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Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling
This jaw-dropping book pulls back the curtain on the alluring yet perilous world of American sports gambling. Built around explosive interviews with the power players of the betting boom at FanDuel, DraftKings, and beyond, it reveals the troubling methods that are being used to bleed gamblers dry.
Everybody Loses is the first major investigation into America’s sports gambling industry. Journalist Danny Funt has obtained wild stories and stunning admissions from the people trying to transform our nation of sports fans into a nation of sports gamblers,
• Former sportsbook executives who cop to misleading customers, with one admitting they’re “selling that you can win, but you can’t.”
• VIP “hosts” at the gambling companies who divulge the extravagant perks they offer their biggest losers to keep them hooked.
• Insiders who recall secret meetings where NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB executives learned how much money their leagues stood to make if they abandoned their opposition to gambling.
• Lobbyists who detail how they converted skeptical politicians into gambling industry cheerleaders.
This riveting narrative will captivate sports fans, concerned parents, and anyone intrigued by the intersection of money and morals. Everybody Loses is the crucial book for understanding why sports gambling is suddenly everywhere—and why the odds are so great that the problems it’s creating will soon spiral out of control.
Everybody Loses is the first major investigation into America’s sports gambling industry. Journalist Danny Funt has obtained wild stories and stunning admissions from the people trying to transform our nation of sports fans into a nation of sports gamblers,
• Former sportsbook executives who cop to misleading customers, with one admitting they’re “selling that you can win, but you can’t.”
• VIP “hosts” at the gambling companies who divulge the extravagant perks they offer their biggest losers to keep them hooked.
• Insiders who recall secret meetings where NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB executives learned how much money their leagues stood to make if they abandoned their opposition to gambling.
• Lobbyists who detail how they converted skeptical politicians into gambling industry cheerleaders.
This riveting narrative will captivate sports fans, concerned parents, and anyone intrigued by the intersection of money and morals. Everybody Loses is the crucial book for understanding why sports gambling is suddenly everywhere—and why the odds are so great that the problems it’s creating will soon spiral out of control.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 20, 2026
176 people are currently reading
1124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
January 30, 2026
Who would have thought that legalizing gambling would lead to problems! Oh, a lot of people did? Well then.
Danny Funt went ahead and wrote a book about all of these problems in his revelatory Everybody Loses. As you may have guessed from the title, it does not take a positive look at gambling. However, don't mistake this as a polemic about the evils of everyone who is a part of it. First of all, Funt himself admits to putting down a few dollars here and there. Second, this is not about shouting down gamblers. This is about raising awareness of the entire gambling system and some troubling conflicts of interest within.
There are some truly eye-opening sections of the narrative. I never considered how difficult it must be to be a college athlete who might go to class the day after a bad game to face people who lost big money on him or her. Or how reporters and talking heads may be giving you betting advice while they are literally paid by sportsbooks who make money when you lose.
I've read quite a few books where a journalist makes the jump to a full-length book and it feels like a bunch of articles stitched together with fluff. This is not one of those books. Funt keeps the easy prose of a journalist, but he then builds a monument to the troubles of gambling. He never loses sight of the people with the most to lose in this - the gamblers and the people around them who may be part of the fallout. This is a must-read for everyone, even non-sports fans.
(This book was provided as a review copy by Gallery Books.)
Danny Funt went ahead and wrote a book about all of these problems in his revelatory Everybody Loses. As you may have guessed from the title, it does not take a positive look at gambling. However, don't mistake this as a polemic about the evils of everyone who is a part of it. First of all, Funt himself admits to putting down a few dollars here and there. Second, this is not about shouting down gamblers. This is about raising awareness of the entire gambling system and some troubling conflicts of interest within.
There are some truly eye-opening sections of the narrative. I never considered how difficult it must be to be a college athlete who might go to class the day after a bad game to face people who lost big money on him or her. Or how reporters and talking heads may be giving you betting advice while they are literally paid by sportsbooks who make money when you lose.
I've read quite a few books where a journalist makes the jump to a full-length book and it feels like a bunch of articles stitched together with fluff. This is not one of those books. Funt keeps the easy prose of a journalist, but he then builds a monument to the troubles of gambling. He never loses sight of the people with the most to lose in this - the gamblers and the people around them who may be part of the fallout. This is a must-read for everyone, even non-sports fans.
(This book was provided as a review copy by Gallery Books.)
February 6, 2026
In “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”, the story is told of three brothers who cheated death and were given a super-magical object as a reward. One of the brothers asked for a stone to raise the dead to life, hoping to bring his departed love back. He succeeded, but the lover was a ghastly imitation of her former self. In the end, the brother took his own life, hoping to join his lover in a better world.
This story helps convey the argument Danny Funt makes in his excellent book. Sports betting has become a ubiquitous practice, with fifty percent of U.S. men ages 18-49 owning a sports betting account. Most major sports leagues have partnerships with sports betting companies. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry that’s only growing. It appears to us like a powerful magical object, able to deliver the promise of hundreds of billions of dollars to executives and the chance for the everyday man to win thousands on their apps. But as Funt reports for over 300 pages, sports betting just as ghastly as a living corpse.
Funt meticulously records how the major players in the industry (DraftKings and FanDuel), prey on people with false advertising through payday bonuses, kickback the net losses of players with affiliates who promote their links, and target VIPs with rewards to keep betting. Funt even documents how these companies limit players from winning, or from winning too much. A former PointsBet employee even made this revealing statement: “Your job is to maximize value to the shareholders. It’s not to be a good, moral citizen.” (240)
That’s ultimately the great strength of Funt’s book: the documentation of the moral cost to sports betting. Not only are sports players harassed on a daily basis for breaking a gamblers parlays, they are enticed to fix games for mega-profits. As time goes on, Funt’s research holds up: more and more players and coaches are getting busted for fixing games. This all leads to a damning statistic: close to half of Americans believe sports betting damages the integrity of sports. How can you know whether someone truly won or lost if billions are on the line?
Sports betting is pushed as a way to engage more in sports and to that end, it has had a dramatic effect on the viewership per game. But to what cost? The lover is back to life, but it’s a mere apparition of the form that came before. Sports betting leaves debt, divorce, bankruptcy, abuse, death, and addiction in its wake. When will we wake up to see the cost is too high?
This has special import to Christians who believe God, as the Creator, has given us charge to steward the world to its proper, God-glorifying ends (Gen. 1:28; Ps. 8:6). As a result, God calls us to live in his transcendent moral order (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37–40; Mark 12:29–31; Luke 10:27–28), and this includes living in such a way as to prohibit injustice in our lives and in society (Exod. 20:2–17; Mic. 6:8).
Sports betting is an unjust practice that denies the wisdom of God’s word (Prov. 13:11; 14:23; 28:19-20; Ecc. 5:10; Matt. 25:14–30; Luke 12:15; 1 Cor. 6:12; 2 Thess. 3:10; 1 Tim. 6:9-10, 17-19; Heb. 13:5). It violates our call to be good stewards, virtuous people, and lovers of God and neighbor. It is a practice that promotes and fosters greed, idolatry, and injustice not just in individuals, but in the broader society. Why do it?
