“Do you bet on sports?”
I asked that question to everyone I interviewed for this series of stories.
So I thought it would be fair to answer it myself. And my response will be similar to many of those that I received: “Yes, but…”
I enter a $5 March Madness pool every year and put quarters on squares for the when the opportunity presents itself. I play fantasy football with my family, but there is no entry fee, and the winner gets a championship belt like those awarded in wrestling.
I also have been known to bet on the . But I have not wagered on the horse race since my husband and I hit an exacta in 2023 by correctly picking . We figured we wouldn’t have that much luck again, so why spend the money?
I’ve even placed a bet in a Las Vegas sportsbook while there on vacation.
But I’d never downloaded a sports-betting app on my phone until I started working on this series. I used two — and — to inform my reporting.
Here’s what I learned: I did not enjoy them.
Here’s why.
My first bet was $5 on a three-leg parlay during the game against the on Jan. 29.
The Nuggets won.
I lost.
And the joy of my team’s win was diminished by the lost bet, even though it was just $5.
I found myself irritated at Peyton Watson, who failed to make the individual point total I needed to win the parlay. If only Watson had made all of his free throws.
I like Watson too much as a player to be upset over a $5 bet. But I’m competitive and I hate losing.
I also lost $20 on college basketball.
I put $10 on one game involving , a Church of Christ school in Nashville. I attended first through 12th grade on Lipscomb’s campus, and we were taught that gambling is a sin. I was amused that I could wager on the school.
The Bisons failed me. I should have listened to those Bible teachers.
I forget how I lost my remaining $10, but I was mad and determined to make it back.
My husband was quick to point out that I was “chasing,” a phenomenon gamblers describe as betting more and more money to recoup their losses. It rarely works.
However, I did get my $20 back on the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. I’ve followed women’s basketball for years because of the and , so I better understood what I was gambling on.
Then I quit. The apps will be deleted as soon as this series is published.
So now you have my answer to the question I asked everyone else.
