ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) – From buzzer-beaters to big bets, March Madness has fans playing close attention, but so are scammers.
With millions of fans placing bets and entering online contests, experts warn it’s also peak season for sports betting scams.
Devin Benavides, Regional Director for the Better Business Bureau of the Permian Basin, said “The main thing that I want to relay here to the viewers is that in the Lonestar State, in the state of Texas, sports betting is illegal.”
But that doesn’t stop people from betting.
According to the Better Business Bureau, it’s a risk that many people are willing to take.
“More than ten-thousand complaints that were sent into our online portal scam tracker of people that felt like they had been faced with this scam participating in online gambling,” said Benavides.
The Better Business Bureau says this time of year often brings an increase in sports betting scams.
They warn of fake betting websites, social media ads, and direct messages promising guaranteed wins.
Experts say if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Benavides added, “We’ve seen people that have lost you know, hundreds of thousands of dollars because it is an addiction. It is something that they cannot stop as much as they want to, and scammers also take advantage of that as well. They know that it’s something that a lot of people fall victim to because it is so addictive.”
The Better Business Bureau encourages Texans to protect themselves by knowing the law, avoiding offshore betting sites, and doing their research before participating.
“They keep tabs on things that are going on. Even though they might not even be in this country, they’re watching what we’re doing here, what’s going on here, what our big events are,” said Benavides. “So, they are aware of all of our habits, probably better than we are. And they just you know, they just take advantage of that unfortunately.”
The Better Business Bureau recommends sticking to trusted online platforms, especially during high-traffic events like March Madness and others.
For more tips on sports betting scams, visit here.
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