WEB LETTER: Super Bowl LX and Problem Gambling – Is Watching Worth the Risk?

Super Bowl LX and similar high-profile events can surface urges that many people thought were long behind them, especially in today’s world of online sports betting and prediction markets. For some, Super Bowl Sunday isn’t the Seattle Seahawks versus the New England Patriots – it’s “me versus my gambling problem.”

Why Watching Comes with Risks

Major sporting events are everywhere – on TV, social media, streaming platforms, and in group chats – which means constant exposure to scores, odds, and betting-related content. For someone who is in recovery or worried about their gambling, this wall-to-wall attention can feel less like entertainment and more like pressure.

Common triggers around the big game can include:

• Seeing repeated ads or promotions for live odds, bonus bets, or in‑game wagers.
• Friends or coworkers inviting you into pools, fantasy contests, or informal betting.
• Memories of past wins or losses during previous big games.
• Emotional highs and lows tied to specific plays or outcomes.

Even if a person has stepped away from gambling, these triggers can spark cravings, rationalizations like “just this once,” or a sense of missing out.

How the Availability of Online Mobile Sports Betting Literally Changed the Game

With online and mobile platforms, sports betting no longer happens only at physical locations or in person with friends. Bets can be placed in seconds from a phone or tablet, at home, at a party, or even during the game itself.

Features that can increase risk for those in recovery or at risk include:

• Constant access: Wagers are available before the game, during every quarter, and even on individual plays.
• Live betting: Rapid-fire opportunities to bet repeatedly can make it harder to step back and regroup.
• Personalized notifications: Prompts about odds boosts, “can’t-miss” offers, or changing lines can disrupt efforts to stay away.
• Easy deposits: Stored cards, digital wallets, and one‑click deposits reduce natural pause points that might otherwise encourage second thoughts.

The availability of online sports betting has turned watching sports into a more interactive, always‑on experience, where many fans now follow odds, props, and live wagers as closely as the game itself. For someone working hard to maintain changes around gambling, this combination of immediacy, convenience, and constant stimulation can make the big game feel like a minefield.

Prediction Markets Add Another Layer

Prediction markets, which allow people to stake money on outcomes like game results, player performance, or off‑field events, can mimic many of the same risk factors as more traditional sports betting. They often present participation as data‑driven “forecasting” or “information markets,” but for an at‑risk individual or someone in recovery, the experience is simply another way to place a bet.

Potential concerns include:

• Framing wagers as “predictions” instead of gambling, which may lower defenses.
• A wide range of markets, from final scores to micro‑events, which can encourage frequent engagement.
• Community leaderboards or social features that add pressure to stay active.
• Self-exclusion from sports betting apps doesn’t prevent access to prediction markets.

For individuals who have chosen to limit or stop gambling, prediction markets can become a new pathway back into harmful habits.

Protecting Recovery During Super Bowl LX

If you are in recovery or concerned about your gambling, planning ahead for Super Bowl LX and other big events can help reduce risk and support your goals. You do not have to avoid the game entirely, but having a clear strategy makes it easier to stay aligned with your priorities.

Consider:

• Defining your role: Decide in advance whether you will watch the game, under what conditions, and what feels safe for you.
• Setting digital boundaries: Turn off or customize app notifications; unfollow or mute betting-related accounts on social media; consider uninstalling gambling apps or prediction market platforms. To learn how to self-exclude from a betting app, call 888-ADMIT-IT for assistance.
• Choosing your environment: Spend the game with people who respect your recovery or concerns and will not push bets, pools, or apps. Consider avoiding alcohol, which can lower your defenses.
• Replacing rituals: If you used to wager during big games, develop new traditions – like cooking special treats, debating which is the funniest commercial, and spending time with friends and family.
• Having an exit plan: Give yourself permission to step away from the TV, leave a gathering, or log off if cravings or stress start to build.

Sharing these plans with a trusted person or support network can make it easier to follow through when the excitement and pressure ramp up.

A Look into the Problem Gambling Impacts of Sports Betting Legalization

The legalization of sports betting is changing what the average problem gambling help seeker looks like in Florida. Beyond the growth of online sports betting as the Primary Gambling Problem, the FCCG has been tracking significant shifts in demographics and financial, mental health, and domestic impacts through anonymized data collected via its 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine.

To learn more, download the report here.

Worried About Your Gambling or That of a Loved One? 888-ADMIT-IT.

If watching the big game is starting to feel like a big risk, you are not alone, and reaching out is a sign of strength. The 888-ADMIT-IT HelpLine is available 24/7 to support anyone in Florida who is affected by gambling, whether directly or through a loved one.

Through 888-ADMIT-IT, you can:

• Explore how online mobile sports betting and prediction markets may be affecting you or someone you care about.
• Receive individualized referrals to counselors certified to treat gambling disorder, self-help literature, support groups, and other services that fit your situation.

If you or someone you know is worried about gambling, call 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848) or explore gamblinghelp.org to learn more about problem gambling and the resources that can help. Text, chat, and online options are also available. You do not have to wait for a crisis; support is available before, during, and after the big game.