Sports betting

Don't know if this subject has been touched on before, but I haven't seen it.

What are everyone's thoughts on sports journalists betting on sports? I know guys who cover the tracks who bet on the ponies and I know beat writers who cover college sports who bet on those sports (some bet on the teams they cover, others steer clear of their beat team, but bet on other conference teams, etc.).

Is this OK?

 

I've seen guys that do as well, and although before I got into this biz I did myself, once I had a serious, full-time gig I felt like it was a conflict of interests.

I didn't want readers to say, "Hey, there's that degenerate gambler that writes for the paper." Or have the bookie say, "Yeah, that writer from the Shitbag Times owes me money again." I feel like you kind of carry a public image if you write for a paper.

Plus, I never seemed to win.

 

Have seen plenty of reporters gambling on other sports, and it doesn't really bother me. I'm not a fan of betting on a team they cover on any sort of a consistent basis. Doesn't seem kosher.

 

I think betting on the horses is fine. It's legal. It forces you to follow the sport and the individual horses better. Even trainers and owners can freely bet so it's not like you can be accused of having inside information.

Betting on a team/league you cover is a bad idea. It is illegal most places. You would run the risk of appearing to have a conflict of interest if you are putting large wagers for or against your team, etc. etc.

 

Not OK for writers to bet on the sports they cover.
NOT OK AT ALL.
Horse racing I imagine is different. It's only about 6 people, so it doesn't really matter to me.

 

how is it a conflict of interest?
(a) you can't influence the game.
(b) if you're a reporter, your opinion isn't supposed to be in the story anyway, so no conflict.
(c) if you're a columnist, your opinion is simply supposed to be entertaining. if you rip a coach because his team didn't cover for you, who cares? as long as it's interesting to read.

I gamble ALL THE TIME on the teams I cover. what's the big deal?

 

I do believe it's a rare horse racing writer who does not wager -- and we're talking more than $2 to win -- at the track while he's covering.

 

The Chinese guy who learned English from Howard Cossell says that's a bad idea.

 

True story: I have a number of friends (yes, those of "degenerate gambler" fame) who think I have some great insight to the team I cover, and thus try to use me to get a feel for what might happen each week. Covering Iron Curtain U., however, there's not much I could tell them anyway.

No strong opinion on what's wrong or right. Interesting topic, though, because it's out there and available more than you might think.

 

nicely done.

 

No be honest. If you're gonna get some hard-core fuck-it nihilistic bullshit, wouldn't you rather read a post like this than a loaf of whitlock's bread? This is hilarious.

 

I must say, you do have a point there.