Gamblers love to bet on Super Bowl Sunday
The Super Bowl is Sunday in Phoenix, with the Philadelphia Eagles facing the Kansas City Chiefs.
Officials with the Responsible Gambling Council said a recent survey found that almost half of Ontario’s regular sports bettors plan to wager on the big game.
The survey also found that three-quarters of respondents will watch from home this year. With increasing accessibility for placing mobile bets, it’s easier than ever to bet online.
Melissa Toney from the Responsible Gambling Council said it’s important to budget how much you’re willing to spend – and lose -- on wagers.
“We really ask people to look at what your own individual budget is so you’re not going over and putting yourself into any undue hardship,” Toney said.
According to the survey, 54 per cent of Ontarians betting on the Super Bowl will wager $50 or less, with 19 per cent planning to bet more than $100.
Toney said to remember gambling should be enjoyable.
“It’s entertainment, it’s fun,” she said.
“But if you start to notice it’s taking over a little too much, you might want to re-evaluate and step back a little bit.”
Big games like the Super Bowl can be a trigger for someone with a gambling addiction. Chris Coulombe of the Sudbury- Manitoulin Canadian Mental Health Association said if you’re hosting a party, you should be mindful of your loved ones who may have gambling challenges.
“We can create some awareness around some of these gambling tools to maybe self-exclude ourselves from it or to set reminders or limitations in some of the apps you could be using for example if you’re gambling online,” Coulombe said.
He said help can be found at the Canadian Mental Health Association’s website.
“We have a self-referral form so you can take charge, you can take responsibility and refer yourself to get the support and help that’s required,” Coulombe said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.