Sports betting has been around for a long time and has become a popular pastime around the world. Its roots can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, who made gambling a popular activity during the Olympics. Ancient Romans were also known for betting on chariot races and gladiator battles. The popularity of gambling spread from the ancient world to Europe, where betting on horse races became popular. Since then, sports betting has been around for centuries.

However, sports betting has also spawned some scandals. Historically, the American sports leagues have opposed legal sports betting because it is linked to corruption. In fact, the history of sports betting in the USA is riddled with betting scandals. The 1919 “Black Sox” World Series scandal and the 1948 NCAA basketball point-shaving scandal were just a few examples. In addition, the Ohio League, the forerunner of the modern National Football League, began play in 1903 and was also embroiled in a match fixing scandal in 1906.

Sports betting has become more widespread as leagues have recognized the potential to increase the overall interest in a sport. The NCAA attributes a portion of their March Madness television contract to the popularity of “bracket pools” while the NFL has begun to recognize the growing popularity of fantasy football leagues.