Every thirty seconds, another American places their first sports bet online. It happens in bedrooms at 2 AM, in office bathrooms during lunch breaks, in stadium parking lots moments before kickoff. The numbers have become almost incomprehensible: Global online gambling revenue reached $100 billion in early 2024. During the past NFL season alone, Americans wagered over $10.9 billion – more than the GDP of 50 different nations. Each digit in these figures represents a thousand small tragedies, a million moments of desperation, countless families watching their futures disappear one bet at a time.