Sports betting is increasing in popularity and many people partake in this thrilling hobby. People can ruin their lives or start new ones by big bets when it comes to sports gambling. There has been a sudden surge of legalization in many states across the United States with Maryland becoming the latest state to legalize sports gambling this past November..

Sports betting was first legalized in Nevada in 1931; since then sports betting has become increasingly popular especially in the last decade with more and more states legalizing it. Even with states where the form of gambling is illegal, it is still widely used underground through people called “bookies.” A bookie is someone who runs a gambling operation through which one can bet. However, this is illegal and much less secure than operations in legal states because it is all underground and danger can come if done unsuccessfully. This issue plaguing America was a major reason as to why states across the country are legalizing sports betting.

“Sports betting should be legal in Maryland. First of all, it adds a great rush to watching a game of sports, at any time and anywhere. You have to control yourself when betting on sports betting and know how much you should be wagering. It is much safer than a random bookie who might scam you and not give you your money,” senior Lucas Masiello said.

Some people may say that sports betting is the newest plague of addiction hitting across the country. This is because everyone has heard the stories of people traveling to Vegas and losing their life savings gambling. Now anyone can do that on their phone with the touch of a button which can become incredibly dangerous.

Another reason that people are not fans of the legalization of sports betting is the non-stop advertisements. It seems like every time you turn on your TV or go on Twitter you are hit with a “DraftKings” or “Fanduel” advertisement, especially if you are watching sports. A common argument that people make about these advertisements is that, “If cigarette companies are not allowed to be advertised on television, why should Sports Betting companies be allowed to?”

“I don’t think it should be illegal because it is all fun and games, you just have to watch how much money you spend on it,” freshman Dylan Byrd said.

A debate that is frequently discussed is what age should it be legal for. Having the legal age at 21 instead of 18 is losing thousands of customers for these companies. Many people say that 18-year-olds are adults and should be free to do what they want while others see the maturity differences between an 18 and 21-year-old.

“I feel that sports gambling should not be legal for anyone under the age of 21 because young adults are typically not responsible with their money,” senior Abby Scherr said.

Sports betting is also a way for people who are not interested in a specific sport or game to get them interested in it. Having money on the line in a game will always give an adrenaline rush.

“I think it’s a fun way to win some money and make the games interesting especially if you don’t care about either team,” junior Dylan Minnick said.