Wednesday is a beautiful day for a segment of sports fans in the great state of Maryland.
That’s because online sports betting is officially live on Wednesday at 9 a.m. After a brief trial run Monday, all restrictions are lifted.
No longer do Marylanders like myself have to make a trek to the nearest casino or bordering state (or DC) to place bets. As long as you’re 21 or older, you can go right into your phone or hop on your laptop to place bets on any sporting event you want.
For a casual bettor like myself, this is a major convenience. I’m not someone who needs to bet boatloads of cash every day. But every once in awhile I want to throw a few bucks at something I have a good feeling about, and now I can do that without making a whole trip out of it.
Today I was proud to announce the formal launch of online sports betting in the State of Maryland. Beginning tomorrow morning—Wednesday, November 23 at 9 A.M.—seven different sportsbooks will go live.
Details: https://t.co/uJiEwr7wS3 pic.twitter.com/2vkvWvmQxj
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) November 22, 2022
However, for thousands of other people, this is dangerous territory. According to a recent New York Times investigation on the U.S. sports betting industry, calls to the national hotline for gambling problems rose by 43% in the last year.
There’s no doubt the rapid legalization of sports betting played a part in that uptick. Gambling can be an addiction for some, and addiction can ruin the lives of the addicts and those closest to them.
What’s sure to be a fun day for some in Maryland will be treacherous territory for others. So as we move into this new era of sports wagering, this is a reminder from a fellow Marylander to always be cognizant of that fact and get the help for yourself or loved ones if it’s needed.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the signs of a gambling disorder include:
- Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to get the same thrill
- Trying to cut back without success, or feeling irritable when trying to cut back
- Gambling to escape other problems
- Chasing losses by gambling more
- Risking or losing important relationships, jobs or opportunities to gamble
If you experience any of these, you can call the National Problem Gaming Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or chat with help counselors. Another resource is the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling helpline at 1-800-426-2537.
One thing I’ve found effective to prevent chasing losses is to set a limit on how much money you put into betting, whether that’s weekly or monthly, and never go over that number, ever.
If you win a little more within that limit, great, that’s more money to play with. But if you lose it all before the month is up. Oh well, you’ll just have to wait until the next re-up before you can gamble again.
Betting is recreational and stories of people winning big enough to quit their jobs are few and far between. Because I love Maryland, I want to put that reminder out before people start placing their first bets.
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