Avid sports fan may find that their interest can actually return a substantial profit, as the world of sports betting gains even more participants and expands online. However, policymakers aren’t always on the same page. In what the Washington Times calls “a now outdated 1992 federal ban,” (i.e. the regulation that still limits legal sports betting to four U.S. states, only one of which actually practices and regulates sports betting) bettors in certain areas are imploring politicians to take a second look at the regulations.
The recent 2014 World Cup may be partly to blame for the renewed interest in betting restrictions, as Americans find out that many countries across the globe have legalized sports betting and actually make a substantial profit from it. Even after the U.S. soccer team exited the tournament, articles still profiled the intense global interest in watching matches, finding soccer betting picks and other expert betting picks, and placing large wagers on games. Most notably, many Southeast Asian countries have experienced a sudden interest in watching the games, and bettors have incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt over single games — even though sports betting in many of these countries is illegal.
And the U.S. is no stranger to illegal betting rings, either. This past June, a huge sports betting ring was uncovered in New Jersey in a sting operation which nabbed 29 people who were involved in the ring. Despite efforts to avoid detection by setting up camp offshore and using online pages to organize wagers, the two primary agents (who have been convicted with betting infractions in the past) couldn’t escape detection by the federal government.
Ironically, politicians in New Jersey are currently fighting to have sports betting restrictions relaxed so that the state can legalize and regulate sports wagers. Supporters of legalization claim that the industry will create and sustain numerous jobs for residents of New Jersey, and the entire state will profit from collected taxes.
Until that legislation passes, sports bettors have to either visit Nevada to place their bets, or become part of the growing online betting community. Even bettors who can access legal bookies in the flesh sometimes prefer to use online websites, partly because the world of online betting is becoming more safe as it gains popularity, but also because it’s simple more convenient. Avid bettors don’t have to look hard to find numerous sites with expert betting picks, whether they’re looking for free expert betting picks or want to buy sports picks. Bettors are also finding that online betting venues create a community for sports fans which allows bettors across the globe to connect with one another. So even though many sports bettors are hoping that new U.S. legislation will set a precedent for other states to follow, many bettors are content with the way online sports betting is being run right now. Get more here: www.blowoutpicks.com
