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NCAA athletes are gambling on sports
more than ever
Oftentimes, naive administrators assume athletes don't bet on
competitive events but the study, which concluded in 2004, shows that 35
percent of male athletes and 10 percent of female athletes had bet on
college sports at some point within the previous year. And the NCAA is
not going to let gambling ruin college athletics, Rachel Newman-Baker
said.
"We're expanding our educational efforts to ensure that all of our
student-athletes are aware of the severity of sports wagering," said
Newman-Baker, the NCAA's director of gambling activities.
Because of the results of the study, the NCAA is going to begin
monitoring betting lines, checking betting books in Las Vegas and
conducting background checks on officials of hockey and baseball games.
The NCAA's new plan is a large project to carry out, but Newman-Baker
thinks that it can be done efficiently.
"We want to know more about what is happening in Las Vegas," she said. "
And we're confident that a working relationship will be built."
Every year, for every team, Purdue gives a presentation to all athletes
about what can get them in trouble, and gambling on sporting events is
always a large portion of the presentation, according to Tom Reiter,
intercollegiate athletics compliance director.
"We stress to all athletes about how much effort they have put into
their career and how gambling can ruin it in an instant," Reiter said.
"It is a serious issue and we make sure every team knows this."
Despite the survey's findings, Reiter said, since he has been at Purdue,
the athletic department has had no problems with players wagering on any
type of event. But Purdue's compliance office echoes the no-gambling
message every year anyway because, according to Reiter, athletes can't
hear it enough.
"There are bookies that live in the dorms and people all over campus
that will take advantage of our athletes and it can get dangerous for
them," Reiter said. "But if we can warn all of them about bad
situations, then they will be prepared for the time it happens."
The NCAA clarifies that an athlete can bet money on any sport that is
not offered by the organization, such as horse racing, boxing or dog
racing. However, if gambling occurs with a sport offered by the NCAA,
the University is asked to report that incident to the NCAA and the
athlete loses eligibility immediately.
"There are no second chances when it comes to gambling and the NCAA,"
Reiter said. "And in this instance that is the best option for Purdue
and the NCAA."
NCAA president Myles Brand has made a significant effort, since becoming
president, to maintain the amateurism of college competition and this is
another instance proving this point, Reiter said.
"Without the purity that Myles Brand is seeking, the NCAA would not be
what it is today," he said.
From an NCAA March Madness office pool to a call to a bookie in Las
Vegas, the NCAA is making sure that schools like Purdue stay gambling
free.
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