endzone_dave Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 It's perfectly ok to take my entire paycheck and blow it on lotterty tickets or slot machines (depending on which state I'm in) but in most places, taking $5 and betting on a sports team is apparently a horrible thing and is outlawed. Why is that? I can see not letting massive bets to occur to prevent athletes from throwing events but for the average Joe, what harm is a $5 bet on a game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I've always wondered the same thing. Why is it it illegal everywhere except for Vegas and Delaware? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.T.real,lights,out Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I agree, also include horse betting in there. Why can we do that and not play a $1 card and pick some teams. My guess is u can buy lottery tickets b/c the state/gov controls the number of winners? :whoknows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Because politicians need issues. Why can I go to a casino in Florida and play blackjack and 3 card poker, but cant play Roulette and Craps? Ask Charlie Crist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Because those who would take advantage of a system would place 1,000 $5 bets on a game to be thrown. In sports it is WAY too easy to affect the outcome, not by winning (that's hard) but by losing or missing the spread. Ask the Chicago Black Sox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Because politicians need issues.Why can I go to a casino in Florida and play blackjack and 3 card poker, but cant play Roulette and Craps? Ask Charlie Crist. No Craps!!! That game should be mandatory for any casino with table games!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I feel there are a couple reasons for the negative stigma (and the illegality of it in many places). One is the distance ALL sports save horseracing want to keep from gambling. It's simply the potential air of impropriety that the leagues want to avoid like the plague. Look at Vegas. The town could support a pro team yet there are none across all themajor sports. It's not a simple coincidence. Also (and this is my cynical side speaking) it's simply the fact that the government doesn't want activity out there that they can't get their mitts on. They hate thinking there's a huge revenue stream that they're missing. Just my two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Because those who would take advantage of a system would place 1,000 $5 bets on a game to be thrown. In sports it is WAY too easy to affect the outcome, not by winning (that's hard) but by losing or missing the spread. Ask the Chicago Black Sox. You're ignoring the reality of how many people are already doing it illegally. If people wanted to affect an outcome, they already are (and have been proven) doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I feel there are a couple reasons for the negative stigma (and the illegality of it in many places). One is the distance ALL sports save horseracing want to keep from gambling. It's simply the potential air of impropriety that the leagues want to avoid like the plague. Look at Vegas. The town could support a pro team yet there are none across all themajor sports. It's not a simple coincidence. Also (and this is my cynical side speaking) it's simply the fact that the government doesn't want activity out there that they can't get their mitts on. They hate thinking there's a huge revenue stream that they're missing. Just my two cents. But if the gov't is worried about missing out on gambling revenue, why not just make it legal and they can collect off of it? Same goes for online poker. Why can I play poker in Vegas and AC but not on my computer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 But if the gov't is worried about missing out on gambling revenue, why not just make it legal and they can collect off of it?Same goes for online poker. Why can I play poker in Vegas and AC but not on my computer? I think quite simply because of the stigma. The belief---held by many---that it would be legalizing the "road to ruin" for those who can't control themselves. It's different than marijuana but some of the associated stigma is the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I think quite simply because of the stigma. The belief---held by many---that it would be legalizing the "road to ruin" for those who can't control themselves. It's different than marijuana but some of the associated stigma is the same. Couldn't the same be said for alcohol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Couldn't the same be said for alcohol? Well we tried to get rid of that didn't we? I'm nor really taking a stance either way on this issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Well we tried to get rid of that didn't we? True, but we've had it back now for what 90 years or so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 You're ignoring the reality of how many people are already doing it illegally.If people wanted to affect an outcome, they already are (and have been proven) doing so. So legalize it to make their job easier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 True, but we've had it back now for what 90 years or so? And we (the gov't that is) would and could never step away from all that tax revenue. Alcohol is socially accepted. MJ and gambling much less so. Alcohol is probably more destructive than both of the other two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 And we (the gov't that is) would and could never step away from all that tax revenue. Alcohol is socially accepted. MJ and gambling much less so. Alcohol is probably more destructive than both of the other two. I don't think of gambling as socially unacceptable. I mean look at all the fuss a few months ago about the huge powerball drawing. I don't know many people that didn't buy a ticket for that. And that was gambling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 So legalize it to make their job easier? I'm not sure you understand the gambling industry. There are whales and other bettors who go in heavy to sway other gamblers all the time. You're correct in that pro sports could be negatively impacted but we also don't live in the 1920's. Much harder now to throw pro sports in this day and age. I'll exclude horseracing where it's always been known as dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.T.real,lights,out Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 You're ignoring the reality of how many people are already doing it illegally.If people wanted to affect an outcome, they already are (and have been proven) doing so. Pretty much, how much money is bet on just the NCAA Tourney and the Superbowl...Million and Millions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I don't think of gambling as socially unacceptable. I mean look at all the fuss a few months ago about the huge powerball drawing. I don't know many people that didn't buy a ticket for that. And that was gambling. I think there are many people who really look down upon it still. Again I'm not making a case either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I'm not sure you understand the gambling industry. There are whales and other bettors who go in heavy to sway other gamblers all the time. You're correct in that pro sports could be negatively impacted but we also don't live in the 1920's. Much harder now to throw pro sports in this day and age. I'll exclude horseracing where it's always been known as dirty. It isn't hard to throw a game, basketballs miss, running backs get caught, quarterbacks miss a clutch throw, golfers miss a putt, hitters strike out, players get hurt. Considering the average career for a football player is three years, it could be awfully tempting to go for an immediate payout, and considering the asinine things the sports books make odds on then it only multiplies the ways a player can directly affect the results. If they players were playing in a vacuum and the gambling took place completely detached from them, then and only then could I see it work, but as it is the two are too closely connected. As was said in "The Last Boyscout" (and I hate quoting movies as proof) but why is it that the NFL has an injury report? And it ain't for the Fantasy Football leagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejaydana Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 It's too difficult to throw games in pro sports. Especially with the team aspect where one player can only influence a game so much. Not buying the 'players are throwing games' conspiracy theory. Boxing and horseracing are the 2 notable exceptions I'll make here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 There isn't as much incentive for teams to throw games anymore. Player salaries are through the roof compared to what they were during the Black Sox scandal. Why would a player want to risk that now? This is from last year which talks about average salaries in each league: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-10423863 So a bookie or someone would really have to offer some HUGE money to get players to throw a game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 There isn't as much incentive for teams to throw games anymore. Player salaries are through the roof compared to what they were during the Black Sox scandal. Why would a player want to risk that now? This is from last year which talks about average salaries in each league: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ycn-10423863 So a bookie or someone would really have to offer some HUGE money to get players to throw a game. It's not just how much you make. Look at someone like Dez Bryant. He got himself into a financial bind and would become a prime target for someone wanting to alter a game. Financial irresponsibility and plain greed can lead to cheating no matter how much the salaries. Just look to wall street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattFancy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 It's not just how much you make. Look at someone like Dez Bryant. He got himself into a financial bind and would become a prime target for someone wanting to alter a game. Financial irresponsibility and plain greed can lead to cheating no matter how much the salaries. Just look to wall street. Fair point. But, that could happen now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOF44 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Fair point. But, that could happen now. Oh yeah for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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