The U.S. Supreme Court recently decided that states can decide for themselves whether or not to make sports betting legal. This means that many states will likely legalize gambling on athletic events soon. Some experts suggest that betting will help engage sports fans in games. Gambling will also make sports leagues much more money. However, others are worried that sports betting could lead to corruption, especially for amateur or student athletes. Listen to learn more about the Supreme Court’s ruling on this issue and what legalizing sports betting may mean for American athletics.
Story Length: 4:01
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March 15, 2018
3:33
Money, secret deals, and big names in college basketball are involved in an ongoing federal investigation. Coaches, sneaker executives, and others are being investigated for bribery and fraud at the start of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, or March Madness. Ten men were arrested on a variety of charges including taking bribes and using money to place players in certain colleges. This illegal activity has been going on for decades and there are questions about whether these investigations will change the culture of men’s college basketball. Listen to learn more about these corruption charges.
Read MoreNovember 20, 2015
3:20
Millions of people play fantasy sports, drafting teams and winning and losing real money. Regulators in Nevada decided they think fantasy sports companies are actually gambling operations. Fantasy league websites like DraftKings and FanDuel can no longer operate in Nevada without gaming licenses. New York is taking a look at allegations of insider trading and Washington lawmakers are now paying attention. This may lead to a Congressional hearing and regulations for these companies. Listen to this story and have your students debate whether fantasy teams are gambling companies. Do they think fantasy sports should be regulated?
Read MoreMay 14, 2015
3:51
An NFL investigation has confirmed that staffers for the New England Patriots purposefully deflated footballs used in the football game that qualified the Patriots for this year’s Super Bowl. The report also suggests that star quarterback Tom Brady knew. This scandal, known as Deflate-Gate, has led to a stiff penalty against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The penalty has the sports world talking about how it will affect the Patriots next season and whether the rule about ball inflation should be changed. Listen to learn more about this scandal and come to your own opinion.
Read MoreMarch 23, 2015
4:18
With college basketball’s March Madness Tournament heating up, all eyes are on college sports and the money they generate. From ticket sales, to merchandise, and TV rights, college sports bring more than just pride to their schools; they also generate huge amounts of money. College athletes are awarded scholarships to cover tuition, but they don’t get paid anything else. Is this fair? Athletes are speaking out and telling their stories of financial need. Listen to hear about one former college athlete who is challenging this system in court.
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