North Carolina sports fans prepare to make their first online bets starting at noon

FIRST AT SIX. SPORTS BETTING OFFICIALLY GOES LIVE TOMORROW, STARTING AT NOON. BETS CAN BE MADE ONLINE FOR COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. OUR JOSHUA DAVIS CHECKED IN WITH SPORTS FANS IN THE TRIAD’S HEAR THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA. I SPOKE WITH A LOT OF SPORTS FANS TODAY. MANY OF THEM AGREE THAT THEY’RE EXCITED, BUT SAY THAT MODERATION SHOULD BE IN EVERY SPORTS FANS PLAYBOOK. YOU KNOW, MOST STATES ARE GOING TO END UP WITH IT SOONER OR LATER ANYWAY. MARK HOLT IS A FAN OF THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES, BUT IF THERE’S ANYTHING UNITING HIM AND OTHER BASEBALL AFICIONADOS, IT’S THE NEWS THAT STARTING MONDAY, HE’LL BE ABLE TO PLACE BETS ON THE BUCKEYES PERFORMANCE THIS UPCOMING MLB SEASON AND IT’S ENOUGH TO GET HIM TO EXPAND HIS HORIZONS OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL, EVEN IF THEY’RE NOT BETTING A LOT OF MONEY. IF THEY’RE JUST BETTING SOME MONEY, TEN BUCKS, 20 BUCKS, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT BE MORE INTERESTED IN WATCHING, YOU KNOW, THE FINAL ROUND OF THE MASTERS OR OR MORE THE NCAA TOURNAMENT OR SOMETHING ON, YOU KNOW, NHL AND THAT KIND OF THING. HE BELIEVES THE MOVE IS BENEFICIAL FOR SPORTS FANS AND THE STATE, BUT HE ACKNOWLEDGES THE CONCERNS OF MAKING SPORTS BETTING SO WIDELY AVAILABLE. I MEAN, ANY TIME THERE’S GAMBLING AND BETTING, THERE’S ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ABUSE OR LACK OF DISCIPLINE ON AN INDIVIDUAL’S PART AND GETTING THEMSELVES IN TROUBLE. SO UNFORTUNATELY, SOME PEOPLE TAKE IT TOO FAR AND THEY’LL GET THEMSELVES INTO TROUBLE. BUT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE MAJORITY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU BET WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO LOSE. YOU DON’T GO PAST THAT. STUART BOWERS LIVES IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE UK WHERE SPORTS BETTING HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS. I USED TO LIVE NEAR A PRETTY FAMOUS HORSE RACING TRACK AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GOING GOING THERE AND HAVING A FEW BETS AND GETTING WITH YOUR MATES AND STUFF LIKE HE SAYS, WHILE HE PLANS TO TAKE PART, HE KNOWS NOT TO GO OVERBOARD. I’M NOT GOING TO BE BETTING IN THOUSANDS. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, YEAH. NO, I’LL BE I’LL BE DOING THE ODD THE ODD SPLASH HERE AND THERE, BUT NOTHING. NOTHING TOO CRAZY. IT’S GOOD THAT NORTH CAROLINA KIND OF HAS ACCEPTED IT AND AND HOPEFULLY IT WELCOMES IT. AND, UM, I HOPE FOR THE MOST PART, IT’S, YOU KNOW, A SENSIBLE DECISION. AND AS A REMINDER, FOLKS CAN START PLACING BETS ON COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS STARTING MONDAY AROUND NOON, JUST IN TIME FOR MARCH MADNESS IN FORSYTH COUNTY. I’M JOSHUA DAVIS FOR WXII 12 NEWS. JOSHUA, THANK YOU. USERS WILL BE ABLE TO PLACE THE BET ONLINE USING ONE OF THE STATE’S EIGHT LICENSED OPERATORS. YOU CAN FIND THAT LIST RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEBSITE AT WXII 12.COM, AND COUNSELORS ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE FOR ANYONE WITH A GAMBLING PROBLEM. RESOURCES TO GET HELP ARE ONLINE AT MORE THAN A GAME. NC.GOV OR BY B

Sports betting officially goes live Monday at 12 p.m. WXII checked in with sports fans in the Triad, and while many of them agree being able to place bets is exciting, they say moderation should be in every sports fan’s playbook. "Most states are going to end up with it sooner or later anyway," said Mark Holtz.He's a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes, but if there’s anything uniting him and other baseball aficionados, it's the fact he’ll be able to place bets on the Buckeyes’ performance this upcoming baseball season. He said it’ll be enough to get him and others to expand their horizons to sports they may not be familiar with. "Even if they're not betting a lot of money, 10 bucks, 20 bucks, you know, they might be more interested in watching," he said. "You know, the final round of the Masters or the NCAA tournament or the NHL and that kind of thing. It just gives people a little extra reason to pay attention, even if it doesn't cost them a lot of money."He believes the move is beneficial for sports fans and the state, but he absolutely acknowledges the concerns of making sports betting so widely available. "Anytime there's gambling and betting, there's always an opportunity for abuse or lack of discipline on an individual's part and getting themselves in trouble," he said. Stewart Bowers agreed."Unfortunately, somebody will take it too far," Bowers said, "and they'll get themselves in trouble. I would like to think that the majority, you know, would know to bet what you can afford to lose. You don't go past that." Bowers lives in North Carolina, but was born and raised in the United Kingdom, where sports betting has been around for years. "I used to live near a pretty famous horse racing track," he said. "You know, I would go there and place a few bets with your mates and stuff like that." He said while he plans to take part, he knows not to go overboard. "I'm not going to bet thousands," he said. "I'll be doing the odd splash here and there, but nothing, nothing too crazy. I just think it's good that North Carolina has accepted it and hopefully welcomes it. I hope, for the most part, it's a sensible decision."North Carolinians can start placing bets on college and professional sports starting Monday around noon, just in time for March Madness.

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"Most states are going to end up with it sooner or later anyway," said Mark Holtz.

He's a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes, but if there’s anything uniting him and other baseball aficionados, it's the fact he’ll be able to place bets on the Buckeyes’ performance this upcoming baseball season. He said it’ll be enough to get him and others to expand their horizons to sports they may not be familiar with.

"Even if they're not betting a lot of money, 10 bucks, 20 bucks, you know, they might be more interested in watching," he said. "You know, the final round of the Masters or the NCAA tournament or the NHL and that kind of thing. It just gives people a little extra reason to pay attention, even if it doesn't cost them a lot of money."

He believes the move is beneficial for sports fans and the state, but he absolutely acknowledges the concerns of making sports betting so widely available.

"Anytime there's gambling and betting, there's always an opportunity for abuse or lack of discipline on an individual's part and getting themselves in trouble," he said.

Stewart Bowers agreed.

"Unfortunately, somebody will take it too far," Bowers said, "and they'll get themselves in trouble. I would like to think that the majority, you know, would know to bet what you can afford to lose. You don't go past that."

Bowers lives in North Carolina, but was born and raised in the United Kingdom, where sports betting has been around for years.

"I used to live near a pretty famous horse racing track," he said. "You know, I would go there and place a few bets with your mates and stuff like that."

He said while he plans to take part, he knows not to go overboard.

"I'm not going to bet thousands," he said. "I'll be doing the odd splash here and there, but nothing, nothing too crazy. I just think it's good that North Carolina has accepted it and hopefully welcomes it. I hope, for the most part, it's a sensible decision."

North Carolinians can start placing bets on college and professional sports starting Monday around noon, just in time for March Madness.

North Carolina sports fans prepare to make their first online bets starting at noon

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