Official betting is sports betting in an environment that is monitored and regulated. This is usually in a retail sportsbook and can include online wagering as well. These sportsbooks will typically offer multiple betting options including parlays, single bets and over/unders (a type of bet that pays out if the total score goes over or under a certain number). Prop bets are also available, which are specific predictions on a variety of different events during a game.
Before the Supreme Court ruling, major sports leagues fought to keep legalized gambling out of their games. They feared that it could lead to attempts at fixing — compromising a game for betting purposes. That stance changed after the ruling and now the sport is embracing sports betting as an important part of its business model.
34 states plus Washington, DC now allow some form of sports betting. Some are allowing only in-person betting, while others are allowing both online and retail. Some states have had some hiccups in the first few months, but things should be smoother as the year goes on.
Hawaii is the only state where sports betting is not yet legal. The state’s legislative session ended in January of 2022 without any traction on a bill to legalize sports betting, but it may be possible for lawmakers to introduce a new law in future sessions.