Funt wraps up his book by saying this, “I called sports betting legalization a risky gamble, but I’m not sure that’s right: in a bet, the winners get back whatever they risked. Legalization is more like a trade-off: we know that as a result, more people will become addicted and more families will suffer; more people who work in sports will be harassed; more media outlets will be compelled to pull punches; more games will be compromised; more kids will take up gambling. And for what, exactly?” (293)
I couldn’t sum it up any better: for what?
This story helps convey the argument Danny Funt makes in his excellent book. Sports betting has become a ubiquitous practice, with fifty percent of U.S. men ages 18-49 owning a sports betting account. Most major sports leagues have partnerships with sports betting companies. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry that’s only growing. It appears to us like a powerful magical object, able to deliver the promise of hundreds of billions of dollars to executives and the chance for the everyday man to win thousands on their apps. But as Funt reports for over 300 pages, sports betting just as ghastly as a living corpse.
Funt meticulously records how the major players in the industry (DraftKings and FanDuel), prey on people with false advertising through payday bonuses, kickback the net losses of players with affiliates who promote their links, and target VIPs with rewards to keep betting. Funt even documents how these companies limit players from winning, or from winning too much. A former PointsBet employee even made this revealing statement: “Your job is to maximize value to the shareholders. It’s not to be a good, moral citizen.” (240)
That’s ultimately the great strength of Funt’s book: the documentation of the moral cost to sports betting. Not only are sports players harassed on a daily basis for breaking a gamblers parlays, they are enticed to fix games for mega-profits. As time goes on, Funt’s research holds up: more and more players and coaches are getting busted for fixing games. This all leads to a damning statistic: close to half of Americans believe sports betting damages the integrity of sports. How can you know whether someone truly won or lost if billions are on the line?
Sports betting is pushed as a way to engage more in sports and to that end, it has had a dramatic effect on the viewership per game. But to what cost? The lover is back to life, but it’s a mere apparition of the form that came before. Sports betting leaves debt, divorce, bankruptcy, abuse, death, and addiction in its wake. When will we wake up to see the cost is too high?
This has special import to Christians who believe God, as the Creator, has given us charge to steward the world to its proper, God-glorifying ends (Gen. 1:28; Ps. 8:6). As a result, God calls us to live in his transcendent moral order (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:37–40; Mark 12:29–31; Luke 10:27–28), and this includes living in such a way as to prohibit injustice in our lives and in society (Exod. 20:2–17; Mic. 6:8).
Sports betting is an unjust practice that denies the wisdom of God’s word (Prov. 13:11; 14:23; 28:19-20; Ecc. 5:10; Matt. 25:14–30; Luke 12:15; 1 Cor. 6:12; 2 Thess. 3:10; 1 Tim. 6:9-10, 17-19; Heb. 13:5). It violates our call to be good stewards, virtuous people, and lovers of God and neighbor. It is a practice that promotes and fosters greed, idolatry, and injustice not just in individuals, but in the broader society. Why do it?
Funt wraps up his book by saying this, “I called sports betting legalization a risky gamble, but I’m not sure that’s right: in a bet, the winners get back whatever they risked. Legalization is more like a trade-off: we know that as a result, more people will become addicted and more families will suffer; more people who work in sports will be harassed; more media outlets will be compelled to pull punches; more games will be compromised; more kids will take up gambling. And for what, exactly?” (293)
I couldn’t sum it up any better: for what?
March 13, 2026
3.75 - 4.0 stars.
I am not a big gambler & I never bet on sports via my phone. Occasionally I enjoy visiting a casino, but never for the sake of visiting a casino. I usually end up there by attending a sporting event or a concert and when I’m there I will play blackjack with a limited amount of money that I’m willing, but hoping not to lose.
What interested me in this book stems from attending last year’s first round March Madness games. I knew about online sports gambling but never witnessed it first hand until I sat behind a group of millennials during these games. These ‘fans’ weren’t interested in the games at all. Their only interest seemed to be in their bets, especially their in-game prop bets. Nothing like going to a game and watching your phone! I remember commenting that the days of going to a sporting event and simply enjoying the sporting event were gone. I love sports & love to watch sports for the love of sports. Ok … I’m old.
All that said, here are some random notes I made while reading:
• Sports gambling has always been there but now it’s everywhere & it’s legal.
• Sports gambling (and all forms of online gambling) are ‘deliberately engineered to be highly addictive.’ Parallels made to the tobacco industry seem reasonable, especially in targeting young people (teenagers & college students).
• The integrity of the games can and has been compromised … so has the safety of many athletes, with threats being made by losing gamblers.
• The independence of media, especially sports media, can and has been negatively impacted
• Enjoyment of sports without wagering is becoming a rare commodity.
• The system is incredibly rigged in favor of the betting companies. Some of the most popular bets greatly favor the house.
• As with most things these days, this business is all about the money. And not money for those doing the gambling.
• Major leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) abandoned their long-standing opposition to gambling once they realized the immense profits involved.
• Sports betting is an antisocial activity … just like all Social Media is (my comment)… and definitely leads to mental health issues.
Finally, after reading the book I looked at the comments that are often on the back of book jackets. There’s one on this book that perfectly expresses my feelings. It is by former MLB manager Joe Maddon …
“This outstanding book is the first to fully illuminate the imminent danger gambling poses to sports. My advice after reading Everybody Loses? Keep your hard-earned money and enjoy the game.”
I am not a big gambler & I never bet on sports via my phone. Occasionally I enjoy visiting a casino, but never for the sake of visiting a casino. I usually end up there by attending a sporting event or a concert and when I’m there I will play blackjack with a limited amount of money that I’m willing, but hoping not to lose.
What interested me in this book stems from attending last year’s first round March Madness games. I knew about online sports gambling but never witnessed it first hand until I sat behind a group of millennials during these games. These ‘fans’ weren’t interested in the games at all. Their only interest seemed to be in their bets, especially their in-game prop bets. Nothing like going to a game and watching your phone! I remember commenting that the days of going to a sporting event and simply enjoying the sporting event were gone. I love sports & love to watch sports for the love of sports. Ok … I’m old.
All that said, here are some random notes I made while reading:
• Sports gambling has always been there but now it’s everywhere & it’s legal.
• Sports gambling (and all forms of online gambling) are ‘deliberately engineered to be highly addictive.’ Parallels made to the tobacco industry seem reasonable, especially in targeting young people (teenagers & college students).
• The integrity of the games can and has been compromised … so has the safety of many athletes, with threats being made by losing gamblers.
• The independence of media, especially sports media, can and has been negatively impacted
• Enjoyment of sports without wagering is becoming a rare commodity.
• The system is incredibly rigged in favor of the betting companies. Some of the most popular bets greatly favor the house.
• As with most things these days, this business is all about the money. And not money for those doing the gambling.
• Major leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) abandoned their long-standing opposition to gambling once they realized the immense profits involved.
• Sports betting is an antisocial activity … just like all Social Media is (my comment)… and definitely leads to mental health issues.
