Counselors warn of problem gambling

Counselors warn of problem gambling
Published : Saturday, 17 Mar 2012
Kelly Schlicht, FOX 11 News

GREEN BAY - As Wisconsin and Marquette fans sit glued to their sets Saturday, some had more than just pride and bragging rights riding on the outcomes of the games.

Gambling counselors say NCAA tournament time tends to be one of the biggest times of the year to make a wager.

The brackets have been filled out and the small bets have been placed, as the elite of college basketball hit the hardwood for another year of March Madness.

"Usually I only do about $10 per bracket," said Tony Duval, watching games Saturday at The Stadium View Bar and Grill. “I am really into brackets.

"With the basketball tournaments going on, people get very excited about that so you see a lot of people placing bets with their office pools, betting online, betting in bars," said Rose Gruber, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Center for Problem Gambling.

Gambling counselors like Gruber say these little bets, or friendly wagers between friends and coworkers generally won’t lead to an addiction.

"Things you want to pay attention to is people who are gambling more often than they used to, spending more time gambling. It's starting to affect other areas of their lives, their family, their work," explained Gruber.

Gruber says when gambling becomes an addiction people no longer focus on the winnings.

"Compulsive gamblers, it's not about the money. They're always chasing. They're either chasing their wins to make more or chasing their losses to make back what they lost," she described.

Many basketball fans we spoke to say their brackets have been busted by surprise wins this weekend.

"I had Duke going basically all the way, and then Missouri, too,” said Duval, saying his bracket hopes had turned south. “So now I'm rooting for Marquette and Wisconsin, obviously, because my teams are out."

But these fans say win or lose, they're willing to bet their wagers are all in good fun.

"It's all about bragging rights," said Duval.