Officials Warn Super Bowl Is Tough Time For Those With Gambling Problems
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - With the Super Bowl fast approaching, experts warn gambling will again be an issue for thousands of New Jersey residents.
"Anybody who's been a sports better, this is their last chance to get even. It's also so publicized that everyone wants to take part in it," said Jeff Beck with the Council of Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. "Every office has some kind of pool going on. You're just overwhelmed with it everywhere you look."
Officials Warn Super Bowl Is Tough Time For Those With Gambling Problems
Beck said the council's phones are usually ringing off the hook the day after the big game from people who realize they have a problem.
"One of the other problems we have is that we get a lot calls about domestic violence. We call the Monday after Super Bowl 'Black and Blue Monday,'" he told WCBS 880's Monica Miller.
Beck estimates around 350,000 people in the Garden State have a gambling problem.
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The organization will have a mobile billboard driving around northern Jersey this week with information on how to get help.
Fans bet an unprecedented $99 million on the Super Bowl last year, and Nevada sports books collected record amounts of football wagers during the tail end of 2013.
Odds makers attribute the rise in betting to the increase in televised games, and the ubiquity of sports analysis.
Amateur gamblers are more likely to bet on a game they can watch, and the proliferation of sports podcasts, blogs and websites have all made them feel more confident in their opinions.
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