The Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling is warning football fans to be careful with sports betting as the college football season gets underway and the NFL regular season approaches.
Mike Sciandra, Executive Director of the Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling, says football season can be a particularly difficult time for people struggling with gambling. He recommends setting limits on the amount of time, energy and money spent betting before the season gets going.
Sciandra says one warning sign is when gambling stops being fun and starts consuming a person’s time and attention. He says people should watch for constantly thinking about gambling, betting more often or trying to win back previous losses. “If you have to bet more and more often to get that same excitement, if you’re trying to chase, the concept of chasing is that you’re trying to win back previous losses,” Sciandra said. He says gambling can also become a problem when it causes anxiety, irritability or financial and work-related problems.
Sciandra also speaks from personal experience. He says he is a problem gambler in recovery and has been bet-free for nearly six years. He says gambling has become much more normalized, making it important for people to recognize the warning signs in themselves and others.
Sciandra says people who choose to bet should establish limits before they start and stick to them. He says free and confidential treatment is available through the Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program.
He also says giving up gambling has changed the way he watches sports. Sciandra says he used to focus heavily on statistics, point spreads and over-unders, but now he can enjoy games without the financial stress. “It’s really changed my whole perspective over the last six years of how I watch sports,” Sciandra said. “I can actually enjoy sports now without worrying about the financial piece to it.”
Anyone struggling with gambling can contact the Nebraska Gamblers Assistance Program at 1-833-BET-OVER, or 1-833-238-6837. Sciandra says the hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.