When the Odds Always Win: A Lesson for Teams

I picked this topic today — and am pushing out this Against the Rules episode by Michael Lewis (Episode 5: “The Mule”) — because the conversation around sports gambling has exploded lately. Between the NBA and MLB betting scandals and how often I hear “my parlay” in team conversations, it feels unavoidable.

I’ve had to stop more than one locker room conversation with:

“Guys, we can’t be throwing our money away like this.”
“Are you even old enough for that?”

Usually I get, “My dad/grandpa/uncle does it for me, Coach.”

So instead of just lecturing with “don’t do it,” I shared this podcast episode with our entire team — and even one of our staff members who loves to bet on games. Lewis lays out how the system actually works: even if you’re good at it, companies like FanDuel, DraftKings, and MGM Bet will throttle your account the minute you start winning too much. You literally can’t win big.

The game is rigged. Not emotionally, not morally — mathematically.

And that’s the point I want our players (and honestly, us adults) to understand. Saying “don’t gamble” without explaining why doesn’t land. But understanding that the system is designed for you to lose? That’s a real conversation worth having before or after practice — when “I hit the over” inevitably comes up.

Coach Prompts

• Have you ever discussed gambling as a system designed against players rather than a moral issue?

• What parallels exist between gambling odds and the illusion of control athletes crave in competition?

• How might explaining why a system preys on people help your players make stronger choices in other parts of life?

Player Prompts

• Why do you think gambling ads always show people winning?

• What’s the difference between confidence and control — and which one does betting really offer?

• If you knew the game was fixed against you, would you still play?