Finally, after reading the book I looked at the comments that are often on the back of book jackets. There’s one on this book that perfectly expresses my feelings. It is by former MLB manager Joe Maddon …
“This outstanding book is the first to fully illuminate the imminent danger gambling poses to sports. My advice after reading Everybody Loses? Keep your hard-earned money and enjoy the game.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
A phenomenal but incredibly alarming read. Talk about a book that makes you want to shower after reading it. Between the evil sociopathic greed of all these sports gambling sites and the sickening outrageous hypocrisy of all the major sports leagues, to say this book left me utterly disgusted wouldn’t do it justice. As angering of a read this was, at the same time it was incredibly educational and informative. It gives an excellent recounting of the current state of sports gambling and how addicting & dangerous it truly is. And because of that, this book is a fantastic resource for anyone who loves sports but has major concerns about the direction they’ve taken as gambling has become legalized in most of the country. DraftKings and FanDuel…talk about dirty rotten bastards. Absolutely stunning how corrupt they are. With all that said, I highly recommend this one!
February 26, 2026
Danny shared his expertise with me for some reporting we did at USAT on youth gambling. I ended up bumping into the same young experts Rose-Berman and Minnick. You should get this book!
February 24, 2026
A very interesting read about the history and potential future of American sports gambling. I found the interviews and studies super interesting and it made for a very compelling read. Hearing people from the industry speak candidly about the industry was super interesting. I think it’s shocking how normalized gambling especially on phones has become, and the harms associated with it. The suicide rate and ease with which gambling addiction can take hold is one of the hardest parts in the book to read. Highly recommend for anyone interested in sports and gambling or the way sports interacts with society.
Related: Michael Lewis’s podcast Against the Rules has a whole season on sports gambling in America which would make an excellent companion/supplement to this.
Related: Michael Lewis’s podcast Against the Rules has a whole season on sports gambling in America which would make an excellent companion/supplement to this.
February 7, 2026
Really well written and a fascinating story. I had no idea sportsbook companies were so quick to block/severely limit people who gambled well. The industry is far more scummy than I ever I magined!
January 26, 2026
Finally... a book that admits an expansion of gambling in American sports might cause big trouble. We are on the verge of major scandals in one or many sports because of gambling... players losing big and being compelled to throw games... gamblers threatening players and their families to make prop bets... and on and on. It's all here, especially the hypocrisy of major sports talking about integrity and honesty when they are all greedily taking as much gambling money as possible... and don't forget about the complicity of the media and government in letting all this go on with mostly a shrug of the shoulders and their own sips at the trough. And if this all destroys lives, well, that's not their problem, is it? A wonderful thing to read during all the gambling shows on TV...
January 31, 2026
A well-written, deeply-researched, and illuminating yet disturbing read. Very highly recommended to anyone with an interest in gambling, sports, addiction, and the impact of all of the above on society at large.
January 25, 2026
Fascinating and fast-paced, Everybody Loses is a must-read for anyone who, like me, is wondering how sports betting took over our culture. I thought Funt delivered deep, fair reporting on the industry’s inner workings and the growing impact on society after legalization. So many fascinating interviews with sports players, managers, employees, bookies, gamblers, politicians, lawyers, addicts, activists, family members, industry insiders.. Even if you're not a sports better or major sports fan, the book is relevant to all of us. I couldn’t put it down.
March 11, 2026
As a sports fan who has been, and still is, deeply, deeply annoyed at the explosion of gambling content that has swamped actual sports news and analysis in the last decade, and as a cheapskate who is against losing money, I was predisposed to like and agree with this book. And it’s a likeable, extremely well-written book, good enough to be recommended just on readability alone.
What I wasn’t prepared for was how infuriating it would be; the way the gambling industry has exploded in size, avoided regulation, preyed upon its users, and (I’m sorry about this; writing about gambling suggests all sorts of punny metaphors that I’m simply not a good enough writer to avoid) stacks the deck (sigh; sorry again) in its own favor while blaming those whose lived are ruined for their own problems seems to me to be yet another example of very large industries profiting by causing misery for average people. [I’m sure the reader can think of other relevant examples; if inspiration is required, check the list of the world’s richest people for ideas.]
I also wasn’t prepared for how empathetically riveting many of the stories would be. I am fortunate to live in a state that has still not legalized sports betting, and yet more fortunate that the current explosion didn’t hit until I was middle-aged. But if someone handed eighteen- or twenty-one-year-old me a smartphone filled with gambling apps offering massive dopamine hits and math I couldn’t do in my head well enough to see how huge a disadvantage I was at? I feel certain I could be one of the horror stories.
This book is great, then, for hardening the beliefs I already had. I hope that those on the fence, or even those who feel differently than I do, can be convinced otherwise by this book.
What I wasn’t prepared for was how infuriating it would be; the way the gambling industry has exploded in size, avoided regulation, preyed upon its users, and (I’m sorry about this; writing about gambling suggests all sorts of punny metaphors that I’m simply not a good enough writer to avoid) stacks the deck (sigh; sorry again) in its own favor while blaming those whose lived are ruined for their own problems seems to me to be yet another example of very large industries profiting by causing misery for average people. [I’m sure the reader can think of other relevant examples; if inspiration is required, check the list of the world’s richest people for ideas.]
I also wasn’t prepared for how empathetically riveting many of the stories would be. I am fortunate to live in a state that has still not legalized sports betting, and yet more fortunate that the current explosion didn’t hit until I was middle-aged. But if someone handed eighteen- or twenty-one-year-old me a smartphone filled with gambling apps offering massive dopamine hits and math I couldn’t do in my head well enough to see how huge a disadvantage I was at? I feel certain I could be one of the horror stories.
This book is great, then, for hardening the beliefs I already had. I hope that those on the fence, or even those who feel differently than I do, can be convinced otherwise by this book.
March 12, 2026
A well-composed book that made me realize I’m missing out. I need to start gambling.
But, it’s well-researched, and flows so well, that it really makes a great argument of how insidious the recent explosion of sports gambling plastered everywhere really is and the harm it’s doing. The guardrails have been completely removed, and for the sake of earning a very select few more money, it is creating a sink hole that will probably lead to disaster.
On the other hand, isn’t it fun to maintain the illusion you can win a ton of money on a prop bet, despite all evidence proving that it’s nearly impossible?
But, it’s well-researched, and flows so well, that it really makes a great argument of how insidious the recent explosion of sports gambling plastered everywhere really is and the harm it’s doing. The guardrails have been completely removed, and for the sake of earning a very select few more money, it is creating a sink hole that will probably lead to disaster.
On the other hand, isn’t it fun to maintain the illusion you can win a ton of money on a prop bet, despite all evidence proving that it’s nearly impossible?
March 16, 2026
Really enjoyable book about the risks of sports gambling. Of course, there is NOTHING wrong with an occasional bet BUT not realizing the game is rigged against you is the problem.
These gambling sites do EVERYTHING they can to hook you but if you win, they punish you.
As the old saying goes, “the most expensive things are ‘free’”.
If a gamble site/casino gives you a “free” gift, think about that.
These gambling sites do EVERYTHING they can to hook you but if you win, they punish you.
As the old saying goes, “the most expensive things are ‘free’”.
If a gamble site/casino gives you a “free” gift, think about that.
February 23, 2026
The 60 pages on the legalization of American gambling are way too long. I don’t need a history or accounting for why we’re here. It adds nothing to the later sections of the book.
