Official betting is the act of placing a wager on a sporting event and receiving compensation if the desired outcome is achieved. It is a legal and growing industry in the United States, with many states allowing it.

The most popular type of sports betting is professional football, with the NFL offering a huge market for bettors. While some sportsbooks also offer odds for other leagues and tournaments, the NFL is by far the biggest.

Betting on a specific match or an event within a match is illegal in England, and so is soliciting or accepting a bribe to fix the match. Misuse of inside information that could be used to fix a match is also prohibited.

Players who are involved in national baseball or softball teams cannot bet on Major League Baseball games, but can bet on a WBSC-sanctioned game (such as an Olympic baseball or softball tournament) in which they are participating. They can, however, bet on WBSC-sanctioned events in other sports as long as they are not involved with a team or competition that is banned from betting on them under FA regulations.

Money lines change constantly. You should always check the money line before making a wager.

Total: Total runs scored in a game, over/under. The game must be played at least 9 innings if the home team is ahead and 8 innings if the visiting team is ahead.

Player props require a first to X-based bet, and the player must be in the starting lineup for wagers to have action. If a player misses or is suspended due to an injury, the wager will be considered forfeit.