Over the past few decades, the method of doing various activities, such as- shopping, sending and receiving mail, learning- has changed significantly. With the rise of the internet and electronic platforms, many of these traditional activities now have an electronic or internet-based platform. The use of e-mail has almost essentially replaced hard paper mail. Most stores, businesses, banks prefer to reach out to their customers via this way due to the cheaper cost of production. Shopping online has significantly impacted physical stores because of the convenience and accessibility it gives consumers. This has had a heavy negative impact on small businesses and low-wage jobs. Even learning has changed to be primarily online. Many universities around the country offer online degrees. Most textbooks are now offered at cheaper prices online compared to the hard copy.
With many of our daily activities turning to internet-based models, it is no surprise that this is seen even in sports. There has been large growth in the field of fantasy sports. One of the largest forms of this is in fantasy football. I have many friends who take part in this activity. It allows my friends and the public to fully engage in the sport through betting. Although there is always risk in betting, I think people feel comfortable knowing that they are in control of their bets. People will research extensive hours and use available information to their benefit. This type of betting is very customizable because there are many types of leagues, each with their own methods of accumulating points.
Sports betting definitely differs from classic gambling. Classic gambling is typically the house verses the people, where people are not in competition with each other but rather against a casino. In most casino games, you do not have much control on winning. Even with extensive research, most of the chance of winning is purely up to luck.
I think that fantasy football is more of a skill than traditional gambling. While you are still betting money, I believe that there is more control in this than gambling. Because you can research and learn information on the teams and players, it definitely helps the person’s betting odds. I think if the income generated from winning is high enough, it could eventually become a job. However, there is always the risk of a gambling issue arising. If someone loses a few times, they may be more inclined to bet higher amounts to recover their losses. There are also people who “rage” bet when losing and experience a loss of control in their judgement. They feel extreme anger and frustration that they often might bet a majority, if not all, their funds.