Arizona analysts are watching sports betting trends closely during the Summer Olympics.
PHOENIX — Crafting a bet considered more of a science than a gamble for some young sports bettors.
“It’s my second job,” Zakkary Sparks, a sports bettor, said. “I do spend a lot of time on it. Analytics, pitcher matchups, stadium, weather, things like that.”
When a bet hits, those bettors say there is no better feeling.
“It makes your night. It makes your week,” Nick Schmidt, a sports bettor, said. “My first bet I hit $1,000. That’s what got me hooked.”
Douglas Martin spent most of his life chasing that rush.
“Gambling is the focus of my life unfortunately,” Martin said.
Martin stepped into recovery two years ago after decades of battling a gambling addiction.
Now, he helps others take that step, too.
“It’s a dream because I suffered for so long, such a long time of constant gambling, that I know what it’s like,” …