When Ethan lost $11,000 on a single hockey game this past March, it was the last straw.
Ethan, who declined to share his last name out of fear of losing his job, bet “the spread’” on a Hurricanes-Flames hockey game. That means a team doesn’t just need to win – they must win by more than a certain number of points. The Hurricanes did come out on top – but by only one point, not the two-plus Ethan needed.
Ethan, 27, broke down and cried in front of his girlfriend. He couldn’t do it anymore.
What started as a casual hobby in college with his fraternity brothers had somehow escalated into a severe, years-long gambling addiction. And Ethan wanted out.
Although his story is extreme, Ethan is an example of an increasingly concerning trend.
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