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The Game Within the Game: Sports Betting’s Popularity Explosion

By: Landon Swanson, Sports Reporter

It’s a Sunday morning, NFL is about to start, and the first thing done after waking up is checking the sportsbook. This is the story of people every day, checking money lines, over/under, or player props for a variety of different sports.

Sports betting has taken over the sports industry; it is so big that now you can’t even tune into a game of any level without seeing a commercial or sponsorship for a sportsbook. Before the game or during the game, at home or on the road, people are always checking odds. The legalization of sports betting has taken it to heights that many thought it would never achieve.

Moving from the outskirts of American culture to the forefront, sports betting has taken over the United States. After the federal ban on sports betting was lifted in 2018 these apps have exploded in popularity and usage. From needing to go to a physical location to being able to open your phone the ability to sports bet has become significantly easier as well. From professional partnerships to collegiate involvement, it is impossible to turn the tv on today without seeing any form of sports betting, as we see sports betting visualization and normalization, many are having a hard time differentiating games from gambling.

Sports betting has become legal in 39 states, along with Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. However, this does not stop the other 11 states from having loopholes around the regulations in the form of fantasy apps. These apps essentially allow players, not in a legal state to sports bet, to bet on players higher or lower, which is the same principle these sportsbooks use for their player props. Also, these apps allow people of 18+ to join their sites while the legal age for sports betting is 21.

“I’ve been sports betting for almost six years at this point and I am only 22, I place upwards of 10 bets a day and there is not a day I go where I do not place a bet anymore,” Aidan Weick said, college student and avid sports bettor.

With the accessibility increasing it has become more popular to place numerous bets before and during the game. The introduction of these apps has allowed anyone with them to sit on their couch and place any number of bets that satisfy them. “It’s like my cup of coffee in the morning I wake up and I gamble it’s that easy,” Weick said.

“The money that has been put into sports betting in the last few years is something that I am not sure if me or anyone I know would have expected,” Christian Jordan said, sports economist, “the ability to sit in your living room and place however many bets you would like has created such an influx of money in this industry it truly is hard to believe.”

In 2018, sports betting generated a gross revenue of roughly $500 million, while in 2024 revenue generated around $13.5 billion, according to ESPN. This money is just the amount the sports books made and not the total amount bet, player winnings, or tax payments as well. “The world revolves around money, sports revolve around money, sports books revolve around money, they do not care about you,” Jordan said.

Numerous controversies have risen within the last few years over athletes themselves sports betting. Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier are two former NBA players who have both been arrested for being involved in a sports betting scandal. Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, both Guardians pitchers, who were suspended from the MLB this year while they were being investigated for allegedly intentionally throwing balls on certain pitches while giving this information to others for their own financial gain.

The world of sports betting scandals may seem like only an issue in the professional world, but in fact it is just as common in collegiate sports. For example, at Virginia Tech there have been two instances of issues regarding this including Alan Tisdale of the Virginia Tech football team and Hysier Miller, a transfer from Temple committed to Virginia Tech men’s basketball. These instances have two very different scenarios; Miller was dismissed from the basketball team before even joining them in Blacksburg. Miller was being investigated for his time at Temple for allegedly losing games on purpose allowing the opposing team to cover the spread which led to a probe into the Temple basketball team, including Miller, by the FBI. Tisdale on the other hand was suspended from the team for placing bets on the NBA Finals.

As Tisdale was gearing up for the 2022 season when he was suspended from the team for six games for placing $400 worth of bets on the 2022 NBA Finals, winning a total of $41. Tisdale, a redshirt-senior at the time was an NFL draft prospect coming into the season and this situation derailed his future in football. Now, collegiate athletes are legally allowed to place wagers on professional sports, so what does this mean for the future?

“Yea, I saw that they are allowing college players to bet on pro, but I still do not see myself doing that, I think it’s still a bit of a gray area for sure,” Kemari Copeland, Virginia Tech defensive lineman, said.

However, Miller’s Temple team was just the first domino to fall as several college basketball teams were subject to an investigation from the FBI regarding their players throwing games for profit. In September 2025, 13 players from 6 different teams were investigated regarding wagers placed on games they were playing in. In Miller’s case at Temple their team was investigated for a game against UAB in which the spread shifted from -2 to -8 in favor of UAB, moments before the game started. This scenario is almost unheard of, which is why this specific game was flagged for review as the game eventually ended 100-72 with UAB winning. Miller was found to have placed several bets on his own Temple games inevitably which they all lost, this left Miller without a place in college basketball.

“The world revolves around money, sports revolve around money, sports books revolve around money, they do not care about you”

As sports betting continues to expand, its presence in everyday sports culture shows little sign of fading. Betting companies are investing heavily in technology that allows for faster wagers, more personalized odds, and deeper integration with live broadcasts. For younger fans who have grown up with smartphones in hand, placing a bet can feel as intuitive as checking a score.

