From the moment the Lions played the Bears in the first-ever Thanksgiving Day NFL game in 1934, football has held an equal seat at the table on the last Thursday of every November as turkey and pumpkin pie. It has been a fine enough tradition for more than eight decades, bringing loved ones together in good natured fandom. Things changed in 2018 with the removal of federal ban on sports betting. For many households, the innocuous appetite for Thanksgiving football has been replaced by a potentially harmful obsession with betting on the lineup. Less than two weeks ago, the New York Gaming Commission (NYGC) reported a record-breaking handle (total amount wagered by bettors) of more than a half-billion dollars for the week of Thanksgiving. Others on the map of U.S. states with legal sports betting reported similar trends.
And now it seems that a number of American households might lose Christmas to gambling behavior too.
Sure, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has been a Christmas Day fixture since the league’s second season in 1947. However, sports betting handle on NBA Christmas Day has been negligible when compared to the rest of the professional and collegiate sports calendar. Things would be much different if the National Football League (NFL) – the most gambled league upon in the USA – had competed for viewership with Miracle on 34th Street. But the NFL has kept its gloves off of Christmas for the most part. In the 104 years that the league has existed they have only held 28 games on December 25th. This was generally done to stay on their regular weekly schedule. In fact, the NFL has made efforts over the century to actively avoid Christmas when scheduling its games. However, a trend has emerged to indicate a fundamental shift in the way the league views the Yuletide. After holding Christmas Day games for three consecutive years prior, the NFL allowed three games to be played on Christmas Day of 2023 – two more than usual for a Monday. After seeing viewership numbers skyrocket on Christmas Day of 2023, the NFL is satiating demand and has scheduled two high-profile matchups for Christmas Day of 2024.
Logically, regulated and unregulated gambling operators will rise to the occasion to offer every imaginable moneyline, point spread, proposition, and in-game betting opportunity. And let’s not forget cross-sport parlays for the double-fisted NBA and NFL schedule. Given the numbers from this most recent Thanksgiving and heavy marketing for “NFL Christmas Day”, there is little doubt that this Christmas is set to become sports betting record breaker as well.
Gambling on Christmas? What Vulnerable Individuals Need to Know
Gambling on Christmas is already problematic when one considers that time and attention (for those who celebrate) is intended to be focused on loved ones. Millions of newly anointed Christmas Day gamblers will now be logging on to their sports betting and DFS apps to load accounts, complete betting tickets, and monitor live betting updates in real time instead of spending quality time with those they care about. And what will Christmas festivities feel like for the vast majority who lose their wagers? Individuals who are more vulnerable to problematic gambling behavior will experience these issues to an even greater degree, driving a deeper wedge between themselves and loved ones. Further complications arise for those who struggle with issues such as anxiety, anger, stress, depression, and suicidality (which cooccur with problem gambling) when considering that the Holiday season is infamously associated with elevated symptoms of each.
Anyone thinking about gambling on Christmas Day should first pause and take stock of what’s most important to them at this special time of the year. This is of particular importance for anyone who has exhibited signs of problem gambling in the past. If despite this personal inventory you find that you are unable to resist the urge to gamble on Christmas Day, be sure to call a Kindbridge care coordinator right away. We are ready and on standby with our Holiday Helpline for those who struggle with problem gambling and cooccurring mental health issues.
Other Resources to Manage Gambling Behavior this Christmas:
- Dangers of Gambling During the Holiday Season
- How to Overcome Problem Gambling During the Holidays
- Christmas Day Sports Betting Alternatives
Get Help for Problem Gambling this Christmas
