Fielding a Daily Fantasy Sports Team Is No Different Than Playing Online Poker

Websites Like DraftKings and FanDuel Bear All the Hallmarks of Gambling—Including Addiction

Tonight’s NCAA men’s basketball championship will also crown the champion in millions of fantasy pools. As the nation gets ready for the excitement or frustration that this game will bring, let me tell you about my firsthand experience with fantasy sports—which I not only play, but also study. Fantasy sports are a type of online game where people assemble virtual teams of real-life players and compete against other virtual teams based on statistical performances. While money’s often involved, these games are not technically seen as gambling in the eyes of …

Why We Let Sports Teams Break Our Hearts

As the Super Bowl Draws Near, Zealous Fans Yearn for Shared Storylines That Last a Lifetime

When I was growing up in Mexico, I rooted for a scrappy, financially troubled soccer team named Atlético Español that ultimately broke my heart by being relegated to a lower …

How Our Scrappy Soccer Team Is Giving Hope to Underdogs Everywhere

Thanks to the Foxes, the City of Leicester Has a Shot at Greatness

My hometown of Leicester, like many English cities that aren’t named London, Liverpool, or Manchester, doesn’t get a lot of respect—or, to put it more bluntly, notice. As only the …

The Creeping Demons of Ambition

After Running the Race of My Life, I Became Consumed by Doubts and Disillusionment

Three years ago, on a rain-soaked track in rural Pennsylvania, I ran the fastest 1,500-meter race by an American college student in history. My time was 3:35.59. Add an extra …

Professional Football Has a California Problem

Three Teams Want to Come to L.A., but I've Got Better Ideas

Pro football has a “California problem.”

So say some of the most powerful people in the sport. And as a new National Football League season kicks off this weekend, they are …

Soccer Can Bring America Together

The L.A. Galaxy’s Signing of English and Mexican Superstars Integrates Disparate Fans

Gio scored in his opening match, and the sold-out crowd went wild. The L.A. Galaxy’s new Mexican superstar, Giovani Dos Santos, had scored earlier with fans, too, for his …