With recent news of an FBi investigation into the NBA and mob ties around sports betting, this week on Sports in America, we take a look at how sports gambling went from the smoky parlors of Vegas to a multi-billion dollar industry that we can access from our smartphones. We talk to author Beth Raymer, who gives us a firsthand personal look at the highs and lows of sports gambling. We also talk to gambling expert Jonathan Cohen to understand how this collective obsession can ruin people’s lives, and some solutions for how we can control it.
Show Notes
- Lay the Favorite: A Memoir about Gambling | Penguin Random House
- What we know about arrests in FBI's illegal gambling investigation | BBC
- Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling | Columbia Global Reports
- Inside how sports betting went mainstream | ESPN
- What is Gambling Disorder? | American Psychiatric Association
Show Credits
Executive Producer: Tom Grahsler
Senior Producer: Michael Olcott
Producer: Michaela Winberg
Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa
Engineer: Mike Villers
Tile Art: Bea Walling
Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.
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