Sports Betting Laws – The Official Betting Laws of Major League Sports

A number of different types of wagers can be placed on a game. The most common are point spreads and money lines. In order to win a bet on these wagers, the team or individual you choose must cover the point spread. The amount of the point spread is the total number of points scored in a game and can be determined by adding the teams’ final scores. This is sometimes called the OVER/UNDER.

The NBA, MLB, and NFL have not officially endorsed or opposed sports betting. However, the Vegas Golden Knights, the NHL’s first expansion team, have forged partnerships with bookmakers to offer in-game data and other information that can make betting decisions easier for fans.

New Jersey legalized sports betting in 2018. The state has a unified market with two regulated operators: DraftKings and the Golden Nugget.

Kansas launched legal sports betting on September 1st, 2022, following an efficient legislative and regulatory process. To participate in the new legal market, you must be physically present within the state and use geolocation technology to prove it. The state also prohibits all betting on in-state collegiate sports and events.

The MLB has a long-standing rule against gambling that is posted on dugout walls and reads in part: “Any player, umpire, or club or league official who wagers any sum of money on a game in which they have a duty to perform shall be suspended for life.” People permanently banned from baseball are forbidden from entering the Hall of Fame.