The term official betting refers to placing wagers on professional sports events in states that have legalized them. While there are many places to bet on sporting events, not all offer the same types of bets. Some have a limited selection, while others offer an extensive array of props and totalizators (betting odds that change in real time based on the amount of money that’s been placed on each result).

There are a few rules that must be followed for a bet to be considered official. For example, all baseball games are official after nine innings or seven innings if the home team is winning. A game can also be shortened or suspended due to weather. Bets on a game that are correctly made before the weather impacts it will be paid out. Sportsbooks can also turn down a bet or payout for any number of reasons, including mistakes on their part.

In addition, it is against MLB rules for players, umpires, and other club or league employees to place bets on a game that they are involved in. In the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, gambler Joseph Sullivan gave eight White Sox players—Oscar Felsch, Arnold Gandil, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Fred McMullin, George Weaver, Charles Risberg, and Claude Williams—around 10,000 dollars each to fix the World Series. All were banned from the MLB for life, although most were reinstated years later.

Additionally, all in-uniform personnel are required to undergo a background check that checks for criminal charges or convictions involving gambling and sports wagering. Those who fail to pass the screen will not be allowed to work in a postseason capacity, as they would be at risk for a fraud investigation.