When you place a wager on an event, you’re making a bet on what will happen in the future. These types of bets are commonly known as futures. They can be placed on competition or tournament outrights (e.g. Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl), regular season win totals (e.g. Brooklyn Nets O/U 57.5 Wins), or player prop futures (e.g. Aaron Rodgers O/U 42.5 Passing TDs for the season).
While most futures bets are made on preseason games, there are also a number of other types of sports betting that take place during the regular season. For example, many US states offer futures bets on division and championship winners. This type of betting is known as season-long handicapping and it can be a fun way to make a wager on the upcoming season.
In the US, some state laws require sportsbooks to use official data when grading certain wagers. For instance, Illinois and Tennessee law require the use of official league data for Tier 2 bets. However, the American Gaming Association opposes these attempts to force a commercial agreement or a legislative mandate for official league data in all markets.
In the case of the NFL, officials from a specific team are prohibited from betting on their own teams in matches. Additionally, individuals who are associated with clubs at lower levels of the men’s or women’s league systems are also banned from betting on football matches. This includes players, coaches, and match officials at FA Level 4 or below. Moreover, it is illegal to seek, offer, or accept any kind of bribe to fix a sporting event or any bet on the outcome of such an event.