Still, the later sections are quiet excellent. The use of anecdotal devastation that ruins lives and the likelihood that sports books will lean into parlays more and more is compelling.
I think this would be a better read scrapping those weak 60 pages and looking into how states could actually regulate gambling, but I’d recommend this book as a focused chapter read.
Still, the later sections are quiet excellent. The use of anecdotal devastation that ruins lives and the likelihood that sports books will lean into parlays more and more is compelling.
I think this would be a better read scrapping those weak 60 pages and looking into how states could actually regulate gambling, but I’d recommend this book as a focused chapter read.
February 25, 2026
Alright Imma be real and say I probably retained about 47% of this book because sportsbetting is not my forte nor my vice of choice (god bless for that), but what I did comprehend....lmao YIKES. To quote Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar: America has a problem. But not my problem, inshallah! FanDuel get thee away from me.
January 24, 2026
Really interesting and well-researched look into a growing crisis in this country. I just wish the publishing schedule had lined up to cover the rise of “prediction markets.”
February 26, 2026
This book was AMAZING!
Let's start with the very minor flaws:
1. The first . . . 150 pages are a little technical. He goes through the background of how sports betting became legal. For me at least it was slow and ponderous. I didn't know any of the names, and he continually uses acronyms that I forgot what they stood for. It was people I'd never heard of, doing things I didn't care about.
2. His solution largely comes with government intervention. The only answer to any of this is the government doing something. I disagree with this assessment, but that is a disagreement in philosophy, not in practice. Sports betting is a serious issue and should be considered incredibly dangerous.
This book scared the pants off of me. I constantly had to go back and tell my wife what I had been reading. I could not believe some of these stories. When he tells people's stories, when he is boots on the ground, human interest stories of what people are actually going through . . . this book shines. An honest and open look at the world of sports gambling that nobody is talking about.
Here is a brief breakdown of the chapters simply because this book was so fantastic:
Excellent book, absolutely fantastic. I didn't always understand all of the gambling terms, but he made it readable.
I think this is going to have to come down to personal responsibility more than expecting the federal government to do something. At the very least, you need to talk about trying to fix things on the state level. But at the end of the day, this is a personal responsibility issue. It is not the government's job to stop you from gambling, nor should we expect help from the people who are clearly profiting from the problem.
Neither side of the aisle looks good here, but there are two moments he probably should have investigated a little closer. One politician told the anti-gambling committee to hand out Bibles, and that was written as a joke. One person talks about how gambling is a symptom of a very unhappy populace.
The plain truth is, as our society has detached from the Bible, detached from God and the personal responsibility of Christian living, it makes sense that we would fall to things like gambling. This is another sin that has been lost in the great amount of sin our society has decided to cheer and applaud over the last 10 years.
It is hard to denounce this sin and fight against it, while we applaud a different sin and try to celebrate it. If we are going to fix this . . . it is going to take us getting back into our Bibles and getting back to a Christian way of living.
That's why this author and I would disagree, but we would totally agree that sports betting has ruined sports. I will probably never watch a sporting event the same way after this one.
Let's start with the very minor flaws:
1. The first . . . 150 pages are a little technical. He goes through the background of how sports betting became legal. For me at least it was slow and ponderous. I didn't know any of the names, and he continually uses acronyms that I forgot what they stood for. It was people I'd never heard of, doing things I didn't care about.
2. His solution largely comes with government intervention. The only answer to any of this is the government doing something. I disagree with this assessment, but that is a disagreement in philosophy, not in practice. Sports betting is a serious issue and should be considered incredibly dangerous.
This book scared the pants off of me. I constantly had to go back and tell my wife what I had been reading. I could not believe some of these stories. When he tells people's stories, when he is boots on the ground, human interest stories of what people are actually going through . . . this book shines. An honest and open look at the world of sports gambling that nobody is talking about.
Here is a brief breakdown of the chapters simply because this book was so fantastic:
Excellent book, absolutely fantastic. I didn't always understand all of the gambling terms, but he made it readable.
I think this is going to have to come down to personal responsibility more than expecting the federal government to do something. At the very least, you need to talk about trying to fix things on the state level. But at the end of the day, this is a personal responsibility issue. It is not the government's job to stop you from gambling, nor should we expect help from the people who are clearly profiting from the problem.
Neither side of the aisle looks good here, but there are two moments he probably should have investigated a little closer. One politician told the anti-gambling committee to hand out Bibles, and that was written as a joke. One person talks about how gambling is a symptom of a very unhappy populace.
The plain truth is, as our society has detached from the Bible, detached from God and the personal responsibility of Christian living, it makes sense that we would fall to things like gambling. This is another sin that has been lost in the great amount of sin our society has decided to cheer and applaud over the last 10 years.
It is hard to denounce this sin and fight against it, while we applaud a different sin and try to celebrate it. If we are going to fix this . . . it is going to take us getting back into our Bibles and getting back to a Christian way of living.
That's why this author and I would disagree, but we would totally agree that sports betting has ruined sports. I will probably never watch a sporting event the same way after this one.
February 17, 2026
These are five points the book makes against legal gambling that resonated for me:
1. The Industry Depends on Problem Gamblers
A small percentage of heavy users generate a disproportionate share of profits. The system isn’t built on casual fun — it’s built on compulsion.
2. Sports Leagues Switched Sides
Leagues that once warned gambling would corrupt the game now promote betting partnerships and integrate odds into broadcasts. The moral reversal happened fast — and quietly.
3. “Risk-Free” Is a Marketing Illusion
Promotions like bonus bets and boosted odds are engineered to keep people wagering. The language reduces perceived risk while the house edge remains intact.
4. Apps Use Behavioral Data to Nudge Users
Sportsbooks track user habits in real time, tailoring offers to maximize engagement — especially when someone is losing.
5. The Social Costs Are Underplayed
States celebrate tax revenue, but the broader consequences — debt, addiction, family strain, mental health impacts — are harder to quantify and easier to ignore.
1. The Industry Depends on Problem Gamblers
A small percentage of heavy users generate a disproportionate share of profits. The system isn’t built on casual fun — it’s built on compulsion.
2. Sports Leagues Switched Sides
Leagues that once warned gambling would corrupt the game now promote betting partnerships and integrate odds into broadcasts. The moral reversal happened fast — and quietly.
3. “Risk-Free” Is a Marketing Illusion
Promotions like bonus bets and boosted odds are engineered to keep people wagering. The language reduces perceived risk while the house edge remains intact.
4. Apps Use Behavioral Data to Nudge Users
Sportsbooks track user habits in real time, tailoring offers to maximize engagement — especially when someone is losing.
5. The Social Costs Are Underplayed
States celebrate tax revenue, but the broader consequences — debt, addiction, family strain, mental health impacts — are harder to quantify and easier to ignore.
February 19, 2026
I cannot speak highly enough of this book, any American sports fan should be giving it a read. An incredibly well researched and documented account of the explosion of sports gambling in the United States. It is hard to put into words how repulsed I am by sports gambling after reading this book…especially online sports gambling. There are so many nuances to the topic of sports gambling and I believe this book addresses those nuances very well. Once again, I cannot recommend this book enough, one of my favorite reads in a very long time. This should be essential reading for American sports fans.
