Wagering on sports has always been a popular form of entertainment for many sports fans. Every day, hundreds of thousands of sports bettors across the globe place wagers on their favourite sports stars and teams.
Just like sports fans, sports betting has also inspired filmmakers to create documentaries on the subject. Below we’ve listed the top sports betting documentaries that every sports betting fan should definitely watch.
Fantasy Sports Gambling by Frontline
PBS collaborated with The New York Times to produce this sports betting documentary. Released in 2016, Fantasy Sports Gambling dives deep into the world of unregulated sports betting.
This hour-long documentary shows how a loophole in 2006’s Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act resulted in the rise of fantasy sports betting. With comprehensive interviews from regulators and sports bettors, Fantasy Sports Gambling is a must-watch for anyone who wants to know more about the dark side of fantasy betting.
30 for 30: The Legend of Jimmy the Greek
This documentary series was launched on CBS in 2009. While the 30 for 30 documentary series consists of over 157 episodes, the one on the life of Las Vegas bookmaker Jimmy the Greek happens to be the most popular.
Jimmy the Greek, whose real name is James George Snyder, was renowned for his twelve years association with The NFL Today program. Jimmy guessed the results of NFL matches on The NFL Today program, but he was also famous for his betting antics on the show.
The sports betting documentary features commentary for sportscasters such as Brent Musburger and Irv Cross. Also, you can find The NFL Today’s Phyllis George sharing his views on the show.
Life on the Line
This is another great sports betting documentary that was first aired in 2013. Life on the Line sees the appearances of some of the top names in the sports gambling world. They include the likes of professional bettors Teddy Covers and Erin Rynning. Also, it features Vegas oddsmaker Kornegay and radio show hosts Blessing and Thompson.
Life on the Line has a total runtime of 52 minutes and gives viewers access to the enthralling nuances of the sports betting world. Also, viewers get insight into the popular Las Vegas Hotel’s “SuperBook” event.
Now Place Your Bets: The History of Sports Betting in America
Now Place Your Bets is another good sports betting documentary that was first released in 2017. It goes on to offer a comprehensive overview of the rise of legal sports betting on the Vegas Strip. It starts with the humble beginnings of the US sports betting sector and explains how it became a multi-billion dollar industry.
Now Place Your Bets includes in-depth interviews with sports betting experts and professionals. Also, there are interviews with oddsmakers, top sports bettors and more. All in all, if you’re curious to know what it’s like to be a professional sports bettor, you should definitely watch this sports betting documentary.
The Best of It
Released in 2016, this sports betting documentary explores the lives of four professional sports bettors. They are Alan “Dink” Denkenson, Alan “Boston” Dvorkis, Ken “The Shrink” Weitzner and Lem Banker.
The Best of It has a major focus on the 2010’s NCAA basketball tournament. And it explores the ups and downs experienced by the four professional bettors. The documentary showcases the unpredictable nature of sports betting and details why sports bettors should always manage their bankroll properly.
