CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – As events like March Madness bring heavy online traffic to sports betting websites, experts urge caution to avoid the pitfalls of scams and addiction.
UNC Senior Josh Dutton started betting on his favorite teams, like UNC basketball, when online sports betting went live in North Carolina earlier this month.
“I enjoy sports a lot and sports betting really adds a different element to watching sports,” Dutton said, “I’ve netted 980ish dollars just from doing really nothing.”
Dutton said he encourages other sports fans to try out this new aspect of the game. He also said to be cautious of addiction.
“It’s fun to a certain extent, and it’s something that you need to keep an eye on for yourself so that you don’t end up doing it too much,” Dutton said.
Author of the bill legalizing online sports betting, NC Representative Zack Hawkins, said the new law combats gambling addiction by placing guardrails on sports betting sites and giving two million dollars to Health and Human Services.
“Even if you were against the bill, you’re still feel good about some of these aspects,” Hawkins said.
Another element of sports betting newcomers should be aware of is scams. The Senior Digital Marketing Specialist with the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Carolinas Nick Hill said to be knowledgeable about sports betting apps and terminology before placing any bets.
“A lot of the scams that we see revolving around sports betting, deal with scammers creating copycat websites and apps that look like a well-known service,” Hill said, “A good way that you can check to see that you are actually dealing with a reputable sportsbook is to check with the NC State Lottery Commission.”
Hawkins said scamming was one of the reasons the state legalized sports betting.
“There are lots of people that are trying to take people’s money unjustifiably and we need to protect them,” Hawkins said.
“Proceed with caution” seems to be the expert advice for new online sports betters.