Official betting is the act of placing money behind an outcome in sports. It’s a form of gambling that is legal in many states and is growing across the United States. This article discusses the rules that govern official betting, including how it works and its limitations.

NFL players and other league personnel are prohibited from betting on football games. However, they can place bets on non-NFL events at legal sportsbooks. They are also not allowed to bet from team or league facilities or when they’re on the road with their teams. Additionally, players are required to sign a statement acknowledging the league’s gambling rules.

MLB game prop bets usually require a game to be official or reach a designated point (typically one pitch thrown for pitchers and one plate appearance for position players) to have action. This is because of the possibility that games are shortened or suspended due to weather or other reasons. If a bet is incorrectly placed on a shortened or suspended game, the wager will be void and the money lines will likely change.

Various rules and regulations regarding MLB official betting exist to prevent sportsbook employees from attempting to manipulate betting markets in an effort to profit or gain inside information. This activity is a violation of the league’s code of conduct and can lead to a lifetime ban from the sport. Other violations include seeking, offering, or accepting a bribe to fix a match or event, and failing to report any attempts to fix a game or its result.