March Madness starts this weekend and college students who might want to drop a bet on their favorite teams are looking to the social sports betting app Rebet as an alternative to DraftKings and FanDuel.
Unlike those sportsbook apps, the year-old Rebet offers risk-free betting.The social networking and sports betting app allows users to “rebet” other people’s bets, follow friends, comment on each other’s wagers and put virtual bets in a feed similar to Instagram.
Users get the rush of sport betting, without the risk since no actual money is involved.
The app launched a year ago, but word is starting to spread courtesy the Rebet Girls, a group of University of Arizona students who have been spreading the word on social media and during sporting events.
Raegan Robison, Skyla Engelking, Mikenna Enkelking and Searra Yadvish were among the group that appeared at last month’s Waste Management Phoenix Open. The team interacted with students, produced social media content and conducted interviews as part of the promotion.
“Betting on Rebet feels more like competing with your friends than actual gambling,” said Robison, a UA journalism major. “With March Madness coming up, everyone is making brackets and predictions, and Rebet adds another layer of fun and competition to that.”
Mikenna Enkelking said Rebet allows people to bond over their mutual love of sports. It also adds excitement to the experience of watching sports, Yadvish said.
“It’s become a part of how we watch games together,” Yadvish said. “When there’s a stake, even if it’s just for fun, games are more exciting.”
Rebet is currently available in 47 states. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play.
The University of Arizona men’s basketball team takes on the University of Akron (Ohio) at 7:35 p.m. Friday in the NCAA tournament’s first round. The game will be shown on Sling and Tru TV.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
