Bet on Butler? Students divided about gambling on Bulldogs

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Purdue University is the first Indiana school to announce plans to ban students and staff from betting on Boilermaker games.

News 8 spoke with students on Butler University’s campus to find out what they think about a similar rule at home of the Bulldogs.

Most students like Brittany Jones said they hope Butler doesn’t follow suit. She was born in Las Vegas.

“I think Purdue is wrong for that. I think that if their students feel passionate about their team and they love their team, they should be allowed to bet on them,” Jones said.

The Butler administration did not respond Thursday to an inquiry about if the university is considering a gambling ban.

Students Logan Sanford and Max Cordoba said they believe being able to bet on the Bulldogs is a good thing.

“I think it adds some excitement to the fan experience and even maybe the game experience too,” Sanford said.

“I don’t think you can just say someone can’t do it,” Cordoba added. “I think you have to be careful with it and there needs to be some regulation around it .”

But Kennedy Lee and other people said that allowing betting on campus teams by those affiliated with the university is a bad idea. They said Butler is a campus where everyone knows everyone and so betting on your own school and the players you know personally would unfairly increase the pressure on student athletes. They also worry it could affect the amateurism of college sports.

“I think it’s to help their spirit and society,” Lee said. Gambling “puts all this pressure on the sports team because they’re all betting on the game.”