Sports betting
Subject in Society & Culture
Sports betting has come up in 20 episodes across 8 podcasts in TMT, including The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, Pod Save America. 12 people have made recorded remarks about it.
What people said
Joe RoganAmerican comedian and host of The Joe Rogan Experience
Rogan argues that sports betting invites corruption because wagers can be placed on any aspect of a game.
“The problem with these things is you can bet on anything”
The Joe Rogan Experience: #2523 - Ali Siddiq (Jul 7, 2026) · Listen from 7:06
Rogan says the UFC has a problem with suspicious fights and that the FBI has examined several of them.
“There's a real problem with quite a few fights. The FBI has looked into quite a few fights”
The Joe Rogan Experience: JRE MMA Show #179 with Josh Thompson & "Big" John McCarthy (May 27, 2026) · Listen from 49:30
Rogan says suspicious betting on UFC fights has led to FBI investigations of multiple bouts.
“So the FBI's involved. And so there's a bunch of different fights that are being investigated”
The Joe Rogan Experience: #2505 - Tom Segura (May 25, 2026) · Listen from 2:20:08
Rogan argues athletes should be allowed to bet on themselves to win.
“I feel like you should be able to bet on yourself as a fighter. I feel like you should be able to bet on yourself as a baseball player”
The Joe Rogan Experience: #2498 - Brendan Schaub (May 13, 2026) · Listen from 12:18
William CostelloIrish psychology researcher and Ph.D. student specialising in evolutionary psychology
Costello cited statistics that around 30% of young men with gambling problems have felt suicidal and around 13% have attempted suicide.
“I think something like 13% have attempted suicide because of this”
Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 57:00
Costello cited research from the American Institute for Boys and Men showing that legalising online gambling increases bankruptcy and debt among young men.
“when you legalize online gambling in a specific area bankruptcy among young men goes way up and they go into way more debt”
Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 57:27
Gary LinekerFormer England striker, broadcaster, co-founder of Goalhanger and host of The Rest Is Football
Lineker says addiction specialists have told him gambling is the hardest addiction to overcome.
“They say the hardest one to kick is the gambling addiction”
Pod Save America: Can Soccer Save the World? (Jul 12, 2026) · Listen from 29:39
Lineker warns that micro-markets such as corners and yellow cards open football to possible match-fixing.
“you can bet on how many corners and whether a player is going to get a yellow card. And that opens it up”
Pod Save America: Can Soccer Save the World? (Jul 12, 2026) · Listen from 27:46
Bill SimmonsSportswriter and founder of The Ringer, host of The Bill Simmons Podcast
- Prediction · due Apr 2027
Simmons argues the Rockets' and Celtics' win totals are set too low.
“I think the Rockets and the Celtics, the over under is still too low for both those teams”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:39:49
Cousin SalSal Iacono, American comedian, Jimmy Kimmel Live writer and Ringer betting podcaster; Dallas Cowboys fan
- Prediction · due Jun 2027
Sal predicts Victor Wembanyama will become widely disliked by April and that Caleb Wilson will win NBA Rookie of the Year.
“I think Wemby's going to be one of the most hated players by April. Caleb Wilson, who everyone will call Caleb Williams, is going to win Rookie of the Year”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:39:09
Haley SacksFinancial educator and content creator known as Mrs. Dow Jones; author of Future Rich Person and host of the podcast Financial Tea
Sacks argues men's sports betting losses are normalized while women's spending is shamed.
“even if you look at sports betting and prediction markets, people are getting into so much debt, specifically men from that”
Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha: Entrepreneurship and Self-Improvement Podcast: Haley Sacks: The American Dream Is Dead! The New Rules for Building Real Wealth | Finance | E419 (Oct 5, 2026) · Listen from 12:38
Dan KatzBarstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take
Katz suggested the hosts would profit by betting against their own Sunday-night gut picks.
“I guarantee you if we then faded ourselves, we would be awesome. Because your gut reaction on Sunday night is usually so wrong”
Pardon My Take: NFL Week 3, Fastest 2 Minutes, Drake Maye Has The Yips, The Ravens Win In 7 Seconds, Witching Hour Madness Plus Who's Back Of The Week (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 2:29:37
Chris WilliamsonBritish podcaster and host of Modern Wisdom
Williamson said his show has been approached by many prediction market companies and he has declined all of them.
“we have been approached by every fucking prediction market on the planet over and over again. And I have turned every single one of them down”
Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:01:04
Tommy VietorCo-host of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World who conducted the Josh Turek interview
Vietor worries that mobile betting has removed all friction from gambling.
“seamless and easy it's become to just lay bet after bet after bet from your phone on your couch”
Pod Save America: Can Soccer Save the World? (Jul 12, 2026) · Listen from 29:18
Gary SuttonBusiness intelligence and analytics leader and author of data science and statistics books including Statistics Slam Dunk
Sutton said closing betting lines, shaped by gamblers' money, are more often closer to actual results than oddsmakers' opening lines.
