There is no denying that sports betting has gotten out of hand. Illegal sports betting knows no bounds, and it causes trouble wherever it goes. It even reaches the point where professional sports games are being canceled because of irresponsible betting. This is something that the whole world can see just by looking at the recent headlines. But what is actually happening beneath the surface? What is the cause of this growing problem?
The Madness of Crowds
The way people behave in large groups can be unpredictable, and that is exactly what makes it so dangerous to rely on just one or two numbers to predict the outcome of an event. Think about it this way, if I were to tell you that today’s sports betting total was 10, would you consider this to be a safe, sound prediction? It would be fairly easy to get this information, as almost all sportsbooks offer some form of odds comparison, but it would be a mistake to think that this makes up for the human element. The point is that when you are placing wagers, there is no telling what is going on around you. You could be one of the many people betting on an event, or you could be isolating yourself from what is going on in the world and following a strategy laid out in advance by an experienced bookmaker.
Prediction vs. Hedging
Another way the world of sports betting has changed is that it is no longer considered a harmless pastime. Back in the day, people might have placed a few bets here and there, but that was about all they would ever do. These days, though, betting is taken very seriously, and people are placing large wagers on even the smallest sporting events. It used to be that the primary purpose of sports betting was simply to have some fun with a few bucks while following the games closely. Now it is a way of life, and people are even risking their financial security, committing fraud, and getting into trouble with the law just so they can settle a bet or two.
Growing Acceptance
Let us be frank here, not a lot of people are going to like the sound of this, but the fact is that society is changing, and not in a good way. It used to be that if someone discovered that you were interested in sports betting, you would be considered weird, or at least somewhat of a risk. People were more open-minded in the past, and they accepted betting as a way of life, but nowadays there is a sense that this is not a suitable activity for people who value themselves as honest individuals. Unquestionably, the line between legal and illegal betting has blurred, and this is something that the sports world needs to address, because certainly there are many problems associated with illegal betting. It does not need to continue to be this way, and it is high time that the sports world took a stand against this kind of behavior despite the consequences it may bring. But in order to achieve this, a fundamental reform is necessary, and this is precisely what ought to be done.
Self-regulation
One of the fundamental principles of sports is that it is a merit-based activity. This means that the better your team does, the better your chances of winning, and this holds true whether you follow the games closely or not. This being the case, it is no surprise that people are getting fed up with this kind of underhanded behavior. After all, if the games are not fixed, how can you ensure that your odds of winning are not? The bottom line is that there is no reason that sports should be exempt from the laws that apply to the rest of society. This is a good thing, because otherwise it would be totally illogical for people to follow games that are allegedly decided by chance. If the games are rigged, why should you be granted special treatment? The only solution here is for the sports world to self-regulate. This is an obvious next step, and it would be the height of wisdom for the sports world to take this route. After all, if you want to uphold the integrity of your games, you cannot afford to have any association with the illegal books. This is a battle that the sports world needs to fight, and it needs to do so with vigor, because ultimately this is about preserving the values that make sports special in the first place.