Supreme Court struck down bans on sports betting and now it’s everywhere. With loud, flashy celebrity-filled comeons telling you to join in the fun “risk free,” betting on sports is somehow now the ultimate way to “increase the fan experience.” Really? Don’t professional and amateur sports leagues actually loath gambling and all the problems they inevitably bring?
I mean, here’s National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell in 2009 addressing the governor of Delaware as that state was considering legalizing sports betting: “... they are an additional threat to the integrity of the league and contrary to the public good.” Here’s Goodell in 2012, “If gambling is permitted freely on sporting events, normal incidents of the game ... inevitably will fuel speculation, distrust and accusations of pointshaving or game-fixing.” And again in 2017, “... we still strongly oppose legalized sports gambling. The integrity of our game is number one.”
But in 2021? Goodell and his counterparts across all leagues have figured out how teams, owners and the league can cash in and soak its customers for more of their paychecks by embracing gambling. And all that moralizing and concern over integrity? That’s for suckers. With legalization come partnerships, sponsorships, and big-time money. For the owners of course, not for the fan or the customer. And remember what Goodell said about gambling being “contrary to the public good?” Well it is, and it always has been. Know why?
Because the only real winner in any legalized gambling operation is the house. Not you. You may win once in a while, but most times you, your neighbors, your co-workers, you’re going to lose. “Risk free?” The gambling industry is designed to siphon every nickel out of your pocket and let’s be honest here, is your fan experience really increased by watching a game and wondering if every dropped pass or missed free throw was somehow tied to shaving points or rigging the outcome? Pete Rose, Tulane basketball, the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. It’s happened before and it’ll happen
Is your fan experience really increased by watching a game and wondering if every dropped pass or missed free throw was somehow tied to shaving points or rigging the outcome?
again.
In the bottom of the 15th inning of Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship series, the Mets were tied with the Braves 3-3 with the bases loaded. Robin Ventura crushed a fastball for a grand slam and a 7-3 Mets walk-off win. Except ... the runner heading to second base, Todd Pratt, in his excitement turned around and grabbed Ventura between first and second, never allowing him to circle the bases. Ruling correctly, the umpires credited Ventura with a single and only one run scored making the final score 4-3. No big deal, right? Except the over/under betting line on that game was 7-1⁄2 total runs scored. Bettors who bet the over thought they had won, but were robbed by Pratt, who tackled Ventura. An exuberant play which didn’t affect the outcome of the game, but changed the fortunes of bettors around the country.
Now consider that millions more people could be making that same bet in 2021. More people with gambling addictions or money problems. People with tendencies toward spousal or child abuse. More people with access to guns and potentially irrational feelings toward the next Todd Pratt. In a recent interview, Disney CEO Bob Chapek echoed the rationale professional sports leagues have been telling themselves recently, that gambling is simply a way to connect with a younger audience. That absent any actual proof, Americans now overwhelmingly consider gambling to be a part of their sporting experience.
Hogwash. Those ubiquitous betting sites you see advertised are a potential danger to sports and society and definitely a corporate money grab where no one cares if some rube loses this month’s mortgage payment. Just because we can play their game doesn’t mean we should.