Sucker

"I am not, by temperament, a gambling man. As a suburban dad with four kids, a mortgage, and a minivan, I'm more likely to be found wrestling a toddler into a car seat than scouring moneylines or consulting betting touts. And as a practicing Mormon, I am prohibited from indulging in games of chance."

"Since 2018, Americans have wagered more than half a trillion dollars on sports, and roughly half of men ages 18 to 49 have an active account with an online sportsbook."

"The Atlantic would stake me $10,000 to gamble with over the course of the upcoming NFL season. The magazine would cover any losses, and-to ensure my ongoing emotional investment-split any winnings with me, 50-50."

A suburban father and practicing Mormon, typically opposed to gambling on religious grounds, undertook an assignment to investigate the sports-betting industry's rapid expansion in America. Since 2018, Americans have wagered over half a trillion dollars on sports, with approximately half of men aged 18-49 holding active online sportsbook accounts. The Atlantic magazine funded his experiment with $10,000 to gamble during an NFL season, covering losses and splitting winnings equally. The journalist sought approval from his bishop before proceeding, recognizing the tension between his religious beliefs prohibiting games of chance and the assignment's requirements. This investigation explores how sports betting has become culturally ubiquitous and its effects on American society.

Read at The Atlantic