Official betting refers to a legal sportsbook that has an official partnership with the sport’s league or organization. This means that bettors can place wagers on games played by that team or individual and be paid winnings based on the total amount of money placed on those bets. This type of betting is similar to parimutuel wagering in horse racing and dog racing.

Before legal sports betting was legalized in New Jersey and elsewhere, professional sports leagues feared that allowing it would lead to more attempts at fixing games for gambling purposes. However, since the ruling, the NFL has done a complete 180 and has embraced it, opening up its stadiums to sportsbooks and partnering with integrity firms for monitoring. The NHL, too, has partnered with multiple sportsbooks and opened its first stadium in Nevada to house an NHL-branded betting shop for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017.

The NBA and MLB have similar policies regarding betting. The NBA’s rules prohibit players, coaches and employees from betting on any event involving their team or the competition. The league also has a zero-tolerance policy for offering or accepting gifts from betting sites, which can be considered a form of match-fixing.

In 2021, Ohio legalized sports betting through the state lottery and partnered with Tipico to offer online and in-person betting. It is important to remember that while user reviews can be helpful, what one person views as a negative, another might consider positive. When looking for a site that fits your betting needs, research each one to see which sports they cover and what types of bets are available.