Business & Finance
Majority of Gen Z investors have redirected investment funds to sports betting, survey finds
Financial professionals warn that substituting long-term wealth building with sportsbooks carries significant risks of net financial loss.
The short version
- A Betterment survey of 1,000 investors found that 52% of Gen Z investors have diverted funds intended for long-term investing toward sports bets.
- About 25% of Gen Z investors believe sports betting should be considered a component of their long-term financial strategy.
- Financial experts warn that gambling is actively competing with retirement savings, noting that sportsbook fee structures make consistent long-term wins statistically unlikely compared to historical stock market returns.
Key facts
- According to a Betterment survey of 1,000 investors, 52% of Gen Z investors have redirected money originally intended for investing into sports wagers.[CNBC]
- Approximately one-quarter of Gen Z investors believe that sports bets should be treated as part of their long-term financial strategy.[CNBC]
- Sportsbooks build a fee, known as a vig, into their pricing, which stacks the odds against bettors and typically results in a net financial loss over time.[CNBC]
- A New York Federal Reserve report indicates that the legalization of sports betting has coincided with increased rates of debt delinquency and bankruptcy.[CNBC]
- A 2025 U.S. News and World Report survey found that 25% of sports bettors missed paying a bill due to their wagers, and 30% took on debt because of betting.[CNBC]