Despite growing concerns about teen gambling, sports betting and prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are gaining lots of popularity among students.
Andrew Morin, a senior at Clover Hill, said he sees the obvious appeal of it but acknowledges its concerns, and believes the biggest issue is how quickly people can get hooked.
“I think they can be enjoyable sometimes, but they can be very addictive very early,” Morin said.
He also pointed out how the platforms can mislead inexperienced users, as well as how excitement can be part of the problem.
“I think most people are probably losing, but the way these platforms are run, it makes it seem like you’re making more money than you actually are. I think it’s just having a voice in every game and having something on the line, which really raises the stakes for every game you watch, even if it’s a team you’re not necessarily a fan of,” Morin said.
He thinks that live betting in the apps can make impulsive decisions even easier for people who use these platforms. While he doesn’t think schools should directly talk about betting and gambling, he sees some room for education about financial responsibility.
“Impulsive behavior with live in-play sports betting. You could place a bet on something that’s happening at that exact time. I don’t think it’s really a school’s place to talk about it, but maybe some like financial education, like the downsides of it could be beneficial,” Morin said.
Another senior at Clover Hill, Will Lohr, views betting as entertainment, but with limits, and believes that age restrictions shouldn’t be too strict.
“I think it can be a fun tool, or not a tool, it can be a fun source of entertainment, but in the wrong context and using [it] too much, it can definitely be dangerous for your mental health. I feel like if you can go to war, you can bet on a basketball game,” Lohr said.
He argues that having good knowledge on sports plays the biggest role in whether you win or lose money, and for him the appeal of it is mostly social and emotional, and that betting changes the way you watch sports.
“I think the people with higher sports knowledge tend to earn more money. It’s fun to do it with your friends. And then there’s like the risk reward thing with money, definitely more exciting. It’s a lot more fun to watch a basketball game when you know you have money on one of the teams,” Lohr said.
As prediction markets continue to grow, students at Clover Hill are split between excitement and caution. Betting may give watching sports more of a thrill, but the downsides like addiction, impulsive behavior, and financial loss are hard to ignore for some.
