Like the majority of Americans, I watched the Super Bowl on Sunday. I watched with a large group of people, some of whom were small children, some of whom were only interested in the commercials and the halftime show, some of whom had a rooting interest in the game, some like me who were content to watch the sporting spectacle and make snide remarks about the commentators, and one person who had bet a multi-prop parlay. It was the first time I’d watched a sporting event with someone who had that sort of wager on a game, and I have a few thoughts.

I’ve written in this column before how I don’t gamble at casinos even though I like card games. It’s easier for me to abstain than to play a few hands of blackjack and then walk away. Sports betting is another place where I have bright line rules, horse racing when I’m at the racetrack being the only area where I don’t abstain entirely. I don’t like how betting on games changes my viewing experience. For the guy with the exotic parlay, all he cared about was how many times a certain player was targeted, how long the field goals were, and a few other things like that. Sure, he didn’t care who won, but he also couldn’t just sit back and enjoy the spectacle. He even hit the parlay after the game went into overtime, but that didn’t leave me pining for the coming full legalization of sports betting in North Carolina.

I don’t even play fantasy football anymore. I was in a league for a few years and it was a loose tie that kept me in touch with some of my friends from college, but I spent too much time tinkering with lineups and checking to see how many rushing yards so-and-so had. That meant that when I missed a draft due to lack of internet, I was okay that they kicked me out of the league and I never petitioned to be reinstated. I prefer to just follow my team and let that be that. Call me a curmudgeon if you must. I know the economics and how sports betting is becoming ever more pervasive in America. I am even conversant in the language of sports gambling. I just don’t like how it affects my own sports viewing experience.