Betting on sports games has been a popular activity worldwide since ancient times. As the world developed, the world of betting also developed. New, more accessible methods were created to encourage large numbers of people to bet on games, and in recent years, sportsbooks have become more and more mainstream. These companies are incredibly popular and were created to allow sports fans to bet, not broadcast the games themselves. If someone wanted to bet on a game, they had to find an app from a reputable company independent of any sports organization or broadcaster. Now, with the introduction of betting on the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) app, more and more people throughout the United States have access to the world of sports betting.
In the past, sports fans used ESPN to tune into their favorite team’s games, especially when the game they wanted to watch wasn’t broadcast on local television. ESPN allowed fans to watch any game they wanted, anywhere, at any time, which in turn caused a large number of people to use ESPN when they wanted to quench their thirst for consuming sports media. Capitalizing on this popularity, ESPN added its betting service “ESPN BET” last November.
The group of people watching sports on ESPN is vastly diverse, much like those who enjoy betting. When combined, these groups form a giant audience that can be reasonably attributed to the success of ESPN BET. ESPN BET has increased ESPN’s user base, but it has also increased betting on sports games and sports viewership.
“I think ESPN betting has caused more people to start betting on games because it’s a large company a lot of people use to watch sports,” said junior Star Gu. “People start to bet because they can gain money while watching sports.”
This promise of earning money entices many people to participate in sports betting, but it also gives more people who aren’t 100% into any team an incentive to watch a game. Many people watch sports games for fun, but some fans watch specific games according to what they bet on, increasing viewership on a high-stakes game or play of the season.
Sports organizations and pro athletes are no strangers to the appeals of sports betting, but a noticeable effect on games?
Not really. While some players make questionable plays during games, there is no concrete evidence that betting has anything to do with these plays. The same questionable plays might not have been scrutinized when sports betting was less prominent, as there was no incentive for a player to throw the game.
“I do not think betting has had any actual effect on the games people are betting on,” said junior David Hosnedl. “Maybe there are one or two instances where players seem to be throwing the game, but nothing has been proven so far.”
Yet, this does not mean that everyone supports the growing accessibility of sports betting through ESPN BET.
“I don’t think that ESPN should necessarily be involved in betting,” said math teacher Mr. Paul Bjerkness. “I think their sole purpose should be to present whatever game is on and focus on that portion of it as opposed to the betting portion.”
This separation of broadcast and betting has worked well for a long time, and, until recently, many sports organizations have not endorsed any form of betting. Although the stances of these sports organizations have now changed, this does not mean how someone watches a game has changed.
“As a baseball fan, I’m not going to watch or not watch the game because they added betting to it,” said Mr. Bjerkness. “I’m going to watch it because I like baseball or football or basketball or hockey.”
Although it is uncertain what the effects of this blend of sports betting and broadcasting will be, at the present moment, sports fans are not required to bet to use ESPN, allowing people to still consume sports media in the same way they did before. Sports fans watch sports because that’s what they enjoy, just as someone who enjoys betting will add the dimension of betting to the things they enjoy.