Episode 139: Shohei Scandal and Sports Gambling in the Mainstream

Major League Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani has been implicated in a major sports gambling story concerning his professional interpreter. While it seems like at the moment Ohtani is unscathed, this investigation opens the door into a wider conversation about sports gambling in our culture. On today's episode, we discuss: 3:45 - March Madness Opening Weekend and previewing the Sweet 16! The basketball has been amazing, and we will be recording soon after the national championship game on April 8. 10:00 - THE BIG STORY: Shohei Ohtani's interpreter has confessed to amassing massive gambling debts and stealing from Ohtani to pay off his bookies. MLB is investigating this story, and so are we, as we discuss what we know right now, what we don't know yet, and what this story indicates about the problems when sports and gambling merge. 27:00 - We take the sports gambling story to a wider level, talking about the rise of gambling in our culture, the dangers of sports gambling, and how it makes the roles of athletes, sports leagues, and even politicians trickier to understand. As always, make sure to share this episode if you enjoyed it, and give us a follow on all your social media platforms!