Sports betting is an activity in which the result of a game to be played or being played is predicted before the end of the sport and a wager is laid on the outcome. Sports betting is not just limited to games like football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, track cycling, mixed martial arts, boxing etc but is also extended to events such as reality shows and political elections, horse racing, greyhound racing, and illegal underground cock fights. It is very common for the sports betting websites to offer wager for the events like the Oscars, the Grant Awards, and the Emmy Awards. However, not every Sportbook is the same. For a breakdown of sportsbook reviews, you could check out this guide and use the one that makes the most sense for you.
Whether you are an aspiring sports bettor or advanced, professional one, the question which always arises in your mind is that ‘what is the best sport to bet on’. The answer to this question is simple, you should always choose the sport to bet of which you have the maximum knowledge. Even though you understand the game very well, it would be a little confusing when it comes to place a wager on it. Say for example you are a pro at understanding the game of tennis and it provides a number of opportunities when it comes to tennis betting. But you need to be a little more skillful while placing a wager on tennis as it is a little bit confusing to understand the type of odds for tennis like
- Match winner odds
- Live in-play odds
- Set odds
- Handicap odds
Another FAQ about sports betting is whether it is legal or illegal to bet on sports. The answer to this question is not as simple as the question because to bet on sports can be both, either legal or illegal. Every country has its own laws, regulations and policies to sports betting, this is why the subject of sports betting laws are very complex and confusing. Let’s discuss sports betting laws in some countries.
In the United States of America:
There are specifically two Acts of federal legislation in the United States which are applicable to sports betting.
- Interest Wire Act of 1961:
Under this act it was illegal to bet on any sports events using wire communication i.e. meant telephone in 1961, but today it is applicable for online sports betting also.
This act basically targets the bookmakers (a person who calculates the odds, places bets and pays out the winning on behalf of other people) and organizations which provide this service, but not the people who choose to bet on any sports events.
This act is only applicable to sports betting only, explicitly for offline betting but there is no specification in federal law of it being illegal for online betting.
- Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA):
This act was made to make all the forms of sports betting illegal across the entire nation. This act was instigated to protect any sports event from the gambling influence. As per PASPA no state is allowed to run any run their own sports betting operations or pass any kind of law that legalizes any form of sports betting in any way.
Four states namely Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregano were exempted from the act because these states had their existing sports betting legislation.
In Canada:
The Canadian Criminal Code lays out the national sports betting laws in Canada. In 1970 an amendment was made according to which individual provinces were allowed authorized, licensed and regulated gambling within their own region. Resulting to this change many land based casinos were built in Canada and many of them authorized for sports betting, but in a limited form. Canadian residents are free to wager on any offshore betting sites, but it’s illegal to operate any unauthorized betting site in Canada and also the use of such illegal sites is considered unlawful.
In the United Kingdom:
The United Kingdom is the friendliest region for both land based and online gambling, because here all the forms of gambling including sports betting are legalized. There are two conditions to be followed before involving into gambling:
- You should be at least 18years of age.
- Only those online betting sites can accept the UK customers legally which are licensed UK Gambling Commission.
Conclusion
You can hone your rudimentary betting skills slowly and gradually, by spending more time betting on your favorite sports and once you master the different types of betting you can secure your financial earnings better.
Louis Belgie
A writer by day and a ready by night. Follower of a local and international regulations and policies. Also been lucky enough to work with online gaming operators gathering in depth knowledge of gambling regulations worldwide. Check out live22 for a great experience.