“the gamblers collectively are smarter than the odds makers. So when you look at the opening odds versus the closing odds”
Digital Social Hour: The Project Management Problem Nobody Talks About... | Gary Sutton | DSH #2013 (Jun 11, 2026) · Listen from 34:10
Zach LoweRinger NBA analyst referenced repeatedly
Lowe predicts a long Finals and says he would not favor the Spurs as heavily as the betting line does.
“I would not favor the Spurs by as much as Vegas is favoring off the bat. I think this next thing is real”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: Down Goes OKC! Spurs-Knicks is Here! What the Hell Just Happened? And What Does OKC Do Now? | With Zach Lowe (May 31, 2026) · Listen from 46:16
Brendan SchaubFormer UFC heavyweight, comedian and host of Big Brown Breakdown and the Tubi series Gearheads Gone Wild
Schaub argues that widespread betting has made fans far more hostile toward fighters than when he competed.
“So I think that's why fighters are getting so much more hate these days than they did even when I was fighting”
The Joe Rogan Experience: #2498 - Brendan Schaub (May 13, 2026) · Listen from 9:38
Predictions
- Prediction · due Apr 2027Bill Simmons
Simmons argues the Rockets' and Celtics' win totals are set too low.
“I think the Rockets and the Celtics, the over under is still too low for both those teams”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:39:49 · Sports betting
- Prediction · due Jun 2027Cousin Sal
Sal predicts Victor Wembanyama will become widely disliked by April and that Caleb Wilson will win NBA Rookie of the Year.
“I think Wemby's going to be one of the most hated players by April. Caleb Wilson, who everyone will call Caleb Williams, is going to win Rookie of the Year”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:39:09 · Sports betting
Coverage over time
Podcasts
- The Bill Simmons Podcast · 9 episodes
- The Joe Rogan Experience · 4 episodes
- Pod Save America · 2 episodes
- Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha: Entrepreneurship and Self-Improvement Podcast · 1 episode
- Pardon My Take · 1 episode
- Modern Wisdom · 1 episode
- The Mel Robbins Podcast · 1 episode
- Digital Social Hour · 1 episode
Episodes
A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin SalThe Bill Simmons Podcast · Oct 19, 2026 · 1 h 59 min
Bill Simmons and Cousin Sal recap NFL Week 6, guess Week 7 lines, discuss the MLB playoffs, O.J. Simpson news and UCLA football, and trade parenting stories.
Haley Sacks: The American Dream Is Dead! The New Rules for Building Real Wealth | Finance | E419Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha: Entrepreneurship and Self-Improvement Podcast · Oct 5, 2026 · 1 h 11 min
Hala Taha talks with Haley Sacks (Mrs. Dow Jones) about the new American dream, freedom funds, outdated money rules, earning more, and entrepreneur tax strategy.
NFL Week 3, Fastest 2 Minutes, Drake Maye Has The Yips, The Ravens Win In 7 Seconds, Witching Hour Madness Plus Who's Back Of The WeekPardon My Take · Sep 28, 2026 · 3 h 6 min
Dan Katz, PFT Commenter, Hank Lockwood and the Pardon My Take crew recap every NFL Week 3 game of the 2026 season, plus golf and baseball.
- Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Sep 28, 2026 · 1 h 45 min
Bill Simmons and Cousin Sal recap NFL Week 3, from Drake Maye's slump to the 3-0 Raiders, guess Week 4 lines, and discuss MLB playoffs and parenting.
Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152Modern Wisdom · Sep 19, 2026 · 1 h 8 min
Chris Williamson and evolutionary psychologist William Costello examine the backlash to Sydney Sweeney's Novig sports betting ad and why women in particular criticise her.
NYU Professor: Do This for 2 Weeks to Get Your Focus, Motivation, & Life BackThe Mel Robbins Podcast · Sep 14, 2026 · 59 min
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt tells Mel Robbins how quick dopamine from phones harms boys and girls differently and how to reclaim attention.
- LeBron’s Philly Shocker! Plus, the 2011 NBA Redraftables With Zach Lowe.
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jul 24, 2026 · 1 h 46 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe react to LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, then redraft the 2011 NBA draft class.
- Spain Prevails, World Cup Winners and Losers, and Damon Vs. Leo With Chris Ryan and Anthony Dabbundo
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jul 20, 2026 · 1 h 50 min
Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan and Anthony Dabbundo react to Spain's 1-0 World Cup final win over Argentina, rank tournament winners and losers, and compare Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Trump's Explosive Diarrhea of the MouthPod Save America · Jul 17, 2026 · 1 h 26 min
Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer dissect Trump's election-conspiracy prime-time address and administration scandals, then Alex Wagner interviews Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
Can Soccer Save the World?Pod Save America · Jul 12, 2026 · 52 min
Tommy Vietor talks with Gary Lineker about the 2026 World Cup, FIFA's integrity, the U.S. team's prospects, gambling, racism, and Lineker's 1986 memories.