Are You Ready for Some Fantasy Football?
Published: September 18, 2017
Are You Ready for Some Fantasy Football?
Fantasy sports began as a niche hobby for statistically inclined sports fanatics, but quickly turned into a multibillion-dollar industry. Thanks to the internet, roughly 75 million Americans are expected to participate in fantasy football this year.
As week #2 of the NFL season has gotten underway, fantasy football seems to be everywhere—on morning radio shows, on TV, in your workplace, and on your homepage the moment you open your web browser. The term “fantasy sports” is drawing controversy across the country as experts weigh in on whether or not refer to fantasy sports as a skill-based game that has little in common with traditional forms of gambling. Meanwhile, a study from the Rutgers Center for Gambling Studies indicates it has some things in common with traditional forms of gambling.
While fantasy sports can be fun, certain features, such as high-bet frequency, short-event duration, high maximum bet amount and short payout intervals, can also increase the risk for problem gambling among players, which is why it’s crucial to be intentional while playing fantasy sports:
- Set limits on how much time and money you will spend
- Only gamble with money set aside for recreational purposes
- Never borrow money to play
- Only bet what you can afford to lose
- Avoid gambling while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Understand that knowing a lot about a sport does not guarantee a win
Get set before you bet this season, and take our responsible gambling quiz at the95percent.org/the-quiz.