How Sports Betting Can Be An Addiction

Behind every betting app, ad and winning parlay are real people and sometimes, a cost no one else can see.

In Part 2 of our series on sports gambling, Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy move from the business of betting to the personal toll, welcoming Saul Malek to share how a love of sports and fantasy baseball spiraled into a gambling addiction that consumed his college years.

Saul opens up about chasing bets, hiding debt, the strain on his family and the support that helped him find recovery. Drawing on her own sobriety, Abby joins him for an honest conversation about shame, secrecy and why getting help is rarely a straight line.

Together, they explore the warning signs parents can miss, the pull of betting culture for young people, and why prevention needs to start long before someone hits a crisis. It’s a conversation about what gambling can take and what it means to build a life beyond it.

Missed Part 1? Start with our conversation with sports historian Dr. Victoria Jackson about how we got here and what’s at stake for women’s sports.

Content warning: This episode includes discussion of gambling addiction and suicidal thoughts.

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Keep the Party Going:

If gambling is becoming a problem for you or someone you love, there are places to start.

• National Problem Gambling HelplineCall or text 1-800-MY-RESET

ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/about-the-natio…

• Gamblers Anonymous Find in-person, virtual and telephone meetings.gamblersanonymous.org/find-a-meeting/?utm_sour…

• Gam-Anon Support for family members and loved ones affected by someone else’s gambling.gam-anon.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

• Follow Saul Malek’s work on gambling harm, prevention and recovery.

saulmalek.com instagram.com/saulmalekspeaking linkedin.com/in/saulmalek

• If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. 988lifeline.org

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