Official betting refers to a variety of wagers that are placed on the official results of specific events. In the context of sports, this typically includes the outcome of a game or individual player performance. While official betting is legal in most states, there are certain restrictions that should be considered before placing any wagers. Seeking, offering, or agreeing to accept a bribe in order to fix a match or event within a match is banned under US law. This is the same code of conduct that Joseph Sullivan violated when he paid eight members of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox to fix a World Series game.
The conversation surrounding official data is a significant part of the larger debate about legal sports gambling in the US. Leagues are seeking a role as primary stakeholders in regulated sports betting and are intent on profiting from it, ideally by collecting a direct cut of all US wagering handle. Official data mandates have supplanted the integrity fee as the leagues’ preferred mechanism for achieving that goal.
Players are barred from betting on their own teams, which means that if you have a NBA team, you will not be able to place wagers on any NBA games in legal sportsbooks. However, players may bet on other events if they are in a state that allows it and their team is not playing at home. Players must also sign a statement acknowledging the rules of gambling, which is written into each player’s contract.