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Increased calls came into an Ohio gambling helpline after Ohio State football loss

Gambling Helpline Executive Director Derek Longmeier speaking about resources available for gambling addicts
Shayleigh Frank
/
WYSO
Gambling Helpline Executive Director Derek Longmeier speaking about resources available for gambling addicts

Last month, Ohio State football lost to Michigan for the first time in ten years. The upset made for a lot of disappointed buckeye fans across the state. But it also led to an increase in the number of calls coming into gambling helplines.

More calls to the gambling hotline after major sporting events is common. That’s according to Derek Longmeier, the Executive Director of the Ohio Problem Gambling helpline. He says that Ohio has high gambling addiction numbers when it comes to betting on sporting events.

“So, as we look at just general gambling, we know from our statewide data that about one in 10 Ohioans who gamble are at risk for developing a gambling problem,” said Longmeier, “When we look specifically at sports betting that goes from one to ten to one and four.”

The Ohio Problem Gambling helpline offers phone and text counseling as well as inpatient treatment services for veterans.

Shay Frank was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. Before working at WYSO, Shay worked as the Arts Writer for the Blade Newspaper in Toledo, Ohio. In addition to working at the paper, she worked as a freelancer for WYSO for three years and served as the vice president of the Toledo News Guild. Now located back in the Dayton area, Shay is thrilled to be working with the team at WYSO and reporting for her hometown community.