© Heather Khalifa/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber fails to make a catch allowing the Astros to score in the first inning of baseball’s World Series Game 2 against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park i Houston on Saturday.

Whether the Phillies win the World Series and the Eagles maintain their winning streak is not enough excitement for some people. Many fans are also putting money on the line — and the bets they are placing aren’t necessarily on which team will win.

Sports fans can now bet on … basically anything: individual players’ performance, the outcome of each pitch, even which inning TV producers will pan to a fan at Citizens Bank Park eating a cheesesteak.

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Online sports betting was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2017 and has been rising in popularity ever since. But health experts warn this game-day habit could quickly become an addiction with long-term health consequences.

In the thick of another big sports week for Philadelphia, here is what you need to know about gambling disorder and the potential harm associated with sports betting.

How popular is sports betting in Pennsylvania?

In the fiscal year that ended June 30, Pennsylvanians waged just over $7 billion on sports, with $6.5 billion wagered online, according the most recent annual report of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board — a nearly threefold increase from the 12 months prior to June 2020.

A 2021 report produced by researchers at Penn State on online gambling found that about 1 in 10 adults in Pennsylvanian bet online, nearly half on sports.

The average Pennsylvanian who gambled online spent about six hours and $219 a week on these types of bets.

What is gambling disorder?

Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction first recognized in 2013. Symptoms include: needing to gamble increasingly larger sums to get the same excitement, struggling to stop or cut back, lying to hide bets, and gambling with other people’s money.

Betting on the next Phillies game doesn’t mean you’ll develop a disorder. Overall, about 1% of the U.S. population is estimated to have a gambling disorder.

But experts warn of a “hidden addiction” that often becomes obvious only once it’s become harmful.

Of the more than 2,000 calls for help Pennsylvania’s gambling helpline received in 2021, 11% were related to sports betting.

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Why is gambling addictive?

Gambling is fun and thrilling because it triggers the reward system of the brain. For some, attempting to get that reward can become a compulsion.

Brain scans show that the areas of the brain that light up when people use drugs also light up when people gamble, said Lia Nower, the director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University.

“Gambling addiction causes the same type of chemical changes in the brain as drugs,” she said.

When gambling is no longer a form of entertainment but a way to deal with distress or becomes harmful, it’s time to get help.

“The objective measure for me isn’t just how much time you bet or how much money you lose, but what is the impact of your gambling on your life?” said Timothy Fong, codirector of the University of California Los Angeles Gambling Studies Program.

How can I gamble responsibly?

• Limit yourself to one platform or format.People who gamble in more formats and on more platforms are at high risk for problematic gambling, said Nower.
• Consider avoiding in-game betting and prop bets. It’s hard to argue that there is any level of skill involved in wagering the inning a cheesesteak will grace your TV screen. Nower is concerned about these types of bets because they are impulsive and serve only to feed the thrill of betting.
• Stick to one form of paymentthat you can track and that won’t allow you to spend more than you have, like a checking account with limited funds, Nower suggested.
• Set limits before you start.Decide before you begin betting how much money and time you are willing to spend on gambling.
• Self-exclude. Pennsylvania also allows people to sign up for “self-exclusion” and ban themselves from betting platforms (online or in person).

Where can I get help for gambling addiction?

If you are worried about yourself or a loved one, call the Council on Compulsive Gambling in Pennsylvania’s 24/7 hotline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) . You can also text 1-800-522-4700 or chat. .

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