March 18, 2026
Everybody Loses
- I am going to voraciously consume this book
- A week after field of dreams came out, Pete Rose was banned for life
- For decades sports leagues were the biggest advocates against sports betting
- The powerful Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992
- RFK going after the mob and not making bets over the phone
- Daily fantasy
- Shoeless Joe admitted to throwing the World Series but that confession has been covered up
- In the 2010’s a merger between draft kings and fan duel was blocked - a rare win for the FTC
- Betting is as old as humans. We have always gambled
- Live sports is the only thing that people still watch live and on traditional TV. Betters watch more live sports. The connection between betting, TV rights deals, and live sports
- Shortly after becoming commissioner, Adam Silver wrote an op-ed supporting sports betting
- The case was Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association - decided May 2018, Harvard Law Review
- It was actually a Chris Christie case when he was governor but was decided after he was out office
- It did not legalize sports betting - On May 14, 2018, the Court reversed lower courts and sided with New Jersey in deciding that PASPA violated the anticommandeering principle by a 7–2 vote and declaring the entire law unconstitutional by a 6–3 vote.
- Conservative Gorsuch and liberal Kagan were the deciding votes
- Charm the state law makers with star athletes, box seats, and well paid lobbyists. They will do whatever you want. The sports books and leagues literally used the same lobbying firms, just different lobbyists. They did not want to make it look too obvious they were in bed together
- A section on Bill Simmons. I became a fan way later, I never got prime BS. This version is a guy who is the hands of the betting company’s
- In 2023 FD or DK spent a billion dollars on advertising
- A section a sharps, VIPs, professional betters, and losers
- Some companies have the approach of bankrupt them or ban them
- VIPs are only irresponsible losers. They get treated with extravagant perks and experiences, as long as they keep betting and losing. If you win, they cut you off
- These experiences are insane, they are amazing but it would be cheaper if you just paid for them yourself instead of placing bets
- The insane unethical ways that companies work around to ban winners or refuse to pay out winning bets. The companies can mistakes and not pay out but people can’t. If a betting line is wrong, companies are allowed to refuse to pay out
- The only people that care about the responsible gaming departments, are the people in those departments. Companies make profits on people losing
- There are some affiliate programs that get a percent of the lifetime loses of the better
- The book says that the lifetime price of the average better is $3k, that number might not be current and 2% of betters account for +60% of company revenues
- Daily fantasy is about competing against other people. Betting is about competing against the house. They are completely different models, motivations, and ethics
- DK and FD are now owned by European companies
- DK and FD had a massive head start from daily fantasy. They had the market share and they had the data. There have been other companies that have tried to enter the sports book market but most can’t compete with the two dominate forces
- ESPN, media companies, and the leagues sold out to the betting companies
- It is completely unethical for sports journalists to be endorsing gaming sites but journalistic ethics have gone out the window
- There is shockingly few ethical guidelines for journalists and insiders. It is the betting equivalent of insider trading
- People selling picks are con artists
- SPG are just carnival games
- Coach K is a well known gambler?
- NBA ref scandal - they swept that under the rug
- Phil Mickleson has potentially bet $1b in the last 30 years - WTF
- Bet responsibly means the same as just focus more or drink responsibly, it’s incomprehensible
- 6-8% of Americans have a gambling problem
- Many addicts say that gambling was the hardest to quit, even more than nicotine
- Gamblers have a 50% suicide ideation rate - all gamblers, not just addicts. Up to 10% of gambling addicts have attempted suicide
- FD and DK are a duopoly. In 2022 FD became the first sports book to become profitable, DK in 2025. DK spent 4.3b from 2018-2023
- Some states tax the companies as little at 10%. Others such as New York are as high at 51%
- The deceptiveness of promotions, risk free, no stress bet, bonus bets, etc
- States with legal sports betting see bankruptcies increase and credit ratings decrease
- Learning from Europe
- We are training kids to be addicted. It is massive public health danger. High schoolers and middle schoolers are becoming addicted to sports betting. Their brain is barely developed
- The next phase is online casinos, online slots, roulette, etc. These are incredibly more addictive than sports betting. It is terrifying and the companies are trying to push them through
- These companies are worse than tobacco companies
- This was exactly the book I was looking for, with exactly the information I was seeking. Thank you, this was awesome
- I am going to voraciously consume this book
- A week after field of dreams came out, Pete Rose was banned for life
- For decades sports leagues were the biggest advocates against sports betting
- The powerful Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992
- RFK going after the mob and not making bets over the phone
- Daily fantasy
- Shoeless Joe admitted to throwing the World Series but that confession has been covered up
- In the 2010’s a merger between draft kings and fan duel was blocked - a rare win for the FTC
- Betting is as old as humans. We have always gambled
- Live sports is the only thing that people still watch live and on traditional TV. Betters watch more live sports. The connection between betting, TV rights deals, and live sports
- Shortly after becoming commissioner, Adam Silver wrote an op-ed supporting sports betting
- The case was Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association - decided May 2018, Harvard Law Review
- It was actually a Chris Christie case when he was governor but was decided after he was out office
- It did not legalize sports betting - On May 14, 2018, the Court reversed lower courts and sided with New Jersey in deciding that PASPA violated the anticommandeering principle by a 7–2 vote and declaring the entire law unconstitutional by a 6–3 vote.
- Conservative Gorsuch and liberal Kagan were the deciding votes
- Charm the state law makers with star athletes, box seats, and well paid lobbyists. They will do whatever you want. The sports books and leagues literally used the same lobbying firms, just different lobbyists. They did not want to make it look too obvious they were in bed together
- A section on Bill Simmons. I became a fan way later, I never got prime BS. This version is a guy who is the hands of the betting company’s
- In 2023 FD or DK spent a billion dollars on advertising
- A section a sharps, VIPs, professional betters, and losers
- Some companies have the approach of bankrupt them or ban them
- VIPs are only irresponsible losers. They get treated with extravagant perks and experiences, as long as they keep betting and losing. If you win, they cut you off
- These experiences are insane, they are amazing but it would be cheaper if you just paid for them yourself instead of placing bets
- The insane unethical ways that companies work around to ban winners or refuse to pay out winning bets. The companies can mistakes and not pay out but people can’t. If a betting line is wrong, companies are allowed to refuse to pay out
- The only people that care about the responsible gaming departments, are the people in those departments. Companies make profits on people losing
- There are some affiliate programs that get a percent of the lifetime loses of the better
- The book says that the lifetime price of the average better is $3k, that number might not be current and 2% of betters account for +60% of company revenues
- Daily fantasy is about competing against other people. Betting is about competing against the house. They are completely different models, motivations, and ethics
- DK and FD are now owned by European companies
- DK and FD had a massive head start from daily fantasy. They had the market share and they had the data. There have been other companies that have tried to enter the sports book market but most can’t compete with the two dominate forces
- ESPN, media companies, and the leagues sold out to the betting companies
- It is completely unethical for sports journalists to be endorsing gaming sites but journalistic ethics have gone out the window
- There is shockingly few ethical guidelines for journalists and insiders. It is the betting equivalent of insider trading
- People selling picks are con artists
- SPG are just carnival games
- Coach K is a well known gambler?
