With sports betting becoming a more common practice across the United States, it’s important for bettors to have access to official betting data. This information is often the difference between winning and losing a bet. But bookmakers have long been reluctant to pay for the leagues’ data, and they oppose federal legislation that requires them to use it. The leagues feel they are creating new betting products and deserve to be paid for the data that is enhancing their wagering offerings.

In order to be successful at betting on sports you need to be able to look at games and teams in an unbiased way. Many bettors have trouble doing this, and it’s not uncommon for them to continue placing bets on their favorite team even after they’ve lost money.

College-age students are more likely to have problem gambling habits, and the NCAA has a responsibility to protect its athletes. Its policy bans student-athletes from placing bets and providing information that can influence a bet, but it’s not enough to curb the practice of illegal betting.

The NBA has taken steps to prevent sports betting in its facilities, and the Hornets educate their players on the league’s policies several times a year. It also has a staff member dedicated to handling sports betting matters. MLS players cannot bet on soccer of any kind, including MLS matches, and can only bet on other sports if they are doing so legally and in a place where it is legal.