The leagues want to mandate the use of official data, but it’s not clear how much such data is worth. Ultimately, operators and their bettors will dictate that value.

Official betting is sports wagering on real-time events that are regulated and limited to licensed sportsbooks. It is a part of legalized sports gambling, which started to emerge in states across the country after the US Supreme Court struck down PASPA last spring. It is a fast-growing business and is a major source of revenue for the sportsbooks that offer it.

There once was a hard line between sports media and gambling, with broadcasters cheekily referring to the over/under and point spread during games. That distinction has faded as sportsbooks and TV shows have formed partnerships and the NFL bolstered its in-house technology to monitor the market and identify violators.

The NHL prohibits players and employees from placing bets on NHL games while at team or league facilities. The NFL and MLB have similar policies on the use of team or league-related information, but they also allow players to make non-NHL bets as long as they are not at their teams’ facility.

Some states, such as Illinois and Tennessee, require sportsbooks to use official data for Tier 2 bets. However, Tier 1 wagers can be graded without official data. In addition, some stats can change after a game—for instance, a foul that was initially called on a Red Sox player may be changed after the fact to a hit.