- NBA ref scandal - they swept that under the rug
- Phil Mickleson has potentially bet $1b in the last 30 years - WTF
- Bet responsibly means the same as just focus more or drink responsibly, it’s incomprehensible
- 6-8% of Americans have a gambling problem
- Many addicts say that gambling was the hardest to quit, even more than nicotine
- Gamblers have a 50% suicide ideation rate - all gamblers, not just addicts. Up to 10% of gambling addicts have attempted suicide
- FD and DK are a duopoly. In 2022 FD became the first sports book to become profitable, DK in 2025. DK spent 4.3b from 2018-2023
- Some states tax the companies as little at 10%. Others such as New York are as high at 51%
- The deceptiveness of promotions, risk free, no stress bet, bonus bets, etc
- States with legal sports betting see bankruptcies increase and credit ratings decrease
- Learning from Europe
- We are training kids to be addicted. It is massive public health danger. High schoolers and middle schoolers are becoming addicted to sports betting. Their brain is barely developed
- The next phase is online casinos, online slots, roulette, etc. These are incredibly more addictive than sports betting. It is terrifying and the companies are trying to push them through
- These companies are worse than tobacco companies
- This was exactly the book I was looking for, with exactly the information I was seeking. Thank you, this was awesome
February 27, 2026
This book starts off a little slow but builds as it goes along. Funt's point is pretty simple: the rise of modern legalized gambling opens up a series of problems where the negatives easily outweigh the positives.
You get some opening chapters on how gambling became legalized, with all the major sports leagues doing an aboutface on longstanding opposition to it. The reason they aboutface: money. The media experiences gambling capture as that money pays the media's bills. (And more than a few people in the media are openly gung ho for gambling, like Bill Simmons and Pat McAfee).
The book really comes into it's own when it gets into the details of the predatory nature of the gambling firms. Bet and anyone can get rich! Well, unless you actually are shown to be good at gambling on a given sport, in which case the sportsbook will place strict limits on how much you can bet. If you bet tons with them, they'll shower you with goodies and perks and whatever else then can to keep you gambling gambling gambling gambling -- because the money you gamble, the more you lose. An in-house of gambling experts emerge claiming to have it all figured out and pay them money and they'll give you the guaranteed winners. These experts are, of course, damn near entirely made up of conmen. And we have smartphones now and bazillions of prop bets, so you're fed a neverending stream of offers and opportunities to bet, keeping those dopamine hits coming, rewiring your brain. And it can affect the intergrity of the game. The NBA largely was able to brush the Tim Donaghy issue under the rug. Oh, it's known the ref bet on games but the NBA was able to keep the story to just that, not if he fixed games. And in recent years we've had plenty of other sudden stories of point fixing and prop bet fixing in sports. Now we have rising gambling addiction and entire generation raised to think it's cool to bet on sports. Those who do get hooked, often find they don't even enjoy sports if they're not betting on them; and sometimes not even then. Like all addicitons, gambling deadens everything in the long run.
Funt isn't kidding when he titles the book "Everybody Loses." Gambling can call into question the integrity of the game, create more hostility and unpleasatness for players, cost almost all fans who bet to lose money, cause more stress and misery for those betters (and their families), and just funnels the money into a handful of companies. Funt notes how this doesn't even create new spending, it just reroutes it from other places to gambling places. It's not like anything new is being created by gambling. Heck, even the revenue given to the state can be outshadowed by the money needed for medical (physical and mental) services incurred by gambling.
Much of this is already out there info and not especially new. But Funt does an excellent job presenting it and going into detail on it.
You get some opening chapters on how gambling became legalized, with all the major sports leagues doing an aboutface on longstanding opposition to it. The reason they aboutface: money. The media experiences gambling capture as that money pays the media's bills. (And more than a few people in the media are openly gung ho for gambling, like Bill Simmons and Pat McAfee).
The book really comes into it's own when it gets into the details of the predatory nature of the gambling firms. Bet and anyone can get rich! Well, unless you actually are shown to be good at gambling on a given sport, in which case the sportsbook will place strict limits on how much you can bet. If you bet tons with them, they'll shower you with goodies and perks and whatever else then can to keep you gambling gambling gambling gambling -- because the money you gamble, the more you lose. An in-house of gambling experts emerge claiming to have it all figured out and pay them money and they'll give you the guaranteed winners. These experts are, of course, damn near entirely made up of conmen. And we have smartphones now and bazillions of prop bets, so you're fed a neverending stream of offers and opportunities to bet, keeping those dopamine hits coming, rewiring your brain. And it can affect the intergrity of the game. The NBA largely was able to brush the Tim Donaghy issue under the rug. Oh, it's known the ref bet on games but the NBA was able to keep the story to just that, not if he fixed games. And in recent years we've had plenty of other sudden stories of point fixing and prop bet fixing in sports. Now we have rising gambling addiction and entire generation raised to think it's cool to bet on sports. Those who do get hooked, often find they don't even enjoy sports if they're not betting on them; and sometimes not even then. Like all addicitons, gambling deadens everything in the long run.
Funt isn't kidding when he titles the book "Everybody Loses." Gambling can call into question the integrity of the game, create more hostility and unpleasatness for players, cost almost all fans who bet to lose money, cause more stress and misery for those betters (and their families), and just funnels the money into a handful of companies. Funt notes how this doesn't even create new spending, it just reroutes it from other places to gambling places. It's not like anything new is being created by gambling. Heck, even the revenue given to the state can be outshadowed by the money needed for medical (physical and mental) services incurred by gambling.
Much of this is already out there info and not especially new. But Funt does an excellent job presenting it and going into detail on it.
February 23, 2026
The number of my students who lost money on the Super Bowl and told me about it is distressingly high, not to mention how many others I hear about who are already hooked. Disturbing, and reading this absolutely clarifies what a predicament we're already in culturally. Reading it, I couldn't help thinking at different times of both classic temperance lit like Ten Nights in a Barroom, a comparison I recognize most normal people would not reach for and UFOs. On the one hand, you've got an it's-your-democratic-right institution sustained by politicians' connivance. One of the worst moments comes right at the end, where Funt talks to the Republican leader of Congressional gaming regulation (let's don't call it "gambling," which sounds less fun), who's absolutely convinced that the patchwork of ineffective and accommodationist state regulations is the ideal state of affairs, and that the federal government should not lift a finger in any regulatory direction. Or is it when the Democratic W. Va. congressman explains that legislators NEED to immediately legitimate playing casino games like slots and poker on your phone, with horrendous possibilities for immediate and uncontrollable loss, because think of the revenues, and otherwise you'd have to, horror of horrors, raise taxes. Funt honestly could have given us a lot worse here than the multiple stories of people (mostly men) gambling away their savings, nest eggs, children's college funds, funds to buy a house--he notes that England and Australia (England in particular) have learned quite a lot, and suffered quite a lot, from gambling saturation, though England seems to have imposed a few restrictions here and there. The American perspective on this seems to be, LET'S GOOOO.
