How did we get from fantasy sports to legalized sports betting? The path is convoluted, but most of it winds through New Jersey. Michael Lewis speaks with former governor Chris Christie, among other Jersey politicians, as well as lobbyists for the gaming industry. Plus we hear from Ted Olsen, the lawyer who kept bringing the Garden State’s constitutional challenge until it finally reached the Supreme Court — and hit a jackpot.

For further reading:

Albert Chen’s Billion Dollar Fantasy

Murphy v. NCAA

ESPN timeline of how sports betting was legalized

SCOTUS Blog: The Tenth Amendment, Anti-Commandeering and Sports Betting

How did we get from fantasy sports to legalized sports betting? The path is convoluted, but most of it winds through New Jersey. Michael Lewis speaks with former governor Chris Christie, among other Jersey politicians, as well as lobbyists for the gaming industry. Plus we hear from Ted Olsen, the lawyer who kept bringing the Garden State’s constitutional challenge until it finally reached the Supreme Court — and hit a jackpot.
For further reading:
Albert Chen’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Billion-Dollar-Fantasy-High-Stakes-DraftKings/dp/0544911148">Billion Dollar Fantasy</a>
<a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2017/16-476">Murphy v. NCAA</a>
<a href="https://www.espn.com/sports-betting/story/_/id/23561576/chalk-line-how-got-legalized-sports-betting">ESPN timeline</a> of how sports betting was legalized
<a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/2017/08/10th-amendment-anti-commandeering-sports-betting-plain-english/">SCOTUS Blog</a>: The Tenth Amendment, Anti-Commandeering and Sports Betting

Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?

In the latest season of his podcast, Michael takes on America’s newest form of legalized gambling, sports betting, and how it’s changing what it means to be a player…a teenager…and most of all, a fan.

iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?
In the latest season of his podcast, Michael takes on America’s newest form of legalized gambling, sports betting, and how it’s changing what it means to be a player…a teenager…and most of all, a fan.
iHeartMedia is the exclusive podcast partner of Pushkin Industries.

Against the Rules with Michael Lewis

Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?

In the latest season of his podcast, Michael takes on America’s newest form of legalized gambling, sports betting, and how it’s changing what it means to be a player…a teenager…and most of all, a fan.

Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis explores the figures in American life who rely on the public's trust, whether in sports, in business, in the courtroom, or on TV. What happens when that trust erodes and we can no longer agree on what's fair and what's not?
In the latest season of his podcast, Michael takes on America’s newest form of legalized gambling, sports betting, and how it’s changing what it means to be a player…a teenager…and most of all, a fan.

Episode 3: Welcome to the Garden State

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4aa0918a-c81e-4177-bce8-b1ff0112414e/transcript

Bill Bradley was already famous in college as the epitome of certain American virtues: integrity, honesty, and athleticism. As an NBA star, he took those virtues to the big leagues. As a US Senator, he had a chance to codify some of them into law and prevent the rise of sports betting. But at the same time, others in Bradley's state were making huge money on this illicit form of gambling.

For further reading:

John McPhee’s A Sense of Where You Are

American Bettors Voice, non-profit advocacy for sports bettors co-founded by Gadoon “Spanky” Kryollos.

Bill Bradley’s Values of the Game

David Hill's The Vapors: Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice

Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/102nd-congress/senate-bill/474

Bill Bradley was already famous in college as the epitome of certain American virtues: integrity, honesty, and athleticism. As an NBA star, he took those virtues to the big leagues. As a US Senator, he had a chance to codify some of them into law and prevent the rise of sports betting. But at the same time, others in Bradley's state were making huge money on this illicit form of gambling.
For further reading:
John McPhee’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sense-Where-You-Are-Princeton/dp/0374526893">A Sense of Where You Are</a>
<a href="https://www.bettorsvoice.com/">American Bettors Voice</a>, non-profit advocacy for sports bettors co-founded by Gadoon “Spanky” Kryollos.
Bill Bradley’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4163.Values_of_the_Game">Values of the Game</a>
David Hill's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/-/he/David-Hill/dp/1250086116">The Vapors: Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America's Forgotten Capital of Vice</a>
Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/102nd-congress/senate-bill/474">https://www.congress.gov/bill/102nd-congress/senate-bill/474</a>

Episode 2: Values of the Game

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e32b6e3f-1add-4c6c-a607-b1fb01069dbe/transcript

Sports fans experience incredible highs and lows, and spend loads of money on a product over which they have no control. But for a long time, no one bothered to study the minds or impulses of fans. Michael Lewis finds out how that's changing as writers and academics learn more about the powerful psychology of fandom. Just in time for technology to exploit fandom more than ever.

For further reading: 

Eric Simons’ book The Secret Lives of Sports Fans

Research by Murray State University psychology professor Daniel Wann on fandom: https://murraystate.academia.edu/DanielWann

The Henry Tajfel Experiments

Sports fans experience incredible highs and lows, and spend loads of money on a product over which they have no control. But for a long time, no one bothered to study the minds or impulses of fans. Michael Lewis finds out how that's changing as writers and academics learn more about the powerful psychology of fandom. Just in time for technology to exploit fandom more than ever.
For further reading: 
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Lives-Sports-Fans/dp/1590208641">Eric Simons’ book The Secret Lives of Sports Fans</a>
Research by Murray State University psychology professor Daniel Wann on fandom: <a href="https://murraystate.academia.edu/DanielWann">https://murraystate.academia.edu/DanielWann</a>
<a href="https://explorable.com/intergroup-discrimination">The Henry Tajfel Experiments</a>

Episode 1: What’s Wrong with Eric?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/381401e9-034c-4171-b626-b1f1015bfb7d/transcript

Against the Rules is going to Vegas (by way of New Jersey!). Host Michael Lewis bets high and low to find out how Americans, and their state governments, got addicted to a new form of legalized gambling. This season, we’ll meet bookies, lobbyists, lawyers and professional sharps. All in their own ways trying to figure out why fans might hitch their life savings to their favorite team’s performance. 

Against the Rules is going to Vegas (by way of New Jersey!). Host Michael Lewis bets high and low to find out how Americans, and their state governments, got addicted to a new form of legalized gambling. This season, we’ll meet bookies, lobbyists, lawyers and professional sharps. All in their own ways trying to figure out why fans might hitch their life savings to their favorite team’s performance.

Against the Rules: Fans

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c244b9f3-106d-441f-9efd-b1db011ffc6d/transcript

Episode 3: Welcome to the Garden State

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