Causes Of Sports Betting And Students' Attitudes Towards Sports Betting: An Appraisal In Osun State University, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevalence of sports betting involvement has permeated every class of the youthful population. The practice had predisposed students of higher institutions to engage in gambling using every means available. The population of youth who resort to sports betting as an alternative and faster route to making ends meet have predisposed society to experience rising levels of deviance and crime in society. It is therefore against this backdrop that this study is precipitated to assess the effects of sports betting amongst students in Osun State University, Osun State, Nigeria. This study utilized random sampling techniques to administer 393 copies of questionnaires to students at Osun State University, Osun, Nigeria. The collated data was analyzed using descriptive and regression techniques. This study found that there is a significant degree of influence by which the causes of sports betting result into the consequences of sports betting at Osun State University. Also, causes of sports betting significantly influence students' attitudes towards sports betting at Osun State University at a 5 percent significance level. This study recommends that the Osun State government must create and promote an effective institutional strategy in collaboration with the Nigeria Ministry of Education to protect students from being exposed to gambling-related products.