Or is the worst part learning that the sportsbooks are doing everything to prevent good gamblers (which seems to mean about 1% of those who play, and a winning percentage of maybe 52%) from actually benefitting? They ply you with offers and special gifts and chances to be on the field or tell drivers to start their engines or whatever, until you show signs of being good at gambling, in which case the perks disappear, betting limits are imposed, and you might even get banned. Do they check to see if you can afford what you're spending? They do not. And the payoffs for wins have been cut, so even if, given all that, you do hit, it's less than it used to be. I mean, I knew the house always wins, but I figured that at least the house was going to play fair on those occasions when you got it right. Turns out not so much.
Among the many unconscionable aspects here are the media and league collusion (Bill Simmons has climbed onboard this train and abandoned all judgment, and the leagues are now busily monetizing their data and selling whatever's left of their souls, though perhaps prop-bet scandals like Emmanuel Clase's pitch-shaving will pull them back a bit) and the rise of touts selling what amounts to patent medicines: I have an amazing system that hits 85% of the time! But I can't show you any details! Because they're proprietary and my method is super-secret! But also it always works!! Pretty much like the UFO people for whom lack of proof equals proof.
So if you think of this in the light of American history, we're back in about 1895 or so, regulatorily speaking, in a world like that pre-Prohibition one with drunks lying in the street all over the place. Which isn't an argument for Prohibition, obviously. But definitely one for limitation. This feels like a pretty classic piece of muckraking, though I wanted him to be angrier. Last few paragraphs are the closest he gets.
Or is the worst part learning that the sportsbooks are doing everything to prevent good gamblers (which seems to mean about 1% of those who play, and a winning percentage of maybe 52%) from actually benefitting? They ply you with offers and special gifts and chances to be on the field or tell drivers to start their engines or whatever, until you show signs of being good at gambling, in which case the perks disappear, betting limits are imposed, and you might even get banned. Do they check to see if you can afford what you're spending? They do not. And the payoffs for wins have been cut, so even if, given all that, you do hit, it's less than it used to be. I mean, I knew the house always wins, but I figured that at least the house was going to play fair on those occasions when you got it right. Turns out not so much.
Among the many unconscionable aspects here are the media and league collusion (Bill Simmons has climbed onboard this train and abandoned all judgment, and the leagues are now busily monetizing their data and selling whatever's left of their souls, though perhaps prop-bet scandals like Emmanuel Clase's pitch-shaving will pull them back a bit) and the rise of touts selling what amounts to patent medicines: I have an amazing system that hits 85% of the time! But I can't show you any details! Because they're proprietary and my method is super-secret! But also it always works!! Pretty much like the UFO people for whom lack of proof equals proof.
So if you think of this in the light of American history, we're back in about 1895 or so, regulatorily speaking, in a world like that pre-Prohibition one with drunks lying in the street all over the place. Which isn't an argument for Prohibition, obviously. But definitely one for limitation. This feels like a pretty classic piece of muckraking, though I wanted him to be angrier. Last few paragraphs are the closest he gets.
March 11, 2026
Danny Funt’s Everybody Loses is a solid, investigative dive into the explosive growth of legalized sports betting in America, zeroing in on the inner workings of giants like FanDuel and DraftKings. It’s built around eye-opening interviews with industry insiders, former executives, high-stakes “VIP” bettors, and everyday gamblers who’ve been chewed up by the system. The book lays out how these platforms have turned casual sports fans into compulsive players, often through misleading promotions, easy credit, and a focus on high-loss customers.
What stands out—and what makes the book genuinely interesting—are some of the shocking stats and revelations about the gambling industry’s realities. For instance, just 2-3% of customers (the heaviest losers) generate 60-70% of sportsbook revenue, showing how the business model relies on a small group of addicted high-rollers rather than broad, casual play. Prop bets have ballooned to make up huge chunks of revenue, especially among younger users, and one former executive bluntly admitted the companies are essentially “selling that you can win, but you can’t.” Stories like a schoolteacher blowing through $100,000 in 18 months or massive losses tied to “VIP hosts” offering perks to keep big losers hooked drive home the predatory side. These details are scary and eye-opening, underscoring the real dangers of addiction and financial ruin that come with the convenience of apps on every phone.
The book also highlights outrageous practices, like how FanDuel and DraftKings (and similar platforms) routinely limit or outright ban accounts that win consistently—sharps or skilled bettors get restricted to tiny wagers or shut out entirely, while the house protects its edge by bleeding the losers dry. It’s a stark reminder that the game is rigged not just by math, but by policy.
That said, the book didn’t fully grab me. It’s informative and well-researched, but the narrative sometimes feels more like a collection of alarming anecdotes and insider quotes than a gripping, page-turning story. The pacing drags in spots, and while the critique of the industry is sharp, it doesn’t always build to a more forceful call to action beyond implying lawmakers need to wake up (which they absolutely do— the societal costs here are too big to ignore). It’s not a bad read at all; it’s just solidly okay—good enough to recommend if you’re concerned about sports betting’s rise, but not one that will keep you up all night.
Overall, Everybody Loses earns its three stars for shining a much-needed light on a troubling boom. The stats and dangers are worth knowing, even if the delivery is more sobering than thrilling. If you’re into sports, gambling, or just worried about where all those flashy ads are leading society, it’s worth a look—but temper your expectations for fireworks.
What stands out—and what makes the book genuinely interesting—are some of the shocking stats and revelations about the gambling industry’s realities. For instance, just 2-3% of customers (the heaviest losers) generate 60-70% of sportsbook revenue, showing how the business model relies on a small group of addicted high-rollers rather than broad, casual play. Prop bets have ballooned to make up huge chunks of revenue, especially among younger users, and one former executive bluntly admitted the companies are essentially “selling that you can win, but you can’t.” Stories like a schoolteacher blowing through $100,000 in 18 months or massive losses tied to “VIP hosts” offering perks to keep big losers hooked drive home the predatory side. These details are scary and eye-opening, underscoring the real dangers of addiction and financial ruin that come with the convenience of apps on every phone.
The book also highlights outrageous practices, like how FanDuel and DraftKings (and similar platforms) routinely limit or outright ban accounts that win consistently—sharps or skilled bettors get restricted to tiny wagers or shut out entirely, while the house protects its edge by bleeding the losers dry. It’s a stark reminder that the game is rigged not just by math, but by policy.
That said, the book didn’t fully grab me. It’s informative and well-researched, but the narrative sometimes feels more like a collection of alarming anecdotes and insider quotes than a gripping, page-turning story. The pacing drags in spots, and while the critique of the industry is sharp, it doesn’t always build to a more forceful call to action beyond implying lawmakers need to wake up (which they absolutely do— the societal costs here are too big to ignore). It’s not a bad read at all; it’s just solidly okay—good enough to recommend if you’re concerned about sports betting’s rise, but not one that will keep you up all night.
Overall, Everybody Loses earns its three stars for shining a much-needed light on a troubling boom. The stats and dangers are worth knowing, even if the delivery is more sobering than thrilling. If you’re into sports, gambling, or just worried about where all those flashy ads are leading society, it’s worth a look—but temper your expectations for fireworks.
March 21, 2026
What if we poisoned large swathes of the population with a pastime that adds to the already exhausting list of ways that capitalism is destroying the fabric of our society? Gambling is one of those vices that scares me more than most substances - you can't see it or smell it on someone, even as it is tearing their life apart. I feel incredibly sad for the generations of youth we are about to lose to lifelong, debilitating gambling addictions, and the people that allowed it to happen will probably never face the consequences they deserve (***** by **********).
