Sports gambling isn’t new, but having a casino in your pocket is. With the rise of sports betting and trading, today’s apps make gambling easier than ever. In this NGPF Podcast episode, Jonathan D. Cohen, author of Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling, shares more about the changing landscape and how to communicate its risks to your students.

Jonathan shared that as a teenager, he bet on football games using paper and cash. However, now, sports gambling has lost its friction. Teens can download an app, access prediction markets, and add as much money as they can. Betting is instant and constant, drawing in teenagers hoping to make a quick buck.

Moreover, teenagers and young adults have become hooked on “supercharging” their bets. Rather than betting only on a game’s outcome, they wager on how many catches an NFL wide receiver will make or the over/under on an MLB pitcher’s strikeouts. Modern gambling also lets them combine multiple bets into a parlay for a potentially large payout. The prospect of winning several bets at once is alluring, which is why companies promote parlays so heavily.

For teachers, Jonathan recommends going beyond warnings. Tell students that nobody wins, and they might reply, “Oh no, I’m the exception. I can do it. I can figure it out.”

He suggests rather than telling students they are bad at gambling, encourage them to question how the company benefits. Teachers can also advise students to set limits on individual bets and weekly wagering—not to restrict them, but to help them avoid constant betting.

See the full transcript and hear more from Jonathan about the changing landscape of sports gambling.

Join us for this week’s LIVE event with Diana Isern, Author of Money Talks

Register for the NGPF Speaker Series event tonight (10/22) at 4pm PT (7pm ET) to hear Diana Isern discuss her new book Money Talks and how educators can create financial literacy lessons that are engaging, culturally responsive, and student-centered.

Diana will explore how her experience as a school leader and Accredited Financial Counselor shaped the book’s practical, inclusive approach to teaching financial wellness.

About the Author

Zach Mann

Zach recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Sociology. Zach is a Communications Intern for NGPF, assisting with content creation for NGPF's various platforms. He enjoys contributing to communications that support a mission with a tangible impact.