Official betting is a term used to describe bets placed on games that have been sanctioned by the governing body of a particular sport. It is a popular way for sports bettors to make wagers based on stats and results that have been verified by the sport’s league. In the United States, the federal ban on sports betting was lifted in 2021, and since then several states have legalized it.

However, a number of state-level challenges remain to be resolved before sports betting is fully legalized. The biggest battle involves a desire by sports leagues to monetize their data, which has led them to push for official betting rules that require sportsbooks to use the league’s official information in all bets.

The most common type of official betting is moneyline wagers on a single game. All bets on the moneyline must be graded by the time a game is officially over, which helps protect the integrity of the game. Sportsbooks are also generally prohibited from accepting multiple bets where the outcome of one event contributes to the result of another. This is called correlated betting, and it would expose the sportsbook to too much risk if it were allowed.

In addition to regulating moneyline bets, sportsbooks must adhere to baseball’s gambling rules. Specifically, MLB players and personnel are not allowed to gamble on league games or disclose nonpublic information about those games. Any violations could result in fines, suspension or even a permanent ban — like the one given to Pete Rose in 1989.