Official betting involves wagers made on a specific outcome of an event. These bets can be placed on a variety of different markets, including team score, totals, runlines, and prop bets.

How to place an official bet

In the United States, legal sports betting was previously prohibited under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2018 and opened the way for state governments to authorize regulated sports betting.

Some US states have voted to support regulated sports betting and others have opposed the industry entirely. One of the most contentious topics is data, with many US lawmakers expressing a desire to use official league data in state-regulated betting markets.

Lawmakers in Illinois and Tennessee have mandated that to-be licensed sportsbooks purchase only “official” data. These mandates have created a conflict between the leagues and distributors who offer unofficial data.

The leagues argue that these data mandates are necessary to ensure the integrity of their games and protect consumers from illegal gambling. But the industry views these mandates as a bad idea.

Why do the majority of US sportsbooks avoid using official data?

The main reason is that data is expensive and requires a dedicated staff to collect, compile, and distribute. This can create significant costs for sportsbooks and reduce their ability to serve bettors with a high-quality product.

In order to overcome this cost, the NBA and MLB have lobbied state lawmakers for legislation that would require their leagues to supply all online sportsbooks with official league data. While the leagues may believe this is the only way to ensure the integrity of their games, many operators have privately expressed dissatisfaction with these mandates and are considering a change in strategy.