It was Jan. 2, 2025, and most Menlo seniors were spending their final days of winter break relaxing or celebrating the new year. David Mhatre, however, was far from relaxed. Georgia was playing Notre Dame in the Allstate Sugar Bowl that evening, and the Menlo senior had a hefty $1,000 wager on the Bulldogs. So when inactive Georgia walk-on Parker Jones was penalized for sideline interference in a tied game, costing the Bulldogs crucial yardage, Mhatre was livid. “You feel a lot of anger towards specific plays and players when there’s money on the line,” he said. Notre Dame ended up winning the game 23-10 and advancing into the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
Although he is currently in the midst of a cold streak, Mhatre understands that sports betting inevitably carries highs and lows. “I do it mainly to make the sports game a little more interesting and add more adrenaline. It’s not really about the money,” he said. “Sometimes on a Tuesday night there’s a random NHL game, and I’ll put some money on it — it becomes really interesting.”
According to Mhatre, sports betting began to pick up steam at Menlo last year after winter break when students were introduced to an app called Fliff. The platform, which was founded in 2019, gives users $1 a day until they have $5 in their account to bet on sports. “It’s very accessible,” Mhatre said. “It almost feels like it’s not real money,”
Sports betting is illegal in the state of California. In 2022, voters rejected a proposition to legalize it across the state with a 67 percent majority. However, Fliff is able to work around regulations by advertising itself as a sweepstakes game. Similarly, popular fantasy sports websites like Prize Picks and Underdog Fantasy are legal because they operate with “pick ’em” style games instead of traditional sportsbooks such as FanDuel or DraftKings.
Mhatre also has his own gambling philosophy to help limit risk. “I deposit an initial amount. If I hit some bets, then I’ll take out my deposit and play with house money,” he said. Initially, Mhatre deposited $240 and has since withdrawn that money from his account.
Despite his controlled approach, Mhatre acknowledges the risks. “These apps are designed to reel you in and get you addicted. The way they do their odds — you’re set up to lose,” he said.
Sophomore Zander Deutch echoed Mhatre’s sentiment about betting’s appeal. “It’s just a way to make a game a little more fun while watching it,” he said. “It gives you that same hype and adrenaline rush.”
Deutch also emphasized the importance of moderation, adding that he’s never wagered more than $5. “The cycle of losing is what gets people. When you lose, you think, ‘Oh, I’m just going to win it back.’ And then you keep losing,” he said.
Both Mhatre and Deutch agree that betting on sports can have a darker side. “The addiction is something you can’t overlook — it’s super problematic,” Deutch said. He thinks that many people aren’t disciplined enough to avoid the pitfalls. “If you gamble expecting to win money, that’s the dumbest thing you can do,” he said.
Mhatre and Deutch both believe that while sports betting has its risks, it can be done responsibly. “I think betting can be destructive, but if done the right way, it can be a lot of fun and bring people together,” Mhatre said.
Deutch agreed, but he offered words of caution.“You’ve just got to be smart about it, and most people aren’t. That’s why it’s a problem.”
