Out of Luck

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question to guide discussion: Why do you think gambling can be addictive?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article. Encourage them to use context to infer meanings as they read. 

• proliferate (p. 6)
• exemption (p. 7)
• sovereignty (p. 8)
• disillusioned (p. 9)
• integrity (p. 9)
• infinite (p. 9)

3. Engage
Ask students to share what they know about sports betting. Have them preview the photographs in the article and discuss their familiarity with the brands shown.    

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions.

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: Out of Luck, a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the following page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.

• What are the central ideas of the article? What is the author’s main purpose? (Central Ideas, author’s purpose) (The article discusses how and why the legalization of online sports betting came to be and explores why its legalization may have led to an increase in gambling addiction among teens. The author’s main purpose is to inform the reader, but some students may also point out that the use of personal stories suggests that the author might want to raise awareness of an issue and have readers think about how it could potentially affect them in the future as well.) 

• Which central ideas are supported through the personal stories of Rob Minnick and John? (Central ideas, integrate information) (The stories of Rob Minnick and John support that idea that the accessibility of online sports betting has made it easy for underage gamblers to bet illegally, which has allowed sports betting to become more popular in high school. Minnick’s story also illustrates how sports betting can become especially addictive for teens and can negatively affect their lives.) 

• What arguments have supporters made to persuade states to legalize sports betting? What argument did the N.C.A.A. and pro sports leagues make against it? (Cite text evidence, compare & contrast) (Supporters argued that tax revenue from gambling would help states, and that, since Americans were betting illegally using bookmakers anyway, it would be better to legalize and regulate the industry. The N.C.A.A. and pro leagues argued that sports wagering could entice players and coaches to change games’ outcomes to win bets.)

• According to “ ‘There’s a Whole Culture,’ ” why are young people especially at risk of a gambling addiction? (Young people are especially at risk because the last part of the brain to develop is the prefrontal cortex, which governs risk and decision making. According to Keith Whyte, “it can easily be hijacked by the excitement [and] potential for money” that comes along with sports betting.) 

• In the section “Sports Betting Scandals,” the author notes that opponents of sports betting argued it would “hurt the integrity of professional sports.” What examples does the author include to explain why? (The author describes the 1919 scandal in which players from the White Sox agreed to lose the World Series in exchange for payments from a gambling ring, and the 1989 scandal in which Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose was caught wagering on games played by his team.) 

• Citing details from the last few paragraphs of the article, explain what Minnick and John think will help prevent gambling addiction in teens. Do you agree? Explain. (Minnick and John imply that if teens understand the honest truth about sports betting—that the house always wins and that bettors are giving their money to wealthy people—and not just what commercials tell them, they wouldn’t start betting on sports. Students’ opinions on this will vary but should be supported with reason.)

6. Writing Prompt
Using details from the article and additional research, create a pamphlet to educate the public about gambling addiction and to recommend how someone could get help in your area.

7. Video
Watch the video about sports betting. What does it add to your understanding?

8. Classroom Debate
Should the states that made sports betting legal reverse their decisions?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and the Analyze the Graphs skill sheet to practice data analysis.