Sports betting in the USA continues to grow following the Supreme Court decision that struck down PASPA, allowing states to institute legal wagering. However, there are a few key rules that need to be understood before placing your first bet.
All bets are settled based on the final result of a game as outlined by official governing bodies. This includes overtime scores. If a game is postponed, all bets will be voided unless the game is rescheduled and played the same day. Games that are abandoned before the 90 minutes are played will see all markets, excluding First Goalscorer bets, void unless they have been settled prior to abandonment.
NBA and MLB players are forbidden from betting on their own games. This rule extends to other multisport events such as the Olympics, where participants are defined as athletes, members of team staff (including coaches/managers), tournament officials and those in ownership or executive positions.
In addition, any individual who has been convicted of match-fixing or has been banned from professional sport will be excluded from betting on WBSC matches. An example of this would be Joseph Sullivan, who paid eight Chicago White Sox players to fix the 1919 World Series.
Ohio legalized sports gambling in 2021 and launched online betting in January of 2023. In-person sports betting launched in 2022 and is available in multiple locations. However, betting on collegiate games and player prop bets are prohibited. Iowa also legalized sports gambling in 2021 and began offering sportsbooks at several retail venues the following year.