If you haven’t already been asked whether you want to fill out a March Madness bracket in an office pool, chances are you will be soon. And according to a new survey from Vault.com, chances are also pretty good that you’ll plop down a few bucks on a bet that most people don’t really consider gambling—let alone illegal gambling, as is technically the case in Louisiana and almost every other state. The survey found that roughly 70% of workers participate in an office betting pool. Perhaps even more telling, 79% of respondents say it is appropriate to engage in betting pools in the workplace. When asked to explain, most respondents say an office betting pool is good for employee morale, contributes to team building and is just plain fun. However, respondents weren’t unanimous in that opinion. “I think they are unethical and in bad taste in any workplace setting. They set a poor example and interfere with work productivity,” comments one disapproving respondent. The cost to enter most pools is pretty low, as you might expect. Fees of $10 or less were reported by 38% of survey respondents, and 17% say the price of participation is no more than $5; 19% say pool entry fees range between $11 and $25. The complete survey results can be found here.
Today’s poll question: Does your workplace typically have betting pools for major sporting events such as March Madness?
