Official betting refers to a type of sports gambling that requires official data from the sport’s governing body to settle bets. This is a common feature of legal sports betting in some states, including New Jersey and Nevada. This rule was designed to protect the integrity of sports, as a wager on a result that is not officially declared can lead to attempts at game fixing.

The NBA, MLB, and NHL all have their own sportsbooks that use official data to settle bets. These sportsbooks have partnerships with companies like MGM, Caesars, and FanDuel. Some also have sportsbooks inside the stadiums of their teams, which is becoming a common trend in many legal sports betting markets.

Those same sportsbooks can turn down or refund bets for a variety of reasons. For example, a baseball player might make out on first base, but the official scorer may later decide that it was a hit. The sportsbook must follow the rules of the governing bodies and follow their interpretations of the game.

The NFL, meanwhile, is ramping up its sports betting integrity efforts by deploying extra security staff and partnering with sportsbooks to improve their visibility on the market and catch offenders. The league also has added language to players’ contracts that prohibit them from betting on games while at team or league facilities. This also includes the hotel rooms and travel accommodations that they stay in when traveling with their teams for away games.