Sports betting has become a popular activity among many Dartmouth students, who primarily bet on professional sports both in-person and online.
In 2019, New Hampshire legalized sports betting for those 18 and older. Of the 29 states that have legalized sports betting, New Hampshire is one of only three states, along with Washington, D.C., that allow sports betting to people under the age of 21. Nearly all Dartmouth students now have legal access to sports betting.
Carson Miller '25, for example, said he first bet on sports while at Dartmouth. Miller will be interning at DraftKings, an online sports betting platform, this summer.
Dartmouth students are also taking sports betting into their own hands. On March 18, four students launched Rebet, a sports betting app that allows friends to view each other's bets. Carson Hubbard '26 and Liam Tassiello '26 came up with the idea through his TuckLAB, an undergraduate affiliate program at the Tuck School of Business. According to Onyango, they teamed up with Isabella DiGiovanni ’25, who became the app’s chief marketing officer, and Edwin Onyango ’25, who was named chief technology officer. DiGiovanni said the four co-founders started developing the app on campus and have been working on it since last year.
“eventually, [Rebet is] We bring the social aspect of a social media platform that is driven by the love and passion for sports,” DiGiovanni said. “We are transforming the sports betting industry into something that is no longer isolated and risk-oriented. It is now social, fun, and community-focused. It is bringing people together. is.”
Rebet combines online sports betting with social media elements such as a curated feed, likes and comments features, and direct messages. DiGiovanni said the app also employs simple terminology to help you improve your grades the first time.
Despite the proliferation of online betting platforms, Isaac Delaney '27 said he prefers to bet in the “old-fashioned” style of handshakes and trust between friends.
Of the students interviewed by Dartmouth for this article, the majority preferred to bet on professional sports.
Miller, for one, said he only bets on the NFL, which he knows best. In February's Super Bowl matchup, Miller bet on the home team, the San Francisco 49ers, and the eventual champion Kansas City Chiefs.
“I actually bet on the Chiefs in the Super Bowl because it acted like an emotional hedge,” Miller said. “I found out that the odds were almost even, so I had a hunch that this was going to happen.” [the 49ers] I was going to lose again. Although it was a disastrous result, I made about $60 by betting on the Chiefs. ”
Unfortunately for Miller, he said the prize money he claimed wasn't enough to heal the emotional pain of the home team's loss.
While Miller continues to bet on pro football, Cooper Wiseman '27 said he bets on a variety of sports, adding that he views betting as an opportunity for entertainment.
“I mainly do it for the adrenaline rush,” Wiseman said. “Honestly, I'm not doing this to make money…” [because] It makes the game more interesting to watch and makes each play feel more intense. ”
Wiseman added that March Madness is a popular time for sports betting in Dartmouth. He said Dartmouth “has a positive sports betting culture,” but noted that only a “select group” of friends and fraternities participate.
Wiseman added that he believes Dartmouth's athletics and sports betting merging on campus has the potential to strengthen both communities.
