The Brian Lehrer Show A Year of Sports Betting
Mar 20, 2026
McKay Coppins, staff writer at The Atlantic and author, spent a year immersed in sports betting. He describes easy app signups, early wins that hook players, and how betting seeps into family life and youth culture. He also examines data-driven strategies, integrity risks, and why wagering is reshaping how people watch sports.
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Bishop's Warning Before The $10K Experiment
- McKay Coppins consulted his Mormon bishop before accepting his editors' $10,000 gambling experiment offer.
- The bishop warned about modest habits spiraling into addiction, advice Coppins later called prophetic after his experience.
First Night Win Hooked Interest
- Coppins downloaded DraftKings, deposited $500 and won $20 on his first night, which made him feel irrationally confident.
- That early small win created surge in engagement and plans with his wife to spend imagined future winnings.
Use Data And Discipline To Avoid Losing Edge
- Nate Silver advised treating sports betting as a microscopic-edges game requiring discipline, data, and a >52% win rate to break even.
- Coppins followed this method briefly: betting ~$100 on 6–7 games weekly and tracking lines.
