FFP96: How problem gambling led Jake Sanford from baseball to a bigger purpose

0 plays · Sep 1, 2026

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Introduction — rehabbing a torn Achilles (twice) and the road back

01:44 — Growing up in Halifax, Nova Scotia — hockey, baseball, and choosing a path

03:17 — Drafted 105th overall by the Yankees after starting baseball five years later than most

05:00 — The bad habits he avoided by not starting the game at five years old

08:14 — The “goldfish mindset” — the parallel between athletes and gamblers

08:27 — Cold-emailing nearly 300 schools to find a college opportunity

10:08 — Junior college at McCook, Nebraska — walking on, switching positions, and grinding

14:04 — Earning a scholarship to Western Kentucky University

15:48 — A .398 average, 23 home runs, and the Conference USA Triple Crown

16:41 — The pre-draft process — meetings, workouts, and getting scouted by the Yankees

19:44 — Gambling as normal entertainment — before things changed

21:57 — The Biloxi story — the slot machine, the $3,500, and chasing “that rush”

24:07 — Why athletes are especially prone to compulsive gambling

27:07 — The shame of gambling — hiding the losses, showing off the wins

29:05 — His first trip to the casino at 19 — and how the habit escalated

30:13 — The $600K signing bonus, “feeling invincible,” and living a double life

34:25 — Owing teammates money — and how it started to hurt the organization

36:37 — The financial reality of minor league pay

38:19 — Getting released by the Yankees

41:39 — The Instagram DM that led him to Epic Global Solutions

44:13 — “We're anti-gambling harm” — presenting at 45 schools in a year

46:36 — The moments that make it worth it — student-athletes coming forward

48:53 — What's next — Team Canada, the 2028 Olympics, and a possible coaching path

50:50 — Jake's closing advice: ask for help before it gets too late

🤝 CONNECT WITH JAKE SANFORD

🤝 CONNECT WITH MIKE HUBER