Sports fans in the US have always wanted to wager on sports since time immemorial, but the practice was banned in most jurisdictions except in the State of Nevada. However, in 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey in the Murphy v. NCAA case, allowing each state to decide the legality of sports gambling. New Jersey had initially argued that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which prohibits state-sponsored betting, is a violation of the 10th Amendment.
With the new federal law in place, the sports betting market has erupted. Currently, there are states where online sports betting is legal, while some states require only in-person wagering. The American Gaming Association reports that Americans wagered a record $119.84 billion on sports events in 2023 alone, a significant 27.5% increase from the previous year.
Basketball is one of the most preferred sports to bet on in the US, with several available markets to choose from. Here, we take a look at the US legal betting landscape in relation to basketball betting.
States Where Betting Is Legal in the USA
While the federal ban on sports betting has been revoked, not all states have accepted gambling on sports events as a legal practice. For example, NBA betting and sports wagering, in general, are prohibited in the State of Minnesota, and conviction of a gambling crime is punishable by jail term or fine.
As of this writing, 38 states, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have operational sports betting industries. Four more states (Ohio, Maine, Florida, and Nebraska) have joined the fold by legalizing sports betting but are yet to swing into action. It is also worth noting that there are only 31 states where online sports betting is legal, while seven states restrict residents to in-person wagering only.
Due to the differences in betting laws, Americans who fancy sports betting need to stay informed on the latest sports betting legislation in the jurisdiction where they live. Bettors can utilize trusted betting resources like TrustnBet.com, a reliable platform that seeks to educate American gamblers about the US betting industry. Via this site, new and veteran bettors can get the latest updates about the peculiarities of sports gambling laws throughout the country and how they can navigate the complexities of sports betting in America.
Sports Betting in Minnesota
Despite several legislative pushes to legalize sports betting in the Gopher State, it is illegal to wager on US sportsbooks and offshore betting sites if you live in Minnesota. Lawmakers have attempted to pass bills through the House and the Senate since 2019, but all efforts have proved abortive.
Minnesota is currently the only state in the Upper Midwest region that does not have an active sports betting industry, with neighboring states Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota already in the business.
There’s optimism among sports fans in the state, however, as Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona) proposed a new bill in a bid to legalize sports betting in Minnesota before the end of 2024.
How to Bet on Basketball in the US
- Understand Basketball Betting Markets
There are many outcomes in basketball to bet on, and licensed US sportsbooks usually provide bettors with an array of betting markets. For example, basketball fans can place a bet on the moneyline, a simple bet on the outright winner of a game.
Betting enthusiasts can also bet on point spread, which is a bet on the number of points that could be scored. Other betting markets in basketball include futures, a type of longshot wager that entails betting on future outcomes of a basketball tournament, props, and live bets.
American sports fans can find a host of comprehensive tips on the different betting markets available in basketball and how to leverage them on TrustnBet.com.
- Learn How to Read the Odds
Betting odds are assigned to different outcomes of a basketball game, and learning how to read these figures is crucial. Licensed US sportsbooks adopt the moneyline betting system, where bookmakers assign a negative sign (-) to the favorites and a positive sign (+) to the underdog.
For example, the Minnesota Lynx were -325 favorites on the moneyline for their preseason game against the Chicago Sky (+260) on May 4, according to FanDuel sportsbook. This means the bookmaker favored the Lynx to defeat the Sky.
The match ended 92-81 in favor of Minnesota, meaning that bettors who picked the Lynx to win would have earned a profit of $100 from a $325 bet. On the flipside, a $100 bet on the Sky would have returned a profit of $260 had Chicago won the game.
- Find a Licensed Sportsbook
Basketball fans in the US seeking to place bets on the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA tournaments can visit any of the licensed sportsbooks in their location. Bear in mind that not all sportsbooks are licensed to operate in states where sports betting is legal. For example, the FanDuel online sportsbook operates in 11 states, while DraftKings is live in 13 states, as of this writing.
Again, TrustnBet.com is a reliable site for finding the best sportsbooks in America, including the sites that are licensed to operate in each state. The platform provides honest sportsbook reviews curated by experts, including customer care support, wagering requirements, and bonus promotions. All recommended sites on TrustnBet are safe and trustworthy.
Betting on basketball begins with understanding the laws and restrictions in the location where you currently reside. While sports betting remains illegal in Minnesota, residents can use excellent resources like TrustnBet.com to get precise information about the current state of sports gambling in the state, including the latest updates. The site also offers both American bettors all the tips they need to handle the complexities of the US sports betting market.