The Joys of Sports Betting

What happens when sports stop being entertainment and start becoming a financial strategy?
The Joys of Sports Betting is not a how-to guide. It’s a wake-up call.
Written with wit, historical context, and a sharp eye for modern absurdity, this book explains how legalized sports betting quietly rewired American fandom—and how millions of ordinary households are paying the price. From back-alley bookies to billion-dollar apps, David Rountree traces how betting evolved into an always-on system designed to keep players losing just slowly enough to stay hooked.
If someone you love can’t watch a game without checking odds, calculating spreads, or chasing losses on their phone, this book will feel uncomfortably familiar. It explains why “risk-free bets” aren’t free, why most bettors lose even when they think they’re playing smart, and why the real damage often shows up at home long before it shows up in bank statements.
This book isn’t moralizing. It’s explanatory. And for anyone wondering how a pastime turned into a habit—and how to talk about it before it becomes a crisis—The Joys of Sports Betting offers clarity, context, and a much-needed reality check.