Finding a balance of allowing sports betting to exist while prohibiting it from overwhelming the game itself is the challenge that is now being faced. Some platforms have begun implementing a system that allows you to place a limit of what you can bet on and how much you can bet, but the main issue with this is that it is self-oriented.

Sports have always been changing, but now with the popularity sport betting has gained the fandom of sports has changed. Going from rooting for a team in a sport to rooting for people you have placed wagers on. Now every possession, shot, or whatever during a game gives people something to cheer for. People wake up place bets and are eager to watch the wagers they placed and look forward to a full day of sports every day.

“It’s like my cup of coffee in the morning I wake up and I gamble it’s that easy.”

Sports betting has woven itself so tightly into modern sports that it can be easy to forget how new this moment is. Odds scroll across television screens, betting apps send constant notifications, and conversations about point spreads and parlays have become as common as debates about players and teams. What was once a separate activity now exists inside the game itself. We now see it everywhere when we open our ESPN app to check the score, watching Pat McAfee during the week with betting so driven into the show there is an entire segment dedicated to it.

For many people this is a part of their life now, from sunrise to sunset the ability to place a wager is endless. For fans like Aidan Weick, it has become a piece of their daily routine. Whether physical or virtual sports books are everywhere you go and they have taken over the sports world. Try watching a football game today without seeing anything regarding one of these sites, you can’t, it’s impossible. That’s just how it is today sports betting and sports are entwined into one, so now we must determine what’s next.

NIL: What does it do?

By: Landon Swanson, Sports Reporter

NIL has forever changed the landscape of college athletics. Many new rules each year are causing teams to continuously adapt to the new game. Being in the know of the rules is important for these schools, but what is NIL, what does it do?

Center-Lane Mayhem

By Landon Swanson, Sports reporter

Students try to enter Lane Stadium as Center St festivities end and cause mayhem. Getting into the stadium is the hardest part of student’s gamedays. The ability for a student to enter the game is incredibly hindered and they need help.

Local Team turnaround draws notice

By: Landon Swanson, Sports Reporter

BLACKSBURG, Va. – A little over three years ago, Blacksburg thought they needed a change. Zack Leonard was hired as the Blacksburg High School football coach to help a struggling program. Now in his fourth season, he is trying to revitalize a team that had been struggling for so long.

After taking over in 2022, the vision was clear build a stable foundation and start from the ground up. The goal was to play with readiness and confidence before they ever took the field. Being prepared before the game helps you execute during the game.

Foundation Building

Football season has begun, and Blacksburg High School has started to find its stride lately under fourth year coach Zack Leonard. Leonard has brought persistence and steady leadership leading the team to victories in a big way.

When Leonard arrived in 2022, the Bruins were struggling as a program in more ways than on the field. With multiple losing seasons in a row before he arrived, things were looking up after his first free seasons in charge.

This fall’s hard work has been paying off as the Bruins started 2-1. The team has shown much resilience and confidence that is key in winning games. The team has gotten steadily better each year under Leonard.

“It’s been a process,” Leonard said. “We had to take every game one at a time, it was tough at the beginning.” Blacksburg struggled to win games for years prior to Leonard to being introduced to the team.

Stepping Stones

The team’s progress this season came into test earlier this season in an away game at Giles which resulted in a win for the Bruins, 40-8. The team came out with tremendous energy easily beating the first opponent of their season, which seemed to transition to week two as well. Week two led to a home game against James River which the Bruins came out on top once again.

Blacksburg High School Football in action. Blacksburg, Va. Sept. 19. 2025. (Landon Swanson, TheNewsFeedNRV)

“When you walk into the locker room there is a major energy difference from where we started to where we are now,” Assistant coach Mike Reynolds said. The belief in the team this year should be the highest it has been in a while.

Not many knew what could be done to bring life back into the program. A coaching change after the previous coach retired required a new system and new methodology for such a struggling team. The team relies more on each other than they do themselves and that is what has become key.

Finding an Identity

The Bruins aren’t leaning on major college prospects every week it takes a team effort. Even the offense and defense work together where the offense might attempt to take a long drive to give the defense a break. This led to Leonard and Blacksburg wanting to play a tough style of football.

“Wanting to play as tough as possible while getting the most out of my players is one of my top priorities this season,” Leonard said.

Playing as a team is the most important thing for many but especially for this Blacksburg team. Each player does well individually they seem to all put together as team when it matters most. Nothing is more important than good communication in football because without it nothing functions properly.

More Than Football

Off the field there are just as many important aspects of football where building strong team chemistry is essential to having a good team. Hanging out as a team and bonding through school or other activities has led Blacksburg to a stronger team chemistry.

Academics is also a major focus for Leonard and the team. “The student part of student-athletes will always come first no matter the circumstance,” he said.

Marcus Green, player, once thought of football as just as a fall activity, something he could do to fill the time but now he sees it as a commitment to his teammates and everyone else to participate. Green also believes this commitment he has brought to this team will help him far beyond high school football as well.

