If gambling has stopped being fun, get help.
Call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537). It's confidential, available 24/7, and offered in over 200 languages.

Know when betting is becoming a problem

Sports betting is supposed to be entertainment. It crosses into a problem when any of these become true:

You're betting money you cannot afford to lose.
You're chasing losses — betting bigger after a loss to try to "get even".
You're hiding your betting activity from your spouse, family, or friends.
You're borrowing money to gamble, or using money intended for rent, food, bills, or savings.
You feel anxious, depressed, or angry when you can't bet.
You've tried to cut back or stop and couldn't.
You're betting more often or in larger amounts than you intended to.
Your work, school, relationships, or health are suffering because of gambling.

If even one of those sounds familiar, please use one of the resources below. There is no shame in asking for help, and treatment for gambling disorder is effective.

National resources

National Problem Gambling Helpline — call or text 1-800-GAMBLER · ncpgambling.org
Gamblers Anonymous — peer-support meetings nationwide · gamblersanonymous.org
Gam-Anon — support for family and friends of problem gamblers · gam-anon.org
SAMHSA — Substance Abuse and Mental Health helpline (includes gambling) · 1-800-662-4357

Self-exclusion and limits

Every legal U.S. sportsbook is required to offer self-exclusion programs and deposit, wager, and time-spent limits. If you bet at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET, or any other licensed sportsbook, look in your account settings for "Responsible Gaming" or contact their customer support to:

Set a daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limit.
Set a wager limit per bet or per session.
Set time limits on how long you can be logged in.
"Cool off" — temporarily lock yourself out for a set period.
Self-exclude permanently from that sportsbook.

Many states also offer statewide self-exclusion lists that bar you from all licensed operators in that state. The National Council on Problem Gambling maintains a list of state programs.

Practical guidelines

Set a bankroll. Decide ahead of time how much you can afford to lose this week / month. When it's gone, stop. Don't reload.
Bet in units, not in dollars you can't replace. A "unit" should be small enough that you can stomach 5–10 losses in a row.
Don't chase. A losing day doesn't mean you're "due". The next bet has the same expected value as the last one.
Take days off. Don't bet every game just because it's on TV.
Track everything. Use an app or spreadsheet. If you don't know whether you're up or down, you're losing more than you think.
Don't drink and bet. Alcohol degrades the same judgment that good betting requires.

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