How to quit sports betting
Sports betting is built into the games now. The odds are on the broadcast, the promos are in your feed, and the app is in your pocket. Quitting means removing it from all of those places and then building a life on game day that doesn't involve a slip. Here's the order I'd do it in.
The short version
- Today: enroll in your state's self-exclusion at lifetime, and exclude inside every sportsbook app.
- Then: pick'em, fantasy and prediction apps, which state lists usually miss.
- Block the money: bank gambling blocks, remove saved cards, hand over access.
- Plan game day: who you're with, what you're doing, and whether you watch at all.
- Get support: a meeting, a counselor, 1-800-GAMBLER.
Step 1: Lock yourself out
Your state's program, at lifetime
Find yours on your state page. I chose lifetime self-exclusion. Where lifetime isn't offered, take the longest term and set a renewal reminder.
Every sportsbook app
Exclude inside each one, even with the state list in place: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars.
The apps that dodge state lists
PrizePicks, Underdog and other pick'em apps, and Kalshi, Polymarket and Robinhood sports contracts.
Offshore books
No list reaches them. Install BetBlocker or Gamban and let someone else hold the password.
Step 2: Block the money
- Turn on gambling blocks at your bank and card issuer. See our bank blocking guide.
- Remove saved cards from Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo links you used for betting.
- Withdraw what's left in each account before you exclude, if you can. In states like Pennsylvania and New York, winnings are forfeited while you're excluded.
- Hand over access. When I quit, I handed my accounts to people I trusted.
Step 3: Cut the noise
- Turn off gambling ads on Google and Meta, and opt out of promo texts.
- Unfollow tipsters, betting podcasts and "lock of the day" accounts.
- Leave group chats that are mostly about bets, or mute them for now.
- Turn off score and odds alerts.
Step 4: Plan game day
Should I stop watching sports?
For a while, many people do. If every game makes you want to bet, take a season off. You can see how it feels later, once you have more support in place.
If you do watch
Watch with people who know you've quit. Leave your phone in another room. Avoid sports bars with betting screens. Have a plan for the last two minutes of a close game, because that's when the urge to "get in" hits.
Fill the old betting hours
Sunday afternoons and Monday nights need a new routine. Book a meeting, the gym or time with family into them. Put it in our relapse prevention plan.
Step 5: Build the foundation
- Get to a meeting this week. See our support groups guide.
- Call 1-800-GAMBLER and ask about free counseling in your state.
- Tell the people closest to you. Gambling takes relationships as well as money, and getting honest is part of the fix.
- Write it down. My journaling turned into my book. Yours just has to be honest.
The blocks give you time. I'm still the last line of defense, and you are for yours. Use the quiet weeks to build the rest, because the season always comes back around.
Common questions
How do I stop betting on sports for good?
Self-exclude at lifetime in your state and inside every app, block the money, cut the noise, and build support around game days. Recovery is lifelong, so keep the plan going after the urges ease.
Does state self-exclusion cover PrizePicks or Kalshi?
Usually not. Exclude from those apps directly. Our fantasy and prediction market guides have the steps.
What if I slip during a big game?
Tell someone within a day, close whatever you used, and tighten the plan. Each slip shows a gap. It isn't a reason to stop trying, and it isn't something to get comfortable with.
Can I still do a friendly office pool?
If you're a compulsive gambler, no. Small bets keep the habit alive.