From the Sidelines: Ohio legalizes sports betting

With sports betting now legal in Ohio, many people are downloading apps and trying to win some extra money. Sports fans see this as an opportunity to win some money off of predictions and watching the sport they love while others wonder if it will breed addiction

Sports betting can be very addictive and people can lose lots and lots of money doing it. Betters believe they know they are going to win something, but in reality, anything can happen.

Addiction can start so easily without people knowing. People keep placing bets, getting closer and closer to winning. People keep betting after losing a bet because they were close, and they learned from their last loss.

The problem with gambling is that there really isn’t much learning from a loss. A loss is a loss, and betters can never know for sure what is going to happen. Even though fans may know everything about a player or a team, sports gambling is a game of luck.

People love to watch sports because of the adrenaline rush, according to the mental health organization. They get nervous watching their player or team play, and it’s entertainment. But the adrenaline rush can cause people to make irrational decisions, continuing their betting after a loss.

This adrenaline rush can turn this hobby into an addiction. Players continue to put down money after a loss and continue to lose. This is where the problem starts.

Sports betting should not be something people do unless they can afford to lose what they gamble. The problem with sports betting starts when betters lose money that they can’t afford to lose. That’s when it becomes an addiction, and betters should start to seek help.

Sports betting can also reduce good habits in one’s personal life. Kindbridge health reports that an addiction to sports betting can result in reduced activity at work. They report that especially happens if the betting happens while in the workplace.

That information proves that a sports betting addiction can take over someone’s entire life. People can lose their job and that may not even be the worst part of the addiction.

People with gambling addictions often end up ruining personal relationships. People with the worst of the addiction steal money from loved ones to gamble. Constant confrontations result from that and often a loss of relationships too.

The Mayo Clinic also reports that another way to keep down addiction is to only bet on things that fans are particularly knowledgeable about. Sports are a hard thing to bet on, but it should only be done with expertise on the topic.

It is irresponsible to bet on a sport that a person has no knowledge about. The odds of winning are already low and are even lower with a lack of knowledge on a subject.

Something to always remember when sports betting is that what comes up always comes down. That phrase means whenever a person wins, they are bound to lose eventually. Fans should always keep that in mind when sports betting.

Addiction is a hard thing to get through and a hard thing to even admit to. People should do something if they think they’ve become addicted. Staying quiet is the worst thing someone can do. It will just make the situation even worse.

A solution to gambling on sports is calling the gambling hotline at 1-800-589-9966. Specialists will connect callers with treatment options in 24 hours within the area.

With all of this information in mind, sports gambling should not be a problem if done responsibly. Watching a favorite team and making a little money at the same time is something that is enjoyable for many people.