Official betting is the term used to describe sports wagering conducted by a governmental body. This is most often found in the form of state lotteries, but some jurisdictions also run other forms of gambling games, such as scratchcards or pull tab games. In a state lottery, players purchase tickets that have opaque areas and match numbers or symbols to win prizes. The winning tickets must be validated by a state lottery commission before the prize can be claimed.

In the United States, there are 34 legal sportsbooks that offer sports betting. Many of these are part of casinos or racetracks, while others are standalone facilities open to the general public. Many of the larger states, such as New Jersey, have multiple sportsbooks. In addition, there are a number of online sportsbooks.

The US sports betting market is growing rapidly. It has become a big business for many operators and the legalized industry is expected to grow even further in the future. This growth is driven by the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning PASPA, which prohibited sports betting outside of Nevada.

Major league baseball was one of the most vocal opponents of legalized sports betting, but has since done a 180 and embraced it. There are now sportsbooks inside MLB stadiums, and the league has partnerships with several sportsbooks. Some states have even passed legislation allowing sports betting. However, California’s 2023 referendum to legalize sports betting was defeated. The ballot measure broke spending records, and was opposed by the majority of voters.