Carnegie Mellon Offers Sports Betting Class for Freshmen

Carnegie Mellon University is offering a sports betting class for freshmen titled “Sports Betting, Highs and Lows: Your Brain on Stats.” The class is run by assistant teaching professor Ron Yurko and cognitive neuroscience professor Linda Moya. The class seeks to examine probability, addiction, cognitive biases in decision-making, the business of American sportsbooks, and more.

The idea for the class came to Ron Yurko after observing students betting in class. Yurko told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the idea for the class came to him after observing students betting in class. After the Supreme Court overturned the virtual ban on sports betting outside Nevada, Yurko said he began getting emails seeking his analysis on betting. The class seemed like a natural fit to merge statistical analysis and responsible gaming.

The class also explores why so many gamblers believe they have an edge. A 2023 study by the NCAA found that 58% of adults 18 to 22 have wagered on sports at least once. Additionally, a study in 2023 by the University of Southern California reported that bankruptcies rose 28% in the states where wagering on sports is more easily accessible.