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The High Stakes of Sports Betting & Binge Drinking

Season 3
Episode #5
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Since sports betting became legal in most U.S. states, millions of fans now place wagers—often with a drink in hand. UNM psychologist Dr. Joshua Grubbs explains how sports gambling and binge drinking are more connected than you might think, and why this mix could reshape American sports culture.

About Our Guest(s)

Joshua Grubbs, Ph.D.

Joshua Grubbs, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico and an investigator at the Center on Alcohol, Substance use, and Addictions, where he studies compulsive sexual behavior disorder, gambling disorder, and personality traits. He is especially interested in the social construction of addiction and understanding what leads people feel out of control in their behavior. More simply, he studies how people come to think of themselves as having a behavioral addiction and why people might arrive at the conclusion that they have a behavioral addiction. Additionally, Dr. Grubbs is especially interested in veteran health and the experiences of U.S. Armed Forces veterans dealing with compulsive, excessive, or out-of-control behaviors.

Hosted by UCAM's Alexa Skonieski

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From podcast listener to podcast host, Alexa Skonieski is a university communication representative on The University of New Mexico’s Communication and Marketing team (UCAM). She’s thrilled to spread the word on important research coming out of UNM, New Mexico’s flagship university. In addition to producing It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science, she writes stories and creates videos for the UNM Newsroom, the university’s official communication platform.

Skonieski is a graduate of Central Michigan University’s School of Communication, Journalism, and Media (’19). She is a former news reporter/anchor who worked at TV stations in Michigan, Nebraska, and most recently in New Mexico at KRQE News 13, where she won a New Mexico Broadcasters Association award. She is passionate about academic research and wants its topics to be understandable and accessible to everyone. People should know the important role UNM plays. She hopes you’ll subscribe to the show and follow along!