some students like to spend their money on betting
Joe Ray
– Staff Writer –
This is the time of the year when many college students turn to their favorite event, March Madness. After March 15, “Selection Sunday,” students like to print out the brackets of teams and fill out their predictions for the final four, and who they think will win the championship.
During the time of predictions, some students like to spend their money on betting in online pools or any type of pool, from job to just pools between friends. Even during these tough economic times, students still find ways to spend their money on March Madness.
“I have been betting on March Madness since I was in grade school and have always been a fan of March Madness,” said Josh Lander, STLCC-Meramec student. “I work at P.F. Changs and we have a pool every year and last year the winner got 1000 dollars. I usually put in about 40 dollars each year.”
According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, 30 percent of the 18 million college students will gamble on sports this year alone. The rate of gambling on sports by college students is twice as high as that of adults, according to the NCPG. The $6 billion illegally wagered on the NCAA tournament through office pools, online sports books and street corner bookies trails the $8.5 billion bet on the Super Bowl, USA TODAY sports analyst Danny Sheridan says. Final Four games will generate $2.25 billion in illegal betting he predicts, according to the USA TODAY website.
Several students around campus said they really don’t bet on March Madness because of the tough economic times, but usually print out the brackets just to play along with the tournament.
“I don’t really bet on the NCAA tournament, but my brother usually spends around 500 dollars on most of the sporting events including College football and the Super bowl,” said Dane Vogel, STLCC-Meramec student.
Compulsive gambling is often a big problem around the March Madness event. It raises a lot of health and money issues. According to USA TODAY, suicides are not uncommon during tournament time. Students who start to gamble most of their tuition and savings often put themselves in debt and have all the signs of compulsive gambling. Colleges are urged to utilize two sets of free materials to promote responsible gaming on campus, especially during March Madness.
March Madness is a great time of year for students and adults alike. At times, it can relieve stress to watch the “big dance” on television during spring break. This often brings a fun atmosphere for friends to compare brackets. March Madness can bring some ups and downs when it comes to betting on the tournament. Taking in the responsibilities that goes into betting and not really spending all of your income can really make the tournament an exciting event to watch, like the Super Bowl and the World Series.
Just filling out the brackets without any money involved and comparing them can be a fun experience to brag about between friends.
