When the debate about overturning PASPA started gaining steam six years ago, one of the biggest concerns critics voiced was the impact legalized sports betting may have on underage bettors.
The fear was that sports fans, particularly young males, would see betting on games as a normalized process that, in turn, would “hook” them. Of course, those on the other side countered that sports betting was already ingrained in society, and marketing messages persuading young people to make lifestyle choices were nothing new.
As a sports bettor from an early age and a college professor at Rider University in New Jersey who analyzes the sports media, I was particularly interested in this debate. On a daily basis, I encounter one demographic group central to this concern: college-aged sports fans.
Over the past five years, the conversations I hear about sports have definitely changed. Now there is far more talk about the betting lines, the total, and bad beats mixed in with chatter about last night's action.
Since I see more students with increased interest in betting, I wanted to gauge their mindset on this growing trend and try to determine how it might be different from someone like myself — i.e., a seasoned handicapper not raised on social media who tries to make decisions based on the best practices of the industry.
This inquiry led me to interview over 20 college students about their betting motivations in an effort to actually document their feelings rather than just speculate from afar.
The social movement
My interview subjects were close to unanimous with their primary motivation to bet on sports: It plays a central role in their social interactions with friends.
Sign Up For The Sports Handle Newsletter!
Betting on games allows college students to have a shared topic for discussion, either in person or online. While those who are well-removed from their college years likely see something social as meeting up with friends in person, this younger demographic has an entirely different interaction that fuels their need to connect with others.
The lives of college students emanate from their phone, but from a wagering standpoint, betting apps are essentially melded into their use of Instagram and TikTok. They can easily move from one to another, creating simultaneous avenues of social interaction and stimulation.
Sporting contests have always had a major social component. However, “being social” now also includes posting plays on X and texting multiple people simultaneously, regardless of their location.
One student summed up how his betting routine is intertwined with his social life.
“I tell some of my friends to come over and watch the Knicks-Heat game,” said this bettor. “Once they get here, we talk about who we like and why, and then all decide to be on the same team. It's more fun that way.”
This type of pre-flop betting decision was common with those interviewed. For the most part, they shared the idea of social currency from betting on sports as being more valuable than any dollar amount.
While there are college students who bet above their means, I didn't encounter it with these interviewees. Most of them talked about $5 and $10 bets being the common units. A “win” for these bettors was more contingent on the experience with friends while watching a game and having some action on it than the results impacting their bankroll.
A number of them also said they had little interest in betting on games by themselves.
“Sitting alone watching a game with my phone and making bets doesn't really sound like something I want to do,” said one collegiate bettor.
As it relates to fun, a bettor like myself enjoys the camaraderie of sports betting with friends. However, fun doesn't factor too high in my decision-making. I have fun when my bankroll increases.
No matter where or who I'm with, it's not fun seeing a balance lower than it was previously. But that’s not necessarily the case with younger bettors.
“Even if I lose and I still have fun watching the game, it doesn't really bother me,” said the previously quoted student.
Another student described how he got over the emotions of a losing streak because he accrued enough points on Fanatics Sportsbook to get a Luka Doncic jersey. From his response, this student didn't understand the actual cost of that jersey.
One of the main takeaways from these interviews was that there was a difference in why college-aged bettors were making plays compared to an older demographic. Younger people are fueled so much by the thrill that profit isn't the main goal.
Relatedly, marketing gimmicks based on action and cumulative prizes seems to be working for those with this mindset.
Missing assignments
When it comes to how they decide what side to wager on, a number of them used the same term: “feel” — as in a feel for who will win the game or play well. Player props are popular betting options, particularly as it relates to the NBA.
Very few of them said they used analytical or quantitative research. Instead, they relied on what the group was thinking about a game and how that related to recent performances they watched.
Anecdotal handicapping, what I try to avoid when making wagers, is their preferred method.
This type of mentality is certainly welcomed by the sportsbooks.
Leg it out
Related to the thrill and fun element, these bettors took a much different approach to parlays than more veteran bettors typically do.
One of the respondents came back to the word “fun” when describing why he only bets parlays. He enjoys the feeling of tracking multiple games at once to see how the different lines are aligning.