Now I understand that fans bet but why players keep betting on Football? You are already millionaires guys. What will change your life with betting gains? Will you risk your career, your reputation, your popularity for the sake of betting?
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The money from betting is secondary, it’s the ability to show you were right. That you knew what was going to happen. Not only this one time, but I win my bets XX% of the time because I am so smart.
Tifo football did an interesting video about it. In short, there’s a serious issue with mental well-being for high level footballers, which is often translated in drugs and gambling issues
Because they’re dumb.
Dumb and fun
More money, more problems
Most of these guys are probably bored as shit. They go to training in the morning and most likely are done for the day by 2 or 3. Maybe promo or other work but they can’t go down the pub, they can’t really go to tesco, everything they do is scrutinized. People shit on them for playing fifa or video games all day/night but it’s literally something social they can do while being anonymous. You cant keep buying houses and cars, they are earning ridiculous amounts of money, why not throw a cheeky 10 grand on a bet. 50 grand on a slow week wouldn’t touch the sides of these guys wallets.
It’s the gambling not the money
Gambling is an addiction and most players who get involved in don’t start out betting on football but on other sports but when they get hooked and start losing money they start betting on football because that’s what they know about and have a better chance of winning on.
Keith Gillespie has spoken about this at various times when discussing his gambling issues.
For him as a footballer in the 90s when he finished training for the day usually around lunchtime/early afternoon he would be bored and have nothing else to do with his time so would go to the bookies. Not much football happening on a midweek afternoon so he would gamble on horses. As with most gamblers he ultimately lost more than he won which can add up to quite a lot of money when you have footballer wages to burn so he would then bet on football as he had more insider knowledge to try and recoup his losses until eventually he started betting on his own teams games.
Gambling addiction is real, but it takes a special kind of stupid to wager money on your own high-profile team in this day and age (Toney, Tonali, etc).
The addiction is extremely simple in terms of how it works: place a bet > yummy adrenaline while you wait for the outcome > yummy dopamine if you win. And repeat.
This same dopamine hit can be achieved by playing literally thousands of different games nowadays with access to vpns — and the players know that.
But to bet on your own teams or related league games? That, imo, is an obvious sign that one’s ego and arrogance have crept into the equation.
Sure, there is an argument that footballers who are gambling addicts eventually need to “chase the dragon” — ie. keep doing riskier and riskier things to achieve a greater high.
But unlike sex addicts who might eventually devolve into illegal prostitution (or worse things) or crack addicts who resort to unspeakable actions to get the cash for their next fix, our pin-up football gambling addicts only seems to receive overwhelming support from their respective clubs and supporters… because you know, they are “addicts” and they “need help”.
Of course they do need help. But why the heck are they able to still receive these crazy salaries while banned? This point boils my blood, as the money comes directly from supporters in the stands as well as TV subscribers.
As for the solution? Create a standard clause in every football contract that covers these exact situations; eg. “If you become banned due to gamble on football, you will receive 5% (or whatever minimal percentage you want) of your salary.
This would protect clubs and also dissuade footballers from putting money on games.
Gambling is no different to alcoholism or drug addiction. They get addicted to the dopamine hit of winning.
It’s not money related. It’s the feeling of winning
Rich people don’t bet for money they do it for the thrill
players (and fans) are also surrounded by gambling advertising EVERYWHERE. front of kits, stadium names, advertising boards, the league names, even the ‘Stick to Football’ show/podcast is sponsored by Sky Bet. It’s hard to not think about something that surrounds you all the time in your workplace, especially when it’s addictive
Gambling can be addictive
And gamblor will ensnare you with his neon claws
You might as well ask why a smoker has another cigarette, an alcoholic why another beer, or me why another pizza.
Addiction is addiction. Can easily happen to the best of us.
What I don’t understand tho is why they bet on games they’re involved in. That’s just plain fucking stupid. Either that or the owe out millions and need a guaranteed win
Boredom, they train maybe 3/4 hours a day ,used to go to a snooker club that had 7/8 footballers in most days too much money too much time on their hands ,there only human
Young men are susceptible to gambling addiction. Young men with time even more so. Young men with time and money even more.
So yea, it’s young men with time and money. They are most at risk of developing a gambling addiction, especially given that they are severely restricted in what other hobbies they can have. The PFA need to make sure there is gambling addiction support available for all players and that players are discouraged from a very young age.