Official betting refers to wagers placed on games that are based on statistics, results and other information from the governing body of a particular sport. The use of such data in sports betting is regulated by law and helps protect players from fraud and other issues.

Sports leagues are seeking a role as primary stakeholders in legal US sports betting, and they’re intent on profiting from it. They want to monetize their data, ideally via a share of total handle. That quest has led to the push for official data mandates, which have supplanted the integrity fee as the leagues’ preferred means of gaining control in sports betting.

While some states have mandated the use of official data in sports betting, it isn’t a requirement in all cases. In fact, a handful of states allow bettors to place Tier 1 bets without official data. In Illinois, for example, a sportsbook can offer this type of wager only on a game that’s scheduled and televised, which are the only types of bets that can be graded with or without official data.

In addition, there are a variety of contests and promotions that aren’t tied to the use of official data, including the NFL playoff Wild Card betting bracket, which allows bettors to predict who will win all four of the first-round games that determine which team advances to the Divisional Round. The rules for these special bets are described in the “prize details” screen in the game and Sponsor’s B/R Betting social media channels.