Betting by Pro Athletes

[tarcone]

I had ESPN on today and they were discussing this topic on Outside the Lines. The thing i found most peculiar about the whole segment is that a Mob member was hired when he was in prison to make a video to explain the negatives of gambling. when he got out of prison he quit the mob and now works for MLB and the NBA as a gambling guy.
Isn't this like letting the fox in the hen house? Sure he said he quit the mob but can you?

[Greyroofoo]

I never understood why athletes gambling is such a bad thing, as long as they don't bet against their own team obviously.

[Arctus]

I never understood why athletes gambling is such a bad thing, as long as they don't bet against their own team obviously.

The primary concern is with athletes gambing over their head, getting into "trouble", then being vulnerable to throwing games, shaving points etc.

[Greyroofoo]

so should all athletes with a bad credit score be banned then?

[Airhog]

I think your missing the point Greyroofoo. Say an athlete loses a bunch of money that he doesnt have, gets in the hole with the wrong people. They might ask him to shave points, or throw a game to work off his debt.

[Greyroofoo]

i think you're missing mine. There are several ways to be in debt and they'd be just as prone to shave points or whatever.

[Airhog]

yeah but those kinds of being in debt don't usually have people knocking at your door looking to break your fingers if you dont pay

[molson]

i think you're missing mine. There are several ways to be in debt and they'd be just as prone to shave points or whatever.

But the credit card companies probably aren't going to ask an athlete to shave points or throw a game. On the other hand, when you owe money to "unsavory characters" in the illegal gambling industry who know who you are, know where you live, know where your children live, and know all your vices - it's pretty easy for things to get out of hand. A young pro player or college kid isn't going to throw a game to avoid a bad credit report - but he probably would in response to a threat of violence.

[Shkspr]

Remember that when Pete Rose apparently began betting on baseball, he was winning. Gambling on say, the NCAA tourney may seem all right for an NFL player (it isn't even the same season, let alone sport). But forget the money, gambling gives you a RUSH when you win. And if an NFL player or a baseball player gets to enjoy that rush, enjoys the winning, then sooner or later he'll rationalize that he's MORE likely to win if he's betting on something he knows more about...like his own sport. Or his own game. Or his own performance.

[BrianD]

Since athletes run in the same circles, it is likely that any athlete will have other good athlete friends. Even if a baseball player is betting on football, he may know enough people to help him out with his picks against the spread.

Betting on your own team is very bad, betting on your own sport is pretty bad, betting on other sports ranges from probably ok to fairly bad. Hard to draw the line, so it is probably better to keep them from betting on any sports.