"As something becomes normalized, it gets harder to imagine a world without it. If sports betting continues down the path it's been on since 2018, I wonder if watching a game without also wagering on it will, before long, seem quaint or even pointless - the way hardly anyone goes to a racetrack anymore just to marvel at the horses. If that happens, will the next generation of fans be aware of what they've lost?
... There are ideals, and there were plenty of times that the country failed to live up to them before 2018. But at least things like protecting fans and maintaining integrity used to be aspirational. Now they seem up for sale. I called sports betting legalization a risky gamble, but I'm not sure that's right: in a bet, the winners get back whatever they risked. Legalization is more like a trade-off: we know that as a result, more people will become addicted and more families will suffer; more people who work in sports will be harassed; more media outlets will be compelled to pull punches; more games will be compromised; more kids will take up gambling. And for what, exactly? Richer TV deals for the leagues? Profits for only a couple of companies? A more politically convenient revenue stream for states than raising taxes?
If that's all we stand to win, it will seem to me like an extraordinary price to have paid."
"As something becomes normalized, it gets harder to imagine a world without it. If sports betting continues down the path it's been on since 2018, I wonder if watching a game without also wagering on it will, before long, seem quaint or even pointless - the way hardly anyone goes to a racetrack anymore just to marvel at the horses. If that happens, will the next generation of fans be aware of what they've lost?
... There are ideals, and there were plenty of times that the country failed to live up to them before 2018. But at least things like protecting fans and maintaining integrity used to be aspirational. Now they seem up for sale. I called sports betting legalization a risky gamble, but I'm not sure that's right: in a bet, the winners get back whatever they risked. Legalization is more like a trade-off: we know that as a result, more people will become addicted and more families will suffer; more people who work in sports will be harassed; more media outlets will be compelled to pull punches; more games will be compromised; more kids will take up gambling. And for what, exactly? Richer TV deals for the leagues? Profits for only a couple of companies? A more politically convenient revenue stream for states than raising taxes?
If that's all we stand to win, it will seem to me like an extraordinary price to have paid."
February 10, 2026
I don't think people realize that there's a storm of shit hurtling towards their favorite sport. Sports are cheapened by betting because betting warps the incentives for all participants (including spectators, who are likely these days to gamble on the outcome).
Funt shows us the current state of betting in sports, its cultural origins in 18th century America, and the corrosive character it had on sports (such as baseball) as early as the beginning of the 20th century. The bans on sports gambling and the intolerance towards it by the gaming leagues was a foundation stone of the sports experiences we've enjoyed over the decades after the Black Sox scandal. Even with these restrictions, the leagues were rocked by cheating scandals throughout the years (players, referees, coaches, no one is immune to trying to fix a match). Imagine what it's going to look like once gambling becomes (as it is) more mainstream. A great book to begin understanding the magnitude of the problem at hand.
Medium-length, finished in a couple of days.
Funt shows us the current state of betting in sports, its cultural origins in 18th century America, and the corrosive character it had on sports (such as baseball) as early as the beginning of the 20th century. The bans on sports gambling and the intolerance towards it by the gaming leagues was a foundation stone of the sports experiences we've enjoyed over the decades after the Black Sox scandal. Even with these restrictions, the leagues were rocked by cheating scandals throughout the years (players, referees, coaches, no one is immune to trying to fix a match). Imagine what it's going to look like once gambling becomes (as it is) more mainstream. A great book to begin understanding the magnitude of the problem at hand.
Medium-length, finished in a couple of days.
February 6, 2026
This is a really helpful read to understand how sports gambling became so prevalent, how the sportsbooks work, and to understand how serious of a problem this is for a lot of people. It's well researched, readable (though, language warning), and addresses this relatively new cultural phenomenon from a lot of different angles. I feel much better educated about sports gambling after having read the book and am grateful for Funt's work. The depressing thing about it is that there's so much money in it that the sports leagues, politicians, and sportsbooks have no motivation to do anything to stop the carnage that's happening in the lives of real people.
March 16, 2026
Non-gamblers beware
While that could be an alternate title for this book, in this context I try to warn that despite his best attempts, the author will use gambling terms that are incomprehensible to the non-gambler. The author does a good job relating the current concerns and the fear for the future. Showing how most groups have flip-flopped from opposing legal gambling to accepting it willingly when money comes their way. It seems unbelievable that we have come to a place where turning to gambling is the next way to jump sports profits. Gambling appears to have a path to ending competition as we know it. I hate to see the fun and teaching of youth in spots to degrade to such a degenerate place.
While that could be an alternate title for this book, in this context I try to warn that despite his best attempts, the author will use gambling terms that are incomprehensible to the non-gambler. The author does a good job relating the current concerns and the fear for the future. Showing how most groups have flip-flopped from opposing legal gambling to accepting it willingly when money comes their way. It seems unbelievable that we have come to a place where turning to gambling is the next way to jump sports profits. Gambling appears to have a path to ending competition as we know it. I hate to see the fun and teaching of youth in spots to degrade to such a degenerate place.
March 22, 2026
It’s very well-reported, lots of good sources inside the industry. (“The responsible gaming department? That was me.”)
I wish there had been more on recommended regulation. Are there regulations that have worked elsewhere?
I also wish he had dug more into the specifics of how legalization has been associated with credit score declines and bankruptcy increases. There’s a nod to university research, but I think it would have been worth a few pages.
My two primary takeaways:
- I’m pretty sure sports gambling has no benefit at all
- Following the once-mentioned 4-2-1 method (max four gambling days per month, only on two sports, only 1% of your income) seems kind of fun.
I wish there had been more on recommended regulation. Are there regulations that have worked elsewhere?
I also wish he had dug more into the specifics of how legalization has been associated with credit score declines and bankruptcy increases. There’s a nod to university research, but I think it would have been worth a few pages.
My two primary takeaways:
- I’m pretty sure sports gambling has no benefit at all
- Following the once-mentioned 4-2-1 method (max four gambling days per month, only on two sports, only 1% of your income) seems kind of fun.
March 9, 2026
Although first of its kind, it manages to feel dated considering just how much has happened in this space since publication. Goes to show how fast industry moves these days once our leaders cannonballed into these waters.
Perhaps I already knew too much about this interaction with sports for me to not learn as much as the target audience. I found this to be repetitive to the point where I surmised this could’ve been a long article instead. Alas, there’s a trove of industry lingo that is transliterated for the unaware masses to value reading.
Perhaps I already knew too much about this interaction with sports for me to not learn as much as the target audience. I found this to be repetitive to the point where I surmised this could’ve been a long article instead. Alas, there’s a trove of industry lingo that is transliterated for the unaware masses to value reading.
January 23, 2026
There's much a liked about this book, as it highlights a clear and present danger that is threatening to ruin one of the most precious things in my life: sports. At the same time, in sections it felt preachy and instead of representing all sides of the story it consistently demonized those who sport sports gambling.
I'm aligned with the authors broader viewpoints, but was hoping for a more probing and balanced analysis.
I'm aligned with the authors broader viewpoints, but was hoping for a more probing and balanced analysis.
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