Online sports betting has become a hot topic around media outlets and has brought conversations into the student body due to the growing amount of apps and websites that make sports gambling more accessible. 

Nolan Mullen, senior, has found some success in sports betting. Mullen has been interested in sports betting since he was 16 years old, and has recently taken it seriously due to the age restriction. In Oregon, there is an age requirement 18 years old to bet. 

“My friend brought it up to me,” Mullen said. “It makes watching the games more fun when you are rooting for specific players.” 

Since then, he has watched every sports game he bets on. Mullen enjoys betting the most on basketball and football. Currently, Mullen has gained 1,500 dollars on sports betting. Mullen is a lucky better, and so far, he has stayed away from debt. Mullen has advice for beginning betters.

“If you have a few bucks left over, then sure; and limit yourself to not doing it more than once a week,” Mullen said.

There has been attention on sports betting from different age audiences. Sean Shevlin, math teacher, does some sports betting himself. His inspiration for sports betting did not include sports, it started in his hometown, Lexington, Kentucky.

“Lexington is a big horse racing place. I placed my first bet on a horse with my family,” Shevlin said.

Shevlin was introduced to sports betting by his son, who helped him set up his account on Underdog.

“My son asked me to, he tells me about how it works and stuff and I do the betting,” Shevlin said. 

Due to Oregon having certain measures for sports betting, the Shevlin family followed these measures by making it fun and safe. However, Shevlin warns those who are interested in sports betting. 

“At a younger age, it is more likely that you get hooked. As you get older and stay in the same behavior, I worry you will lose serious money,” Shevlin said. 

That is the driving cause and reasoning why Shevlin is not betting often. Shevlin has only bet with $20, with his most active game bet being the Superbowl. 

Overall, there is a trending response of not recommending sports betting. Neema Karanja, sophomore, has heard conversations about online sports betting on school grounds. 

“It’s something that is pretty known now,” Karanja said. “You should recognize that you should stop betting, it gets serious quickly.” 

Along with losing money and the seriousness that comes along with it, Shevlin sees another potential issue. 

“I feel like they [those directly involved in the games] could easily manipulate the system by taking advantage of how they play to make money for themselves. I think now it’s so prevalent with these apps, it’s going to be more of a problem,” Shevlin said.

If you or someone you know has been impacted by a gambling addiction, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org.