Looking Forward

With majority of the season still to go the Bruins football team has a lot to look forward to. The team wants to win as much as anyone else, but the hunger is stronger as much this year as ever before. The ability this team must win games has already been proven at the beginning of the year when they started with two wins.

Blacksburg High School Sign before their football game. Blacksburg, Va. Sept 19, 2025. (Landon Swanson, TheNewsFeedNRV)

“I thought this would just be something to do at first, but this has become something much more,” Green said. Coming together as a team has meant so much to Green and the rest of the team.

The hopes are high for the coaches and players this year at Blacksburg High School. The transition made from several winless seasons to playoff aspirations are real. Now it’s time to just put everything to the test as they continue playing this season.

Pulaski County prepares new project that could lead to major growth for Southwest Virginia

By Landon Swanson, Arts, Culture and Sports reporter

Tim Miller, middle, Director of Pulaski’s Sports Tourism and Entertainment Authority

This story highlights Pulaski County’s goals to build a new sports complex that features the new director of Pulaski’s new Sports Tourism and Entertainment authority created within this past year. The complex is looking to boost the economic and social state of where the county is now.

Sports tourism has become one of the fastest growing industries in the United States recently with families travelling across the country for tournaments and other numerous events. Many communities are now investing in modernized facilities to host teams from everywhere, influencing the community by seeing many new visitors they previously would not have seen. The goal of this complex is to strengthen the image of Pulaski County and bringing new people in their effort to transform the future.

What is your vision for the sports complex, and why is now the time?

My vision is to build a new top-of-the-line sports center that mainly gives Pulaski a new meaning where the people of this place have a sense of pride, giving them new opportunities as well. I want this to be a destination where people across Virginia and even the country come to play. I want Pulaski to be a place where families come to spend weekends with their kids as they play ball.

I felt as if now was the right time because youth sports have been growing significantly over the past few years. Many families are willing to travel longer distances for tournaments or other events, and this creates a major economic opportunity for the hosting community. Pulaski has the land and the opportunity to make this area a hot spot for many different things we have planned.

Why is Pulaski County the right place for this project?

We feel this area is perfect because of the proximity to a major city and close enough to some major college campuses. Pulaski also would give the small-town feel and doesn’t run families dry as some major cities would but still give a very high-end sports facility.

What is an overview of what will be included in the complex?

Yea, so as of right now we are planning to include around eight basketball/volleyball courts, a couple turf soccer fields, pickleball courts, a weight room, a small walking track and another sprinting track, a restaurant, and classrooms as well.

We really wanted to give Pulaski the ability to have a place for Pulaski County Rec Sports and still offer the availability of the main courts for commercial use, such as tournaments or other events like camps and what not.

What kind of impact will this have on Pulaski?

The impact will be both economic and social. On the economic side, we’re anticipating millions of dollars in visitor spending each year. When families come for tournaments, they need places to stay, eat, and shop. That means more business for our hotels, restaurants, and local shops. This also creates jobs for the county during the construction process and further once it opens into the hospitality portion and maintaining and running events.

Building this gives our local people access to a facility that is on par with major markets while staying at home. It also gives families a new source of entertainment closer to home without the need to make a trip anywhere.

What will the accessibility for use look like?

Accessibility is at the core of our planning. While we want to host major tournaments and events, this facility belongs to the people of Pulaski. We are designing a usage plan that ensures our schools, youth leagues, and community groups will always have access.

We mostly wanted this to be for the people who live here while also offering the facility out to teams from across the country to come to western Virginia. We are trying to balance serving local needs and driving tourism.

Are there any plans for additional development around the complex?

That’s the goal. We are still kind of in the early stages of everything to begin with but ideally, we can use this as a reason to grow. By adding to the complex, we would bring more visitors which usually means more infrastructure is needed regardless of what we already have. Once again it comes back to the economic advantages that this entire project would bring, adding additional infrastructure leads to more potential jobs and resources for us to gain from. Although the same issue arises when trying to plan and build this because everything, we have talked about won’t be cheap to do.

What led you to take on this role?

I immediately saw potential in what we could bring here, and throughout my career I have always been about building new organizations and standing things from the ground up. When I joined and had the opportunity to announce this project it really catapulted something even bigger than I first thought was even possible when I stepped into this role. I believe in this community’s potential. Taking on this role is about helping Pulaski step into that potential and build something lasting. It’s an incredible responsibility, but it’s also an honor.

What do you hope this project leaves behind for the administration and the county?

I want people to look back at this project years from now and say how great an idea this was that led to many travelling from far to be here and how it gave the people who live here more entertainment through whatever they find. As for the administration, I hope it proves that smart investments can make a lasting impact on the community and the surrounding area as well. In the end, I hope it gives generations a reason to come to either come and live here or if they already are here a reason to stay.