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Underage Betting

Sports gambling has become an increasingly prominent aspect of college life, both legally and illegally. From underage students placing bets through informal bookies to athletes facing strict NCAA regulations, gambling permeates various facets of campus culture. The allure of easy money and the thrill of wagering attract students of all ages, creating an environment where risks and rewards are constantly at play. Whether it’s a casual bet on a football game, a 20-leg parlay for generational wealth, or an athlete’s gamble on their own performance, the implications of gambling extend far beyond the financial stakes.

Our Lady’s University is not an exception. Despite being underage, some students circumvent legal restrictions by gambling through informal networks of student bookies. These bookies use unconventional methods, such as third-party websites and Venmo payments, to facilitate transactions, creating a thriving but shadowy underworld of gambling on campus.

An April 2023 survey commissioned by NCAA revealed that 67% of students living on surveyed college campuses have engaged in sports wagering, with 35% admitting to using student bookmakers. The accessibility of online betting platforms and student-run bookmaking networks plays a significant role in fostering these activities. Despite legal age restrictions, underage students continue to find creative ways to participate in gambling.

An anonymous underage sports bettor said that “there are definitely some weird vibes when it comes time to pay up.” In order to better illuminate the inner workings of student-run gambling operations and their role within the broader campus culture, we reached out to a former student bookie who wished to be known only as Colton.

Student Bookies

A friend’s friend began a sportsbook and Colton was taught how to set up his sheet by someone already involved in the system. This friend’s friend was the financial backing for the operation, so Colton was never on the hook for personally paying any of the debts that the book might temporarily incur. He saw it “as an opportunity to make money" because he wouldn’t be responsible for any losses. Colton recruited clients through a referral system that, much like the official gambling sites, offered free play to new bettors. He said that “one of the best ways to retain clients was constantly giving free play or promos to people who were losing.”

The structure of the various lower-level “sheets” was like a pyramid scheme, with a person above Colton managing many sheets. Colton “was never in contact with” those who were more than one level above him within the structure. The payment system ran from the bottom up, with Colton sending a percentage of the book's profits to the person above him in the pyramid. This percentage varied between 25 and 50.

By the end of his time working the sheet, Colton had over 80 clients. He sold his book to the person who had been above him for $8,000. This value came from the herd of consistent bettors Colton had worked to bring onto his sheet. However, he said that the book fell apart within days of the sale, because the new owner was no longer personally connected to any of the clients. This made it easy for the clients to “ghost” the book the moment they lost a bet.

This is of course the key problem with running a sportsbook with Venmo payments — there is no way to guarantee the house gets paid. The personal connection allowed Colton to pressure the indebted bettors with social pressure and relentless texting. He says in his entire time running the book “only one or two people ever ghosted me.” The collapse of the book meant he was only paid $5,000 for the sale, and he claims to have made “between $10,000 and $12,000” running the book.

He got out of the business because he was going abroad and was happy to have some cash to spend while overseas.

The 21-Year-Old Limit

The transition to legal gambling at age 21 introduces significant risks for college students. A study by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) reveals that approximately 75% of college students have engaged in gambling within the past year, whether legally or illegally. More concerning is that nearly 6% of these students exhibit signs of a gambling problem, a rate almost double that of the general U.S. adult population.

As the Addiction Center notes, the proliferation of online sports betting platforms, such as DraftKings and FanDuel, has made gambling more accessible than ever. This ease of access, combined with targeted advertising on social media platforms like TikTok — which boasts a substantial user base under the age of 30 — exposes students to frequent gambling promotions. The 2023 NCAA survey found that 56.3% of individuals aged 18 to 24 had recently encountered gambling advertisements.

Colleges themselves have not been immune to the allure of partnerships with gambling companies. For instance, Michigan State University secured an $8.4 million deal over five years with Caesars Sportsbook. Louisiana State University entered into a similar agreement. Notre Dame has not made such a partnership thus far. Such collaborations raise ethical questions, especially when promotional materials inadvertently reach underage students, encouraging them to “place your first bet (and earn your first bonus).”

At Notre Dame, where genuine intelligence and unmatched arrogance do a beautiful dance in many parts of student life, bettors are convinced that they can hack the system. In sports betting, this usually takes the form of some expertly crafted parlays. A parlay involves stacking multiple bets to increase payout. Sports betting companies love to post about the winners on social media accounts, driving players to make their own ridiculous wagers. In most sports, gambling apps typically profit less than 10% of the amount wagered on an average bet. However, when it comes to parlays, their profit margin is closer to 20%.

The convergence of legal gambling opportunities, aggressive marketing strategies and institutional partnerships creates an environment ripe for gambling addiction among college students.

Athlete Gambling

Notre Dame’s athletes face strict NCAA regulations prohibiting sports gambling. Recent events underscore the consequences of violating these rules. In 2024, the Notre Dame men’s swimming team was suspended for a year after members were found to have engaged in gambling activities, as reported by ESPN. These student athletes were found to have been betting on their own matches with other members of the team, adding monetary fuel to a sport full of individual competitive fire.

This incident has made a lasting mark on Notre Dame Swimming, as Olympic gold medalist Chris Guiliano entered the transfer portal this semester and is headed to the University of Texas.

This incident is a stark reminder of the NCAA’s uncompromising stance on sports wagering. To emphasize the rules, athletes now receive compliance emails regularly. These emails remind student athletes and those who work with them that “Sports Wagering is STRICTLY PROHIBITED!” The recipients are also reminded that “SA’s (student athletes) who violate NCAA sports wagering rules will be ineligible for competition,” left to meet the same fate as their aquatic peers.

Notre Dame isn’t the only school to face these problems. Last year, Iowa State University’s starting quarterback was caught on video placing a $500 bet on his own team while drinking at a bar. Former Louisiana State University wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was arrested for wagers placed on himself while playing for the Tigers, but the charges were later dropped.

Gambling has crept up on sports fans at Notre Dame, reflecting broader trends across colleges nationwide. From casual bets among students to high-stakes NCAA violations, the cultural and financial implications of gambling are deeply entrenched in the student experience. The allure of quick money, combined with the proliferation of online platforms and aggressive advertising, creates an environment where the risks of gambling addiction and regulatory violations are ever-present.

Notre Dame students, like their peers at other universities, navigate a complex landscape of opportunities and consequences. While many engage in gambling for entertainment or camaraderie, the shadowy underworld of student bookies and the rise of legal sports betting raise ethical and legal concerns that cannot be ignored. For athletes, the stakes are even higher, as demonstrated by the recent suspension of the men’s swimming team and the departure of prominent athletes like Guiliano.

Ultimately, the challenges posed by sports gambling may require thoughtful responses from universities, policymakers and students themselves. Notre Dame, with its emphasis on integrity and holistic development, has an opportunity to lead the way in fostering campus culture that balances personal freedom with ethical responsibility.