Two studies recently conducted by the University of Michigan’s athletic department have found that gambling is prevalent in college sports, both with athletes and officials, and that more than two-thirds of student athletes have gambled in some way since entering college.
The University of Michigan conducted a survey of college football and men’s and women’s college basketball in late 1998 and a survey of officials of those sports in late 1999. The study of student athletes produced 758 responses out of 3,000 surveys mailed out (25.3 percent), and the survey of officials yielded 640 responses out of 1,462 surveys (43.8 percent).
The studies included the following findings:
* Almost 72 percent of student athletes have gambled in some way since entering college.
* About 35 percent of student athletes have gambled on sports since entering college.
The study also found that male student athletes are more likely than female student athletes to gamble. Most statistics were between 5 percent and 10 percent higher for male athletes than the average for all student athletes, the study showed.
And more surprisingly, the study found that more than 5 percent of male student athletes admitted that they have provided inside information for gambling purposes, bet on a game in which they have participated or accepted money for performing poorly in a game.
Student athletes who gambled on sports with bookmakers were wagering an average of $225 per month.
Sports officials are also involved with gambling, and the study of NCAA officials found:
* Fourteen officials said they bet on sports with a bookie.
* Twelve officials indicated they were aware of other officials who did not call games fairly because of gambling reasons.
* Thirteen officials said they were problem gamblers, and another four said they were pathological gamblers.
Gary Gray, the director of compliance for the University of Oregon’s athletics office, said the study includes some numbers that are of concern but that some of the statistics, especially the statistic that 72 percent of athletes have gambled since entering college, may be misleading.
Of those athletes indicating they had gambled, 28.8 percent said the wager did not involve money, and 32.5 percent indicated they had wagered $10 or less. More than 80 percent of the those polled indicated they wagered $50 or less.
“The figure [72 percent] seems very high, but what does it include?” Gray said. “Everything from playing ‘horse’ in the backyard on up is gambling, and if I get a survey asking me to mention all gambling, and I put that down, then the answer is yes, I’ve gambled. Most of what we’re talking about is not things like betting with a bookie.”
Of more concern to Gray and Bill Clever, assistant director of compliance, was the statistic stating that more than 5 percent of male student athletes provided information for gambling purposes, bet on a game in which they participated or accepted money for performing poorly in a game.
“Five percent; that’s kind of scary,” Clever said.
Gray said he does not feel that the University is any more likely to have athletes who gamble than any other school and that Eugene’s relatively small size may provide a safer environment for athletes than most colleges.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association recently began conducting background checks on all officials working at the men’s basketball championship tournament, looking specifically for any previous instances of gambling.
Greg Graham, an assistant coach for the Ducks basketball team, said he supports the NCAA’s decision to conduct the background checks.
“I think it’s good,” Graham said. “If you’re an official, you’re under the same restrictions as the coaches or players, and you should have nothing to hide. [The background checks] help to keep the integrity of the officials intact.”
Ann Vollano and Mike Cross of the University of Michigan’s athletic department conducted the two surveys. The survey of student athletes is the only comprehensive quantitative research done on student-athlete gambling in at least 10 years.