Children getting sucked into sports gambling is exploding and will be a huge problem soon. Don't think for a moment that the "mob" (in whatever form it takes today) doesn't have a large stake and controlling interest in gambling. That never went away, no matter how "family-friendly" Lost Wages claims to be. I predict that it will not be too long before we see a repeat of past sports gambling scandals. I'm talking shades of 1951 (college basketball) multiplied by millions of dollars. The combination of gambling, the portal and uncontrolled NIL will lead to fixed games (if it hasn't already). I support the idea (NIL) of college athletes getting some sort of compensation. But, there are virtually no controls. Colleges are suing the NCAA so they can "recruit" athletes and find them high-paying "jobs" in town. It makes that Hummer LeBron James' mother was suddenly driving around Ohio look petty. Imagine you are a tackle on a team loaded with stars making loads on NIL $ while you get nothing but a possible concussion. And a gambler offers you a big pile of money to miss a block or two so he can make the spread. Basketball is a prime candidate for the fix. A few missed shots, unforced turnovers, failing to make a long pass for an easy bucket. It only took one or two players on a team to get it done in 1951. See Charley Rosen's "Scandals of '51." The final score will be fake. Gonna happen. Maybe it already is.
A wonderful, thoughtful, occasionally whimsical prose.
Did we ever think we would see the day when Las Vegas has two and will have three in a couple of years and likely four major league franchises?
And, Las Vegas will host the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2028!
Hunter could wax exceedingly poetic about that!
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Children getting sucked into sports gambling is exploding and will be a huge problem soon. Don't think for a moment that the "mob" (in whatever form it takes today) doesn't have a large stake and controlling interest in gambling. That never went away, no matter how "family-friendly" Lost Wages claims to be. I predict that it will not be too long before we see a repeat of past sports gambling scandals. I'm talking shades of 1951 (college basketball) multiplied by millions of dollars. The combination of gambling, the portal and uncontrolled NIL will lead to fixed games (if it hasn't already). I support the idea (NIL) of college athletes getting some sort of compensation. But, there are virtually no controls. Colleges are suing the NCAA so they can "recruit" athletes and find them high-paying "jobs" in town. It makes that Hummer LeBron James' mother was suddenly driving around Ohio look petty. Imagine you are a tackle on a team loaded with stars making loads on NIL $ while you get nothing but a possible concussion. And a gambler offers you a big pile of money to miss a block or two so he can make the spread. Basketball is a prime candidate for the fix. A few missed shots, unforced turnovers, failing to make a long pass for an easy bucket. It only took one or two players on a team to get it done in 1951. See Charley Rosen's "Scandals of '51." The final score will be fake. Gonna happen. Maybe it already is.