by Sasha C. Russell, M.A., Program Specialist, The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling
Well,
it’s that time of year again – Super Bowl Sunday! People across the nation are
stocking up on food, buying new TVs, and, of course, placing their bets. If
gambling had a designated holiday, Super Bowl Sunday would be it. “The Big
Game” draws attention from not only people who already gamble, but from many
people who wouldn’t think twice to gamble on a normal day. It’s nearly
impossible to avoid it, which is why it is a high-risk day for many people who
battle with problem gambling.
Every
year, since I was younger, I have been asked if I want to “buy a square.” I
have friends who advertise open squares on their facebook and it’s hard to
avoid. Personally, I couldn’t even tell you what a square actually means – once
when I took part in this I just picked a random square. Some people make a
science out of it. According to a news article in San Diego Union-Tribune, by
Nick Canepa, titled, “DOES
SUPER BOWL OFFER PLETHORA OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR GAMBLERS? YOU BET” gambling
on the Super Bowl includes much more than just betting on who wins. Canepa interviewed
Pat Morrow, chief odds-maker for offshore Bovada.lv, who said that people will bet
on how long it will take Alicia Keys to sing the National Anthem, as well as
“Will Keys get booed? Will she omit/add one word to the anthem? Will Beyoncé be
joined on stage by Jay Z during her halftime show? How many times will Jack
Harbaugh be shown on TV during the game? Will any Ravens or 49ers be arrested
this week? What color Gatorade (or liquid) will be dumped on the winning coach?
Who will President Obama pick to win?”
These types
of bets may seem like harmless fun, but they increase risk, not only for people
who already gamble, but even for young children and teens. Marrow himself said
he felt like a teenager when creating the odds for those bets. As mentioned in previous
blogs (here
and here),
the younger someone is when he or she starts to gamble, the higher their risk
of becoming a problem or compulsive gambler.
Due to
the high-risk, Councils that work with problem gambling are on high alert and
want everyone to know that help is out there. In the National Council on
Problem Gambling’s recent press release (here),
Executive Director Keith Whyte stated, “Many gambling addicts report
substantial financial losses. The problem gambler may feel the only way to
quickly get back that money is to gamble more and more, desperately chasing
their losses. This can lead to a downward spiral of increasingly negative
consequences. The longer you gamble the more likely you are to lose.”
The
Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling is offering a special event on
Super Bowl Sunday. We will be hosting, along with the Recovery Advisory Board,
our first Bet-Free Super Bowl Party* on
Sunday, February 3rd. This event is free and people and families in
recovery are invited. The Super Bowl will be playing on the 6th
floor, while an open GA meeting will be happening on the 5th floor.
This is a day for people to get together in a safe place and enjoy a game of
football.
As
always, if you or someone you know may be experiencing problems with gambling,
please know you are not alone. You can call our Helpline day or night, any day
of the week: 800.426.1234.
*If
you are interested in joining us, please RSVP to Karen Sicher by emailing or calling:
617.426.4554.
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