Gambling can lead to addition
Edward Sevadjian spends Sundays glued to the television. Because
for Sevadjian, a senior studying history, there’s a lot of money on
the line and watching the Broncos is about more than supporting the
local team.
“You’re stuck in front of a TV all day,” said Sevadjian, who
places up to five different bets on any given Sunday afternoon. “I
don’t think I’d be watching any football if I didn’t place bets on
the games.”
Depending on the season, Sevadjian places bets up to $500
dollars a week and talks with his bookie on four to five separate
occasions throughout the week, although specific cases have been
more extreme.
“In a week I’ve bet over $1,000, $400 on a (single) game,”
Sevadjian said. “Hockey, baseball, football pretty much anything
that’s going on I’ll bet on, it’s always fun if you have a bet on
it.”
The world of gambling can encompass students, bookies, debt and
legal repercussions.
Since his sophomore year, when Sevadjian began placing regular
bets, he estimates his total bets amount to more than $20,000, and
he’s lost more often than he’s won.
“I win less than 50 percent of the time, I really haven’t made
money over my gambling career,” Sevadjian said. “I’ve lost a lot in
a single day and probably $1,500 in the past two years.”
Although Sevadjian doesn’t plan to continue gambling throughout
his life, he recognizes the potential for addiction.
“I don’t necessarily need to gamble, it can become addicting
though, for sure,” he said.
Sevadjian has easy access to place bets because of his personal
relationship he has with his bookie.
“My bookie happens to be a buddy of mine, so that makes things
easier- other bookie’s will break your legs if you can’t pay,”
Sevadjian said. “I’m on a running tab, basically a payment
plan.”
Bookkeeping comes into gambling when a gambler places a bet not
directly with competitors but instead goes through a third party, a
bookie, in order to place a bet.
A local Fort Collins bookie, who wishes to be referred to as
Tony and remain anonymous because of possible legal repercussions,
began taking bets a little over a year ago when he saw an
opportunity present itself.
“I gambled a little bit myself, and I saw the upside to taking
the money rather than placing it,” Tony said. “There’s so much
online gambling now, people don’t know where their money’s going,
it’s easy if people can just deal with someone local.”
Tony rarely gives advice or asks questions when taking his
clients’ bets and clients range from strangers to friends.
“I don’t say anything, occasionally if it’s a friend of mine –
maybe,” Tony said. “They can be friends or just guys you find at
the bar.”
However, by the time betters get to Tony’s level of betting they
take their gambling fairly seriously.
“The average bet is $100, sometimes more, I usually talk to
(clients) four to five times a week.” Tony said. “They’re usually
pretty serious.”
Occasionally Tony will encounter situations of extreme gambling
addiction.
“There are definitely some people that have issues,” Tony
said.
Tony has even stopped taking certain clients’ bets as a result
of their problem.
“I’ve actually told people they have a problem and stopped
taking their money and told them they should go get help,” Tony
said. “Occasionally you have to stop taking it when you realize
they can’t eat.”
Tony, who currently has a client that owes $6,000, wouldn’t
comment on consequences for those who can’t pay him.
There are certain bets that Tony will not take, for instance if
a player on a particular team ever offered him a bet he would not
take it. Not getting caught is definitely a top priority.
“I’m just looking out for myself,” Tony said. “If somebody ever
came to warn me of anything I would quit immediately.”
Serious legal repercussions can develop if gambling like Tony’s
is discovered.
Penalties for gambling can range from a petty offense to a
felony, according to Eloise Camponella, press information officer
for Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.
“Bookmaking is always illegal because there is a third party
involved,” she said.
Camponella has never personally dealt with a gambling incident
and doesn’t see it as much of an issue in Fort Collins.
Addicted gamblers may not realize they have a problem or may not
know of a way to find a solution.
“Sports betting, especially if it’s illegal, wouldn’t have
access to information for help,” said Blake Morgan, a mental health
professional who works with gambling addicts through the National
Council on Problem Gambling, Inc.
Blake witnesses the similarities between gambling addiction and
other addictions.
“It’s a lot like other addictions, lots of excuses,” Morgan
said. “Most people don’t know they’re in trouble until they’re in
such hot water they don’t know how to get out of it.”
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