( InvestigateTV ) — Sports betting is on the rise across the country as more than two dozen states now allow online gambling.

According to a NerdWallet survey , one in five Americans says they bet on sports in the last year, and the average gambler spent several thousand dollars. But experts say those wagers can quickly get out of hand and tip over into addiction.

“The addiction takes hold of you, and you can’t really control it,” said a longtime Arizona sports bettor who asked to have his identity disguised.

He doesn’t want to hide what he went through, betting on games every week for more than five years, losing tens of thousands of dollars.

“I didn’t feel like I needed help, didn’t feel like I had an issue and it took my marriage being on the line to really open my eyes to fact t

See Full Page