This belief reflects an illusion of control-when a person believes that they can control and predict complex or random outcomes. Online sports bettors and advertising commonly endorse the false belief that skills, knowledge or analysis play a more significant role in winning wagers than chance or luck. Risky beliefs also raise the likelihood of gambling harms for players and their close relations. This is also a significant factor in sports betting: youth (8-17 years) and young adults (18-34 years), particularly males, are at high risk for problems with sports betting. Live-action sports betting, in particular, is a significant independent predictor of at-risk gambling.₄ Young adults and men are more likely to experience problem gambling harms than women in general. Numerous factors may provoke harmful gambling. The rate of problem gambling among sports bettors is higher than that of the general gambling population.
