Risk vs. Recreation: Examining unique prop bets as sports gambling continues to evolve

This is a column by Morgan Campbell, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section, please see the FAQ.

A small corner of track nerd Twitter knows me as an uncannily accurate predictor of big-time sprint races. 

An hour before the men's 60-metre final at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships, I tweeted that Christian Coleman would win gold in 6.37 seconds, followed by Su Bingtian in 6.42 seconds, and Ronnie Baker in 6.45. Sixty minutes later, those three men crossed the finish line in that order, two of them running the times I had predicted. Baker broke formation, running 6.44.

Two years later I predicted Coleman would win U.S. indoor nationals in 6.37 seconds, and when he did exactly that, longtime sprint coach Stu McMillan suggested I consider switching careers.

"You gotta give up this writing nonsense," tweeted McMillan, who spent three seasons coaching Andre De Grasse.

"LOL and gamble on sprints for a living?" I replied. "Is there money in that?"

"Absolutely!!"

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In theory, yes. Especially now, when single event-sports betting is legal in Ontario, among other jurisdictions. I could win $1 million on Fred Kerley to run 9.92 at Diamond League Rome on Thursday, then turn that into $10 million at the World Championships, where I would bet on Elaine Thompson-Herah to win in 10.63.

If I thought of risk as recreation, I might try it.

But in real life, I'm the least-gambling inclined sports fan you're likely to meet. When I'm at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas covering some fight, and see signs directing me to "Race and Sports," my first reaction is to wonder whether Howard Bryant has a new book out.

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