Yeah, it was me. Sigh. I couldn’t help myself.

Around 1 p.m. that day, I ramped off the jam-packed Borman Expressway in Gary to plop down a $20 wager on a three-game parlay bet. After dodging traffic, navigating around Burr Street construction and hustling into the casino, it took me less than five minutes to give away $20.

The casino worker behind the counter was polite and helpful, though looking rather lonely at the sportsbook section, which had more employees than bettors when I was there. These brick-and-mortar casino sportsbooks conduct a very small percentage of overall sports gaming — now offered in more than 30 states — compared to online betting from the comfort of gamblers’ bathrooms or bedrooms. (Trust me on this one.)

My bet Wednesday at Hard Rock was the first sports wager I placed in person at a casino since Indiana legalized sports gambling in 2019.

That day felt like a high holy day to me. It was in early September, and I stood in line behind none other than Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher to place a bet at the FanDuel sportsbook inside Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City. We both bet on the Bears to beat the Green Bay Packers. We both lost. No surprise there, huh?

Urlacher was there to attract gamblers to the new sportsbook area inside that casino. I was there to place my first legal bet on an NFL game, something I had waited decades to do. Urlacher spoke with me for a few minutes about football. (Read about it on my Facebook page.) He also was kind enough to sign a football I brought for my son-in-law.

Since I placed that bet three years ago, I’ve strictly used mobile devices to place online wagers on football games, my poison of choice. From the comfort of my own home or car or back patio, I can bet modest wagers on games I would otherwise care nothing about. This is the attraction for me. Like most gamblers, I’m paying for excitement and escapism under the guise of “winning.”

Admittedly, I’ve done this too many times during my favorite season of the year — football season — which begins the busiest and most lucrative sports betting period of the year. This year, casinos are expected to set another record with sports gambling revenue, according to the American Gaming Association.

Inflation troubles. Recession fears. High gas prices. Stock market volatility. None of this seems to matter when it comes to sports betting, especially online sports gambling, which requires no gas money.

On Tuesday, Hard Rock finally joined the frenzy by launching a new mobile version of its on-property sportsbook site, which opened in May. “Be assured that when you bet with Hard Rock, you’re rolling with one of the most trusted brands in the world,” the app stated when I downloaded it Tuesday night.

I deposited $50 into my new account and wagered it on multiple parlay bets, coaxed by the app’s promo for a free spin of a “mystery wheel” for a free prize up to $5,000. I’m a sucker for a “free prize.” Plus, I could really use $5,000. I told this to my smartphone, which is always listening to me.

Unfortunately, a technical problem got in the way of me winning that prize, so I had to contact customer service. At 1:24 a.m. I had a polite online chat with a Hard Rock rep named Nabil L., who lives in another country, though he wasn’t allowed to disclose where. (I asked, of course. I always do.)

After a few minutes and several text exchanges, Nabil guided me to my free spin of the mystery wheel. I won 50 bucks, the same amount as my deposit. Just my luck. I vowed to never again place another sports bet. My vow lasted about 12 hours.

On Wednesday, I was standing at the Hard Rock sportsbook with a $20 bill in my hand. I was there strictly for column research purposes, of course. (You’re welcome.) But I still left without that $20.

This is the essence of gambling. Even when gamblers win, they lose something more valuable than money. They lose their time. I lose my time too.

September is Responsible Gaming Education Month, and 92% of U.S. sports bettors claim they know the tools needed for responsible gaming. I hope so, because more than 46 million U.S. adults say they will place a bet during this year’s NFL season, according to a new AGA survey.

I will place dozens of bets, all nickel and dime ones, though likely not again at a casino property. Online betting is so darn easy. And intoxicating.

At Hard Rock, amid the sound of slot machines, table games, and escapism, I bet on the Bears to lose to the 49ers by more than seven points. Sure, I’m a long-time fan of the Bears, but I’m a short-term fanatic for sports betting.

My favorite season of the year has just begun. And it will once again end too soon.