ESPN.com news services
More than one percent of college football players admitted to having taken money to play poorly in a game, the NCAA announced Wednesday as part of the results of a national study it commissioned on sports wagering among student-athletes.
The survey also revealed that 2.3 percent of football players admitted they had been asked to affect the outcome of a game because of gambling debts and 1.4 percent admitted to having affected the outcome of a game because of gambling debts.
"The scope of sports wagering among intercollegiate student-athletes is startling and disturbing," said NCAA President Myles Brand in the release. "Sports wagering is a double-threat because it harms the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of college sports."
According to the release, the student-athletes were asked an assortment of questions concerning sports-wagering behavior and associated health risks like alcohol and drug use. Participation was voluntary and respondents were guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality.
The football-related gambling information was culled from 21,000 responses given by both male and female athletes in Divisions I, II and III.
The study also found that almost 35 percent of male student-athletes admitted to having engaged in some type of sports wagering behavior in the past year, compared to only 10 percent of female student-athletes. Division-III student-athletes are the most likely to engage in gambling or sports wagering, while Division I student-athletes are the least likely, according to the release.
The NCAA did not specify how many instances of football gambling were from each division.
More than one percent of college football players admitted to having taken money to play poorly in a game, the NCAA announced Wednesday as part of the results of a national study it commissioned on sports wagering among student-athletes.
The survey also revealed that 2.3 percent of football players admitted they had been asked to affect the outcome of a game because of gambling debts and 1.4 percent admitted to having affected the outcome of a game because of gambling debts.
"The scope of sports wagering among intercollegiate student-athletes is startling and disturbing," said NCAA President Myles Brand in the release. "Sports wagering is a double-threat because it harms the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of college sports."
According to the release, the student-athletes were asked an assortment of questions concerning sports-wagering behavior and associated health risks like alcohol and drug use. Participation was voluntary and respondents were guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality.
The football-related gambling information was culled from 21,000 responses given by both male and female athletes in Divisions I, II and III.
The study also found that almost 35 percent of male student-athletes admitted to having engaged in some type of sports wagering behavior in the past year, compared to only 10 percent of female student-athletes. Division-III student-athletes are the most likely to engage in gambling or sports wagering, while Division I student-athletes are the least likely, according to the release.
The NCAA did not specify how many instances of football gambling were from each division.
