The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and while it can bring friends and family together, it can also be an outlet for addiction.

In 2019, an estimated 23 million adults placed bets on the Super Bowl. Five years later, that number tripled, according to the American Gaming Association.

Scott Teitelbaum, an addiction specialist at the University of Florida, said the addiction often stems from the anticipation and actions leading up to the big game.

 ”The sports gamblers will tell you about the preoccupation,” Teitelbaum said. “For example if it’s football season, the preoccupation during the week. You’re looking at the lines on Saturday or Sunday, kind of waking up, being excited, looking at the lines, looking at the changes, reading about the different teams, kind of who’s playing, who’s not. There’s a great anticipatory high dealing with it.”

Teitelbaum said that many gamblers start with small bets, but over time, they may gamble more and more, attempting to chase money they’ve lost with large wagers.

The addiction is becoming more common, according to Teitelbaum, due to the increasing acceptance and accessibility of sports gambling.

A study from Fairleigh Dickinson University found that 10% of young men in the U.S. exhibit gambling addiction behaviors, compared to just 3% of the general population.