He asked not to be identified by his full name because he has pending criminal charges stemming from his gambling addiction. It’s a trend that Nick wishes had existed when his gambling habit took root in high school and led him on a path to financial ruin. to offer problem gambling education courses in public schools to teach teenagers how easily and quickly things can go wrong with betting.
Wagering is now easier than ever for adults – and children – and there’s a growing movement in the U.S. He hit rock bottom last year when he stole $35,000 from his workplace and gambled it away on international tennis and soccer matches – sports he admittedly knew nothing about. “Little did I know how far it would continue to go.”īefore long, he was gambling staggering sums of money on sports, costing him over $700,000 in the past decade. “It gave a different dynamic to the day, a certain level of excitement,” Nick said. He and his gym classmates not far from the Jersey Shore would compete to see who could make the most baskets, at $5 or $10 a pop.
(AP) - As a high school senior, Nick was blessed with a deadly accurate jump shot from the three-point range - something he was quick to monetize.
