History of sports wagering

The historical past of sports gambling in the usa dates back to the times when the founders took risks. In the past gamblers bet on cockfights, makeshift horse races and bare fist fights. Colonists and Pioneers that arrived in the US from Europe and England specifically had betting within their veins because their ancestors gambled for generations. Therefore “sports betting” was a normal part and parcel of the early American culture.

Today there’s no question that sports betting activities are the craze around the globe. With all the ease of on-line sports betting, it has made the sport all the more convenient and cheaper. Though previously the sports betting section was small, today it has permeated virtually every element of society. sport betting definition

Horse racing was popular from the 19th and early 20th Centuries and was enjoyed mostly by the upper class. But horse tracks started to appear following the Civil War and soon gamblers from all sectors of society flocked to those racing establishments. Bookies had a hold over the gambling population and they were setting odds on horses that increased the betting handle. Bookies would lower the odds on other horses to enhance their attractiveness when there seemed to be big money on a particular horse. By 1920s horse racing had reached a peak with over 300 racetracks all over the US. internet sports betting laws

Professional baseball became popular in the late 1800s and “pool cards” came into use. The “Black Sox Scanal” which was “fixed” rocked the US and the public acquired an adverse view of sports bettors. Though gambling was illegal a lot of people considered sports gambling as a harmless victimless crime. College football games and basketball also became popular with bettors as baseball and boxing. Pool cards were as popular as ever although the odds of these cards were in the bookies favor.

In most US cities, sports gambling activities were becoming a section of life and most youngsters were being exposed to the sports betting industry in a very young age. Some experts have said, “Sports gambling was getting more popular than hotdogs!” Soon Leo Hirschfield started Athletic Publications that became the sports betting world standard for nearly 30 years.

Established in 1930 this company set lines in sports events and distributed those to bookmakers in the nation through the telegraph or telephone He also printed sports information that helped bookies produce better lines and gamblers make smarter decisions. The publication that was most widely used was The Green Sheet. He was legitimate despite the fact that his clients were illegal bookies.

Sports gambling was ultimately legalized in Nevada in 1931 and also the states finances which had been in dire straits during those times, changed significantly. Legalized boxing and sports gambling activities made it a hot spot for tourists and this altered its economic condition for the better.

A resolution was passed in 1951 by the Congress that charged a 10% tax on every sports bet. New regulations permitted the bookies to come out of the dark and work openly. Turf clubs were the first legal sports books in Nevada and they were sometimes called “sawdust” rooms. In 1980s Roxborough became a significant element of sports gambling and ushered in the technology that revolutionized sports gambling.