Official betting is the act of placing a wager on a game’s outcome at a legal sportsbook. A variety of states have recently made it legal for their residents to place bets on sports events and teams. As a result, the amount of money placed on sporting events has risen significantly in recent years.
Sportsbooks take bets on a number of different sports, and their offerings vary. You should research each sportsbook before placing your bet. Besides reading reviews, it’s important to look at each site’s betting menu and betting markets. You should also consider the odds offered, which is a measure of how much money a bookmaker stands to make on each bet.
The National Hockey League (NHL) is one of the few major professional leagues to not officially endorse sports betting. Despite this, the league does have sponsorship agreements with sportsbooks that offer online and mobile betting options. This means that NHL players can legally gamble on games, as long as they don’t do it inside team facilities or while on the road.
In addition, the league works closely with regulators, sportsbooks and independent integrity monitors to ensure that any betting-related rules are enforced. For example, any player or employee who knowingly provides inside information to bettors could be subject to a suspension. This rule is in place to protect the integrity of the game.
Other rules governing official betting include the NBA’s ban on gambling, which states that any player, coach or staff member is not allowed to wager on any game that the NBA is involved in. The ban does not extend to non-NBA events, such as Super Bowl squares or NCAA tournament brackets. The NBA also prohibits gambling on its own properties and its affiliated businesses, including the league office and team facilities.
Several states have introduced legislation to legalize sports betting, with Ohio and Oklahoma making it legal in 2021. Colorado has legalized sports betting as of May 1, 2020, and has launched a number of different sportsbooks. However, collegiate betting is not permitted at any of the state’s sportsbooks. This includes player prop bets on collegiate games. In addition, there are a number of restrictions on the types of bets that can be placed in the state.