Official betting is wagering on a game or event that has been fully sanctioned by the sport’s governing body. This includes bets placed on the outcome of a specific play, such as a field goal or kick-off return. Bets on individual players are also allowed, though it is not recommended as they can lose large amounts of money quickly. Bets are settled on the final score as declared by the governing body and do not take into account any penalties or extra time awarded.
The Black Sox Scandal of 1919 is widely regarded as one of the biggest sports scandals in history and resulted in eight members of the Chicago White Sox being banned from professional baseball forever. According to the story, gambler Joseph Sullivan paid members of the team – including Oscar Felsch, Arnold Gandil, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Fred McMullin, Charles Risberg, George Weaver and Claude Williams – 10,000 dollars each to fix the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Colorado legalized sports betting in 2021 and began accepting bets at multiple online operators that same year. In-person sportsbooks were available at tribal casinos. Bets on in-state collegiate teams are not allowed, and player prop bets are prohibited.
Massachusetts sports betting launched in January 2023 at three in-person locations and is expected to launch online in March of the same year. Minnesota legalized sports betting in August 2022 but has yet to begin offering it at any in-person venues or online. Missouri legislation has been proposed to allow sports betting but hasn’t yet passed at the state level.