Official betting is putting money behind an outcome in a sporting event. Betting on sports has become more common since the Supreme Court ruling in May of 2018 made it legal for many states to offer legal sports betting. Official betting is regulated by the Football Association (FA), which ensures that the rules are followed and protects integrity in the industry. The FA also educates officials and makes sure that they are prepared to answer questions from fans and the media about what is going on with official betting.
Some states require that a game be official for bets to have action, such as the 6.5 innings rule for MLB games. Other markets like total runs and run lines only have action if the game is played all the way through. MLB teams experience shortened games often due to weather, so it’s important to check the rules of each game before placing bets on those markets.
The NHL’s collective bargaining agreement explicitly prohibits players and those who work for the league from gambling on NHL games. Players are required to sign a contract acknowledging the league’s gambling policies before being allowed to play.
Illinois and Indiana legalized sports betting in 2019, with online and mobile options available from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, PointsBet, and others. Arizona rolled out in 2021, with retail and online options from sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM. The number of states with legal sports betting continues to grow, but it’s still best to stick with Nevada when it comes to centralized sportsbooks.
