David Hill, a freelance journalist and author of "The Vapors," dives deep into the world of online gambling. He discusses his roots in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and the troubling tactics of big companies like Draftkings and FanDuel to profit off gamblers. The conversation highlights the industry's current state, perceived as a bubble, and addresses the hefty taxes and competition that hinder profitability. Hill also critiques the intrusive advertising saturating sports, raising ethical concerns about gambling's impact on society.
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Courtsider at Baseball Game
David Hill describes watching a "courtsider" bet live at a baseball game.
This gambler exploits delays in official reporting to gain an edge.
insights INSIGHT
Big Winners Exist
Less than 1% of sports bettors earn over $100,000 yearly.
Some gamblers have earned over a billion dollars through sports betting.
insights INSIGHT
Sportsbook Manipulation
Online sportsbooks limit winning players to avoid losses.
They encourage losing players to bet more, leading to most profits coming from a small percentage of players.
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In 'Fast Food Nation', Eric Schlosser delves into the history and operations of the fast food industry, revealing its significant impact on American culture, health, and labor practices. The book explores the origins of fast food in California in the 1950s, the rise of chains like McDonald's, and the industry's manipulative marketing tactics, particularly aimed at children. Schlosser also discusses the exploitative labor practices, the destruction of independent family farms, lax food safety standards, and the contribution to a national epidemic of obesity. The book is based on extensive research and interviews with people involved in various aspects of the fast food industry, including workers, farmers, and health experts.
This week we have on David Hill, the author of a great Rolling Stone article on the online sports betting industry. Dave is the best writer on this topic in America and we talked about his childhood in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the history behind some of these big companies like Draftkings and FanDuel and how they try to exploit players to turn a profit. We also talk about how those profits have not really materialized for these companies and how the whole industry feels like a giant bubble right now. If you want to know everything worth knowing about all these ads you’re seeing and all these bros talking about their parlays, enjoy!
Also, wanted to say that we will be having an episode on the failed coup in Korea next week. Given the fluidity of the situation, did not want to jump the gun on something that would be out of date by the time we hit publish.
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