Sports betting is for everyone — except college athletes 

By Nathan Watson

Every time you turn on the TV or drive down the highway, you see a lot of sports betting ads. Since the legalization of sports gambling in Kansas and Missouri, many sporting events are accompanied by gambling advertisements.  

Sports gambling is widely promoted to everyone—except college athletes, including Pitt State student-athletes. 

“No sports betting of any kind — no parlays, nothing,” said Kelly Miller, assistant athletic director for compliance at Pittsburg State University. 

Sport bets that violate NCAA rules include daily fantasy, sweepstakes, predictive event contracts, March Madness brackets, Super Bowl squares, sports pools, online sports bets and social betting apps. This includes bets like parlays, prop bets, live in-game bets and single-game bets, according to an NCAA handout educating student-athletes on sports wagering given to Pitt State athletes.  

Sports wagering, then, is off limits for student athletes. But are the rules outdated for the new age of sports, where betting is as common as tuning into the game? 

The NCAA recently considered changing the rules to allow student-athletes and athletic department staff to legally bet on professional sports. Betting on college sports would still have been banned. 

The proposal was on the table until two-thirds of Division I members voted it down.

“It’s actually a very timely question, because in the past six months it’s been kind of a back-and-forth,” Miller said. 

The issue is still up for debate, but for now, the NCAA and Pittsburg State have clear rules. Pitt State hands out flyers and gives talks to athletes before having them sign NCAA compliance forms. Miller wants to make sure Pitt State is in line with NCAA rules. 

“You don’t get to say, ‘I didn’t know,’” Miller said, referring to the possible punishments athletes could face for violating gambling rules. 

These rules not only protect the athletes but also the school from getting into trouble. 

“We don’t want to be the ones they make an example of,” Miller said. 

Her concern may be justified, with Pitt State being a top Division II schools. The university’s athletic programs have produced professional talent across multiple sports and has brought home nine Division II national championships since 2020. 

“Once you start winning the national championships, people probably pay attention to you a little bit more,” Miller said. 

While Division I schools receive more attention from the NCAA regarding compliance, Miller said that if the focus shifts to Division II programs, she wants to ensure Pitt State is following all NCAA regulations. 

Members of Pitt State’s men’s track and field team had differing views, but many said the current rules are too restrictive. 

“Betting on yourself shouldn’t be allowed, but fantasy football should be allowed,” said junior sprinter Caden Williams, who feels the rules may be too broad.

 “We shouldn’t be able to sports bet on other college sports, but professional sports, I think we should be able to,” said transfer student and first-year Pitt State athlete Logan Davis. He argued such a shift would aligns with the distinction between college and professional sports. 

“If you’re in a college sport, you should be able to bet on a sport that you’re not playing,” transfer Kerry Smith said, adding that he mostly supports the NCAA’s stance on gambling. 

According to graduate assistant coach Chandler Barnett, whether student-athletes agree with the rules or not, it’s essential that they follow them.

“Pittsburg State follows the same rules as the NCAA when it comes to gambling, which is that if student-athletes gamble and get caught, they will lose their eligibility,” he said.  

“I do believe at Pittsburg State gambling is a big deal because in the state of Kansas, sports gambling is legal, and if it is accessible to college students, they will feel attracted to do that,” Barnett added.