NGPF Podcast
Next Gen Personal Finance
Podcast
Episodes
Listen, download, subscribe
Jonathan Cohen, Author of Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling
In this NGPF Podcast episode, Yanely interviews Jonathan Cohen about sports gambling in America. Jonathan unpacks how legalized sports betting exploded after the 2018 Supreme Court decision, and what that rapid expansion is doing to Americans' financial lives, mental health, and culture. He shares his research about why young men are disproportionately drawn in, how betting companies market to vulnerable audiences, and why gambling is uniquely recognized as a behavioral addiction. He also breaks down the jaw-dropping scale of legal sports wagering, explains where the money goes (and why states are so motivated to legalize it), and explores emerging threats like prediction markets and "gamified" investing apps that make betting even more accessible. The episode closes with practical, classroom-ready takeaways for educators, focused on harm reduction, teaching expected value, and adding "friction" to interrupt the cycle that keeps the house winning!
NGPF Podcast RSS Feed
