State lawmakers say sports betting could generate about $60 million in tax revenue and $70 million in licensing fees.
Massachusetts' timing for launching sports is ideal, said Taylor Foehl, a 31-year-old graduate student in Boston.
"It's definitely a good time for it with college basketball reaching their playoffs," he said."I'm a big sports fan, particularly of Boston sports. I'll watch just about every minute of every game when I can." Just after the 10 a.m. start of online wagering on Friday, Foehl placed a $5 bet on Purdue to defeat Rutgers in their Big Ten men's college basketball matchup. Foehl said he hadn't gambled in the past, but that he placed the wager using the FanDuel app"to have a little action on the game" they were watching.
Richard Bradshaw, a retiree from Worcester, said he was also looking forward to placing online bets. He said being able to bet directly on college teams could make March Madness office pools"a thing of the past," but could draw him to teams and sports he might otherwise ignore. "To watch a game, a meaningless game, now it's got some meaning if you've got $20 on it," Bradshaw said."Even golf. I'm watching golf if I'm betting on it."Marlene Warner, CEO of the nonprofit Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, said her organization is expecting an uptick in addiction from young men. That particular demographic is also one of the hardest groups to reach with help for problem gambling, she added.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Save $70 on the Meta Quest 2 VR headset and get two free gamesAfter the Meta Quest price hike last year, this is the cheapest we've seen the 256GB version, and it comes with two free games to boot.
Read more »
Indiana students lose out on $70M annually in college grants. This bill could helpSenate Bill 167 would mandate students and their parents to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by April 15 of their senior year.
Read more »
California governor won't deliver State of the State speechHe will instead travel the state on a four-day tour to highlight his major policy priorities. Gov. GavinNewsom will send a letter to the legislature in place of the speech.
Read more »
Abbott Praises Economy at Dallas Regional Chamber Luncheon's ‘State of the State' SpeechTexas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke to Dallas business leaders Wednesday, calling for tax cuts and less red tape to help businesses thrive. NBC 5’s Ken Kalthoff heard from Democrats and a Black Chamber of Commerce leader concerned about the governor’s plans.
Read more »
Game preview: No. 1 seed San Diego State vs. No. 5 seed San Jose StateThe 20th-ranked Aztecs face the upstart Spartans after beating them easily at Viejas Arena on Jan. 28 but not playing them in San Jose
Read more »