Official betting involves wagers placed on specific events within a game. These bets are usually tied to the outcome of the game and can range from total points in a game to individual player performance. Several states offer legal sports gambling and many have official betting pools. In the United States, these are generally administered by state lottery boards. The NBA, MLB, and PGA all have their own pools.

The NFL has taken a proactive approach to dealing with illegal betting by beefing up security, adding integrity staff, and partnering with sportsbook operators and betting integrity firms. The league is able to track wagers, identify their origin, and identify who is making them. Officials also undergo a thorough background check that includes a search for criminal charges or convictions related to gambling and sports wagering. If a member of the official crew is found to have a history in this area, they are ineligible for postseason work.

New York introduced legal sports gambling in 2019 with retail and online options. In 2022, the state approved legislation to legalize online and mobile sports betting with DraftKings, FanDuel, BetRivers, and BetMGM as the first online bookmakers to launch in the Garden State.