Official betting is a type of sports wager that uses statistics, results and other data from the governing body of a given sport. The practice has been around for a long time and is popular among bettors. The data helps sportsbooks provide odds that are based on legitimate information and a high level of accuracy. It’s important to understand how the information is collected and used before you bet on a game.

During the debate over legal sports betting in the US, leagues have pushed for mandated official data use in state-regulated markets. This idea has been a topic of discussion for months.

The first official betting site in Massachusetts launched on January 31, 2023. Online betting sites will launch later this year. Mississippi is expected to begin accepting bets soon, and Iowa legalized sports betting in 2019.

Most major sportsbooks have deals in place to get the latest data quickly and accurately. They typically collect data from the stadiums and television broadcasts, and then use advanced algorithms to process it all in real-time. The result is live odds and betting lines that are constantly updated.

In order to make these markets as accurate as possible, they also need to be able to verify the information provided by the governing bodies. This includes players, coaches and referees.

While the concept of requiring official data in US sportsbooks has been debated for several months, it’s been a hot button issue since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in February 2018. The leagues began pushing their agenda in earnest in May, and a bid to add the data requirement to a bill that would have legalized daily fantasy sports in Washington D.C. ended up sinking the legislation.