As the name suggests, official betting is betting on a particular game or event that has been sanctioned by a sports governing body. This can include betting markets that cover everything from the number of points scored to the winner of a match or tournament. The odds are set by the governing body and any changes to these odds after they are initially announced will be ignored for settlement purposes.

For example, the NBA prohibits gambling on any of its properties (pro, college and youth) unless it is conducted legally in the jurisdiction where that activity takes place. In addition, any person associated with the league — from players to coaches and administrative staff — is subject to an extensive background check to ensure that they do not have any criminal convictions or charges involving gambling or sports wagering.

The NFL beefed up its in-house technology and security personnel in 2021 to better monitor betting activity, collaborate with regulators, sportsbooks and integrity firms to enforce its policies and track down anyone violating the rules. This also includes any employee or player who deliberately tanked a game or asked another team to lose on purpose, which will lead to a lifetime ban from the league.

The legalization of sports betting is continuing to spread across the country. Colorado voters approved the measure in 2019 and retail sportsbooks opened in May 2020, while online betting went live in October of that year. The state’s new sports betting laws allow for both pro and collegiate betting, with the exception of player prop bets on collegiate games.

Poker is a card game that can be played in casual settings for pennies or even matchsticks, as well as professionally for thousands of dollars. Regardless of whether you play the game for fun or for a living, understanding official poker rules will make your gaming experience more enjoyable for you and everyone else at your table.

While luck plays a major role in any poker game, the best players have the greatest skill and can consistently win. However, poker is also a mentally intensive game and it is important to protect your health by only playing when you are in the mood for it. If you feel frustration, fatigue, anger or any other negative emotion building up, it is best to step away from the table and take a break.

In poker, a player’s turn to act in a betting round begins when they either call the highest previous bet made by another player or fold their hand. When a player makes a bet they must place the amount of chips that they wish to wager into the pot. However, there are situations where exceptions to this rule may be necessary.

In poker, a straddle is a bet placed by the player first to act before the dealer deals any cards (known as the “under the gun” straddle). These bets encourage action and help keep the game interesting but from a theoretical point of view they have a negative expected value.

Official lottery – play the games, win big prizes

The app gives you access to official state lottery games from your phone, including Powerball and Mega Millions. You can also play games like Take5 and Instant Wins. The apps are vetted by state lotteries and are safe to use (except while driving or operating motor vehicles). The app is available in all states where gambling is legal.

But despite their popularity, there are serious concerns about these games: they’re often considered a “tax on the stupid,” and they are highly regressive in terms of the percentage of income spent on them. And while defenders argue that they raise money for the state, those claims are often made without context: a quick glance at state budgets shows that lotteries actually bring in relatively small amounts of revenue compared to other forms of taxation.

The immediate post-World War II period saw states casting around for ways to fund large new social safety nets without angering an anti-tax electorate. In this climate, lotteries emerged as a solution that offered the allure of hefty jackpots while, by definition, relieving people of their taxes.