*the names Guido and Axel are used to protect the identities of the real KHS students
For most jobs or money making gigs, you take the position knowing how much you will make. You work in exchange for every hour or action you complete, you will be paid a fixed amount. However, for the students of KHS involved with gambling, they are putting their money on the line with no promise of return.
Guido entered the world of sports gambling in eighth grade after being introduced to it by his brother. He usually sticks to the free bets on websites to avoid the chance of losing his own money.
“Usually I do parlays, [betting on multiple outcomes at once], because you get the most chance to win big, ” Guido said. “But if there’s a game I really know who’s going to win, I just bet on that. [I don’t lose money] because I just use the free bets.”
Each bettortends to have preferred games they put their money on. Guido said he only wagers on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays for NFL games, while Axel gravitates towards professional baseball games.
“It really depends on the time of year [for what I bet on],” Axel said. “But MLB was probably my favorite because I know more about MLB players and teams, so I can hit those lines better.”
Axel gambles on a website that is funded by a fellow high schooler. He said it is less reliable than an actual gambling website, but with the right bookie, the person who takes all of the bets, it runs smoothly.
“It’s based around trust,” Axel said. “If you go down, you have to Venmo him, [but] if you go up, you get venmoed. But the issue is, some people would go down and would not pay the [bookie]. So that’s where you run into some issues, but you don’t with the right guy.”
Axel found that gambling can build bonds and friendships. He began betting alongside his teammates this past season and he said that it helped them play better and grow closer. They went to someone’s house after games and practices and played poker, baccarat and other card games.
“It’s just a fun environment to be around because [you get to] know your teammates better,” Axel said. “You know people that maybe are betting on the game like you, but you’ll get to know them as well and it kind of helps you build the bonds with your team and helps you play better.”
Both Axel and Guido agree that betting is not a surefire profit. Guido has stated that he will play poker with his friends, but isn’t good at the game so he often loses money. Axel said he does not trust online gambling games which has caused him to go in the red.
“It’s dicey because I don’t trust online gambling,” Axel said. “It’s definitely rigged to the dealer and, especially online [slots].”
Axel said gambling has become a form of entertainment, but also is one of few people to profit from. Ever since he has been introduced to it, he has made hundreds.
“It’s just all fun and games, but it gets pretty heated when you lose,” Axel said. “There’s always ups and downs in gambling. It’s not a very consistent route, but fortunately, I’m one of the people that are up all time, and [I’m lucky] for sure.”
