In the United States, a sportsbook or a race and sports book (sometimes abbreviated as book) is a place where 🛡 a gambler can wager on various sports competitions, including golf, football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, horse racing, greyhound racing, 🛡 boxing, and mixed martial arts. The method of betting varies with the sport and the type of game. In the 🛡 US, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 allowed only Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware to legally wager 🛡 on sports other than horse racing, greyhound racing, and jai alai; the law was ruled unconstitutional on May 14, 2024, 🛡 freeing states to legalize sports betting at their discretion.

Winning bets are paid when the event finishes, or if not finished, 🛡 when played long enough to become official; otherwise, all bets are returned. This policy can cause some confusion since there 🛡 can be a difference between what the sportsbook considers official and what the sports league consider official. Customers should carefully 🛡 read the sportsbook rules before placing their bets.

The betting volume at sportsbooks varies throughout the year. Bettors have more interest 🛡 in certain types of sports and increase the money wagered when those sports are in season. Major sporting events that 🛡 do not follow a specific schedule, like boxing, can create peaks of activity for the sportsbooks.

Nevada [ edit ]

Odds boards 🛡 in a Las Vegas sportsbook