Playing poker for money is the most common form of gambling among teens, who also like to play pool for money and bet on sporting events, says George. Winning boosts their self-esteem. It s a remarkable, heady experience for a youngster to win a game of pool or a lottery ticket, and one that they would assuredly want to repeat, says George. The NCAA tournament is nearly as popular for sports bettors as the Super Bowl, says Looney. Billions of dollars will likely be wagered on this year s tournament games through Internet sites, office pools, bookmakers, and legal betting sites in Nevada, Looney says.
Kids are into sports like crazy.
When you have this exciting tournament getting the best teams against each other it s very interesting to young people, says Looney. Selling valuable possessions, such as a CD player or baseball card collection, to get money for gambling. Taking money from you or siblings. Shoplifting items to sell for money. A noticeable decline in academic performance and interest in activities that the gambler once enjoyed.