Most states in the U.S. have legalized some form of sports betting. In general, you can place a wager on sports events from the following leagues: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAA. However, not all states allow for all forms of wagering. For example, some states do not allow for odds to be taken on their games. This can make it difficult for sports enthusiasts to follow their favorite teams outside of their home states.
Federal Regulation
The legality of sports wagering in the United States is mostly derived from the Professional & Amateur Sports Protection Act, which was passed in 1992. This act set out to protect sports fans, players, and teams from being discriminated against by gambling interests. It also sought to ensure that betting on sports did not become a moneymaker for criminal syndicates and organizations.
The Professional & Amateur Sports Protection Act was amended in 2016 to include additional sports. As a result, the list of permissible sports has grown larger than ever. Currently, you can wager on the following sports:
- Archery
- Athletics
- Ballroom Dancing
- Beach Volleyball
- Biking
- Bodybuilding
- Boxing
- Brakeman Racing
- Camping
- Canoeing
- Chess
- Climbing
- Cross Country Skiing
- Dancing
- Darts
- Eco-Challenge
- Fishing
- Gardening
- Gold Panning
- Golf
- Hiking
- Hunting
- Ice Climbing
- Jet Skiing
- Kayaking
- Kayaking
- Kitesurfing
- Light-Flying
- Mountain Climbing
- Multigymnastic Drilling
- Origami
- Paragliding
- Paramilitary Training
- Parkour
- Personal Watercraft
- Piloting
- Paddling
- Rainbow Lading
- Rescue
- Rifle Shooting
- Rock Climbing
- Running
- Sailing
- Scuba Diving
- Sea Kayaking
- Skiing
- Snorkeling
- Snowmobiling
- Squash
- Stargazing
- Street Laning
- Swimming
- Tap Dancing
- Target Shooting
- Tennis
- Tetradrumming
- Thermal Flying
- Tiger Hunting
- Tobogganing
- Volleyball
- Walking
- White Water Rafting
- Winter Sports
- X-Country Skiing
- Yacht Fishing
- Ziplining
State Regulation
In general, the legality of sports wagering is determined at the state level. Most states have set their own regulations regarding legal gambling, including sports wagering. It is often the case that the legality of sports wagering varies from county to county within an individual state. For example, some counties may allow for sports wagering, while others may not.
Certain states have also passed legislation that specifically prohibits the wagering on certain sports. For example, in New York, you cannot wager on boxing or wrestling matches. In Louisiana, you cannot wager on horse racing or basketball.
Where Can I Bet?
The legal status of sports wagering also varies from sportsbook to sportsbook. Much like with the lottery, there are a number of states where you can place wagers on sporting events. However, you may not be able to do the same at other locations. For example, most online sportsbooks cannot be accessed from New York.
The following is a list of U.S. states where you can legally wager on sports:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virgin Islands
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Canada
- U.K.
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Japan
- Mexico
- Argentina
- Chile
- Uruguay
- Bolivia
- Ecuador
- Venezuela
What Are The Odds?
The odds of winning any specific sporting event are mostly set by the bookmaker. This is often the case even if the odds are not posted on the website. For example, if you are visiting a betting website and scroll to the sports section, you may not see the sportsbooks or odds for that specific event. You will have to contact the bookmaker directly.
This is especially the case for offshore sportsbooks, as they are closed to U.S. citizens and residents. The offshore sportsbooks are based in countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas. If you are trying to follow the action from within the U.S., you may have to search for the odds elsewhere.
In some instances, you can find the full odds for a specific match or event on the website of the particular sports league, or the governing body of that sport. If you are trying to bet on a team, you will often have to search for the odds of each of its individual players. In the U.S., the odds for individual players are not always available, as teams often combine their odds into one total.