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Sports betting on the rise among college-aged adults
A new survey shows that sports betting is on the rise among college-aged adults, with more than half of those surveyed admitting they had placed at least one bet.
Whether you're for or against sports betting, the numbers on its prevalence among college-aged adults are in, and they show that it's definitely on the rise.
An NCAA-commissioned survey asked 18 to 22-year-olds about their sports betting habits. It found, of the more than 3500 respondents, 58 percent acknowledged making at least one sports wager.
67 percent of students living on campus called themselves bettors, and 41 percent of college students have bet on their own school's teams. However, 6 percent admitted having lost more than 500 dollars in a single day.
"I would say out of that 6 percent, about half may have serious problems with gambling or at least repetitive gambling that may end up causing significant challenges later on in their life," said Lin Sternlicht.
That 6 percent raises the New York City-based addiction specialist's eyebrows since it suggests some degree of overindulgence, cases she sees all the time.
"Small percentage of people who kind of use that to tackle boredom isolation loneliness or other underlying mental health issues, they are more at risk," said Sternlicht.
She cautions individuals to pay attention to the signs --early on.
"I would say when its seemingly innocent and miniscule that’s when you really want to tackle and have an honest conversation," said she told FOX 5 New York.
Sternlicht characterizes the ages of 18 to 22 as pretty impressionable and having sports wagering apps at your fingertips that early could contribute to a troubling trend long term.