COUNTY LIFE
Sports better scams are growing
Thanks to new legal changes, the popularity of sports betting has exploded. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. BBB advises that you check before downloading a sports betting app or placing a bet before the big game.
How the scam works
You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you can make an initial bet “risk-free.”
You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But as soon as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you can withdraw your winnings! Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get your money off the site. And any personal information you shared is now in the hands of scam artists.
One victim reported to BBB Scam Tracker: “I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet [and] attempted 3 times to cash out and 3 times it was declined. Spoke to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver’s license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my bank. With all the run around I’ve been given, it prompted me to read their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card company to file a fraud report.”
How to avoid sports betting scams
- Look for an established, approved service. Look for “white-listed” sports books that have been approved by your area’s gaming commission. In the United States, ESPN has a list of where sports betting is legal.
- Don’t fall for tempting ads. Ignore gambling-related pop-up ads, email spam, or text messages.
- Read the fine print on incentives. Gambling sites and apps often offer incentives or bonuses to new users and around major games. But like any sales pitch, these can be deceptive. Be sure to read the fine print carefully.
- Even legitimate sports betting sites have the right to freeze your winnings. Gambling companies can restrict users’ activity for “seeming to have an ‘unfair advantage’ or ‘irregular playing patterns,’” reports Lifehacker. Be sure to check the terms of service.
For more information
Check out BBB’s tips for spotting a lookalike website and downloading apps. Visit BBB.org/ScamTips to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.
If you’ve come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.
A RED FLAG WARNING for Montague County, TX will be in effect today from 11 am until 6 pm. Please be careful.
Today is the first day of spring. In 2025, the March equinox happens on March 20 at 5:01 A.M. EDT. This falls on a Thursday and is the astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox (also called the March equinox or vernal equinox across the globe) occurs when the Sun crossesthe celestial equator going south to north. It’s called the celestial equator because it’s an imaginary line in the sky above Earth’s equator. Imagine standing on the equator; the Sun would pass directly overhead on its way north.
On the March equinox, the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight; neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the Sun than the other.
Although in most locations (the North Pole and the equator being exceptions), the amount of daylight had been increasing each day after the winter solstice—and after the spring equinox, many places will experience more daylight than darkness in each 24-hour day. The amount of daylight each day will continue to increase until the summer solstice (in June) when the longest period of daylight occurs.
Information from the Farmer’s Almanac
Economic and community development representatives from across the nation participated in the Texas Community Development Institute March 5-6. Among those completing the Advanced course was Cindy Roller, Bowie Community Development executive director.
Roller was in the 2025 class among 26 in the Advanced class with over 100 attendees overall attending. She has officially completed years 1-3 in the CDI curriculum.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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