March Madness felt different this year. Despite both our men's and women's teams' successes, the sense of camaraderie usually brought by the tournament was diluted by the cultural chokehold sports betting has on fans.
“I started sports betting last year in the fall,†said Neel Youts, a health and society junior who uses the prediction market app Underdog to bet on sports.
Apps like Underdog, Kalshi and Polymarket allow adults above the age of 18 in the U.S. to gamble in some states where gambling is not fully legalized because they are classified as prediction markets, which are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
“Betting can be fun, but if you invest too much in it, it can definitely (be) bad,†Youts said. “It's fine if you (bet) a little money, want to have fun and play with the odds. But if you're relying on it for money, spending more and more and developing an overall bad habit, I believe that's where it becomes a problem.â€
Young men are more likely to experience the harms of sports betting. The American Sport Fanship Survey conducted by Siena College Research Institute and St. Bonaventure University found that 27% of men have an online sportsbook account, and two-thirds of men have placed at least one bet. The increase in sports betting has been tied to negative impacts on credit scores, bankruptcy rates and debt collections.
Today, when you turn on the TV to watch a game, you cannot avoid mentions of sports betting apps.Â
According to a 2017 study published by the Harm Reduction Journal, when these betting apps and prediction markets become increasingly more advertised, stigma and attitudes toward gambling become normalized and embedded into the activities and rituals associated with sports.
“If you think about all of the various things that have changed — the constant sponsorship, the inclusion of advanced statistics at every turn, gambling odds — all of that subtly will shape the way you perceive the broadcast and the game experience,†said Michael Butterworth, communications professor and the director of the Center for Sports Communication and Media. “Even if you're not participating in fantasy sports, the statistical focus will change the way you watch.â€
In 2025, the NCAA documented this cultural shift, where they found that 36% of Division I men's basketball student-athletes surveyed experienced social media abuse regarding sports betting.Â
“You have a bad game, and now all of a sudden, you're the subject of not only the normal cycle of scrutiny in sports media, but also now potential pressure from gamblers who are upset that, allegedly, you cost them thousands or tens of thousands of dollars,†Butterworth said. “That scenario has played out already, and I think that pressure is only going to get worse.â€
The pressure betting has put on both bettors and athletes alike has bled into the viewership experience of all fans. While a small occasional bet might not have long-term financial consequences, it is worth considering whether your engagement is contributing to a broader cultural loss.
Chatterjee is a government junior from Allen, Texas.
