Sports betting is a form of gambling where you put money on an outcome of a sport and get paid if that happens. You can bet on anything from the winner of a game to whether a team will win a championship. There are many different types of bets, and the most popular ones include moneyline, spread and parlays.
In baseball, official betting refers to bets that are placed on a game when it’s officially started. This is important because if a game is delayed or suspended due to weather, the odds may change.
There are also certain situations where a bet can’t be made, such as when a player makes an error during a game or the statistics change after the game. In these cases, the bet may be voided or the sportsbook may offer a refund.
Live in-game betting is also available and allows you to bet on the number of runs scored during a game. These wagers generally are subject to the same rules as pre-game betting, though it’s important to remember that extra-inning runs count towards the total.
The rules for legal sports betting vary from state to state, but many states have legalized the practice. These states include New York, Connecticut and Illinois, which all launched their legal markets in 2019.
Sportsbooks have partnerships with clubs from major leagues across the country, including the NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL. These clubs often have sponsorship deals with betting companies and access to their in-game data.