| Just one short decade ago, it was virtually impossible | | | | some sites which will not take bets from American |
| to engage in legal sports betting if you live in the United | | | | customers. However, there are plenty that will, at least |
| States or in Canada. Both countries prohibit betting on | | | | until the legality of the practice is determined by the |
| almost all organized sports, in any form at all. The | | | | governing bodies of the nation. |
| exceptions have always been parimutuel betting, which | | | | In the meantime, though, sports betting online means |
| is only applied to two or three different sports (among | | | | that there is more money floating around than ever |
| them dog and horse racing). | | | | before, all thanks to ease of access. |
| Outside of those sports, the only legal bets one could | | | | Aside from the many options offered by the number |
| place on sports in North America had to be made in | | | | of bookies online alone, those wishing to engage in |
| the state of Nevada. For whatever reason, sports | | | | football betting, basketball betting, or placing bets on |
| betting seemed like a reasonable thing to do deep in | | | | any other type of sport can also take advantage of |
| the desert, but nowhere else. | | | | alternate betting opportunities. Traditionally, sports bets |
| The coming of age of the Internet has changed the | | | | have had to be made through a bookmaker. This |
| face of sports betting forever. First of all, it has opened | | | | business sets the odds and takes a cut of the action |
| up whole new opportunities for those interested in | | | | as well. The rise of the online betting exchange, |
| making legal wagers on their favourite teams or | | | | however, has meant that bettors can make or take |
| events. No longer does a person have to wait to | | | | their own odds, often increasing the value of their bets. |
| make a trip to Las Vegas in order to place a bet on | | | | There are also opportunities to bet against a team or |
| the Final Four during March Madness. Instead, those | | | | individual in a sports betting exchange, rather than just |
| bets can be placed with a Vegas bookmaker online, | | | | on a team to win. |
| from the comfort of one's own home. | | | | Finally, online access means that people betting on |
| And Vegas is not the only town in on the online sports | | | | sports have more information at their fingertips which |
| betting action. All over the world, major bookmakers | | | | can help them decide which bets to make. Sports |
| have opened online sites for those wishing to place a | | | | information lines have up to the minute records of |
| wager. This means that you can place a bet on | | | | teams, statistics, rosters, and odds which can all factor |
| virtually any sport in the world, from American football | | | | into the responsible gambler's bet day decisions. |
| to lacrosse, in any league you want be it amateur or | | | | The growth of the Internet has revolutionized many |
| professional. | | | | different industries, and sports betting is certainly |
| Of course, the governments of some nations | | | | among them. More information and a lot more options |
| (America in particular) are concerned with the | | | | are two of the main strengths of online sports betting. |
| prevalence of online sports gambling, so there are | | | | |