There is a new generation of gamblers, but they aren’t running the slots; they’re placing bets directly from their phones. With online sports betting on the rise from apps like DraftKings and FanDuel, remember to stay safe and play smart with your money.

The desire to wager on each and every game has taken the joy out of sports. It used to be all about sitting down with some friends to cheer on your favorite teams, but now people are wagering their paychecks and their livelihoods every day.

From professional to college sports, everything is fair game, and students are prime bettors. The NCAA reports that the most sports betting occurs in the 18- to 22-year-old age group. Among this category, roughly 58% of them placed a wager within the last week. 

Additionally, students who live on campus are more susceptible to sports betting, mainly on their university teams.

Roughly one in five men either are or have been in debt from sports betting. As students who pay tuition, rent, groceries, school supplies and more, every dollar makes a difference. 

While there is no end for sports gambling in sight, we can at least encourage you to be smart with your money. Through our own research we’ve gathered some quick tips.

Set a hard limit on how much you want to spend, this will hopefully save your wallet and ensure you don’t blow an entire paycheck in one weekend.

Know the break-even rate for all of your bets. It’s better to break even than to lose money and bank on making it all back during the next game.

Think through every bet and really consider the risk and reward. What might start as one harmless stake could evolve into a destructive obsession.

Students are especially at risk for developing poor gambling habits. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making but unfortunately it is one of the last portions of the brain to develop. There are young people making bets without a fully developed brain that can stop them or at least influence them to make better choices.

Editorial topics by the Marquette Wire are decided at weekly meetings between members of the executive board. The editorial is crafted with leadership by the executive opinions editor. The executive board consists of the executive director of the Wire, managing editor of the Marquette Tribune, managing editor of the Marquette Journal, general manager of MUTV, general manager of MUR and the editor of diversity and inclusion.