HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Did you place a wager on March Madness games? Maybe a little money on your bracket? The first round is underway and for the first time, people in Kentucky can now legally bet on the tournament.
Sports management professor Brandon Wright said sportsbooks make it very easy to get involved.
“You spend a small amount of money, but much like a lottery, can win a whole bunch,” Wright said. “And that's very, very attractive, it makes the games themselves more exciting.”
Northern Kentucky University student Will Grund agrees.
“It makes you pay attention to every little thing that’s happening that much more,” Grund said.
While betting may attract more fans, it also comes with some added risks when it comes to things like player safety and problem gambling.
“Now, fans feel that it's since it's legal to gamble, it's more appropriate to reach out to players, to make comments on the outcome of games,” Wright said.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has taken steps to prevent this.
“They've removed individual player props for college athletes so that you can't bet on what an individual college athlete is doing within the game," Wright said. “You can only bet on what their team does within the game.”
NCAA has also launched a new campaign “Draw the Line.” It addresses those risks for student-athletes as well as another issue, gambling among college students.
According to NCAA data, 67% of students living on college campuses are bettors.
And 1 in 10 college students suffer from gambling addiction.
Will Grund said when it comes to advertising, it’s “constant.”
“You’re being bombarded as a sports fan with opportunities to gamble,” Wright added.
Wright said something needs to be done to limit the gambling advertisements being targeted towards sports fans.
“First example is colleges should not be taking money from gambling operations, in order to incentivize signing up their students,” Wright said.
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