How gambling became the game
Summary
Journalist Danny Funt investigates the rise of American sports gambling, tracing its evolution from illegal black markets to a multi-billion dollar industry. The episode details how daily fantasy sports companies like FanDuel and DraftKings paved the way for legalization, while the American Gaming Association lobbied leagues by proving bettors watch more games. It culminates in the Supreme Court's 2018 decision to strike down PASPA, which unleashed a betting boom that now involves athletes, leagues, and obsessed fans.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Perk
Introduction to The Big Bet and Jontae Porter
The Jontae Porter match-fixing scandal
The rise of legal sports gambling
Nick Bonadio and the founding of NumberFire
The origins of fantasy sports
Nigel Eccles and the birth of FanDuel
Daily Fantasy Sports and the skill vs. chance debate
Leagues embrace fantasy sports partnerships
Adam Silver's call to legalize sports betting
Sponsor: Perk
The Black Sox scandal and the ban on gambling
The argument for legalization and the black market
Stephen Master's study on betting and viewership
Lobbying the leagues with revenue projections
The legal battle: New Jersey vs. PASPA
The decline of Daily Fantasy Sports
Supreme Court strikes down PASPA
FanDuel's pivot to sports betting
The new era of sports betting and athlete involvement
Credits and episode outro
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