Yesterday we explained how legal sports betting continues to gain popularity, but even with these trends, there are tons of illegal gambling websites out there. The problem with these sites is that you really have no idea which ones are legitimate, and you have little recourse when things go wrong.

This article by Richard N. Velotta in the Las Vegas Review-Journal shines a light on the problem. Velotta explains how the American Gaming Association has made it a priority to encourage the public to bet responsibly with licensed operators and avoid illegal offshore websites. Despite this, illegal gambling websites continue to operate and can be difficult to track down and shut down. He describes the case of a Canadian gambler who has been unable to collect his winnings on a $225,000 jackpot he won playing blackjack on BetOnLine.ag, an internet domain in Antigua. Read the story and you’ll see the details.

Why do betters still use illegal gambling websites?

There are plenty of reasons why these sites are still in business.

Firstly, you have to consider that betting hasn’t been legalized everywhere, so many betters are still shut out of the legal betting market depending on their state of residence or jurisdiction.

Secondly, illegal gambling websites often offer better odds and higher payouts than their legal counterparts. This can be attractive to bettors looking to maximize their winnings, even if it means breaking the law. This also applies to local bookies.

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I was watching a movie the other night, and some of the story revolved around bookies in New York City and some gamblers who got into trouble. It was interesting in the context of modern times. In most states, sports betting is legal now. We can easily do it on our apps. We have sports betting lounges attached to sports arenas and stadiums. So much has changed.

The Supreme Court changed everything

The popularity of sports betting keeps growing for many reasons. The latest boom started with the Murphy v. NCAA Supreme Court decision in May 2018. Prior to this ruling, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 had largely outlawed sports gambling throughout the country, with the exception of a few states like Nevada.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Murphy found that PASPA violated the Tenth Amendment’s anti-commandeering principle, which prevents the federal government from forcing states to enforce federal laws. As a result, states were now able to legalize and regulate sports betting within their own borders.

Sports gambling keeps getting more popular

We’ve always loved betting on sports, particularly NFL football and college football. But now it’s even more popular. Several factors have contributed to the increased popularity of sports betting in the United States since the Murphy decision:

State legalization

In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling, many states have chosen to legalize sports betting, allowing for a more accessible and regulated environment. This has led to a surge in the number of people who can participate in sports gambling legally.

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The San Diego Chargers held a 27-0 lead late in the first half of their Wild Card Round game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Everyone thought the game was over. Of course we all know now what happened . . .

A series of errors, bad calls, fluke plays and dumb decisions led to an epic comeback by the Jaguars.

But at 27-0, nobody really thought that was possible. So one high roller placed a money line bet for the Chargers to win the game, laying down $1.4 million!!, just to win $11,200!!

In many ways this was easy money, and high rollers do this all the time. But sometimes you can get crushed.

Darren Rovell tweeted out the details of this epic bad beat:

And you thought you had a rough day?

Bu the end of the day we’ll know which NFL teams will be meeting up in the Super Bowl that will be played in Los Angeles in two weeks. The current betting lines have the Chiefs and Rams favored to meet for the NFL title, but we all know anything can happen in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals +7 at Kansas City Chiefs

This line hung around 7.5 all week, but late money must be coming in on the Bengals as the line is now an even 7. Joe Burrow is extremely confident and he has an offense loaded with weapons at the skill positions, so you can see why you can’t count this team out. He also has the moxie to take the necessary risks to win this game. But there’s a downside to this strategy. The Bengals have been on the edge of playing recklessly all season. Last week Burrow was sacked 9 times but were bailed out by a horrible game by the Titans offense. They won’t be so lucky against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. This team will score points, and put plenty of pressure on Burrow and the Bengals offense. We know that Burrow is unflappable, but he will certainly be tested this week in Kansas City. Burrow pointed out last week that SEC stadiums are typically louder than NFL stadiums, but he hasn’t played on the road in KC in the playoffs. Things are different there.

While I think anything can happen in this game, I’m going to lay the points here. The Honey Badger is back for KC, which should bolster the defense that was shredded by Josh Allen and the Bills. Mahomes will put up points, and this could turn into a blowout if Burrow makes some mistakes.

San Francisco 49ers +3½ Los Angeles Rams

Many would concede that the Rams are the better overall team, and it’s certainly a team loaded with elite talent, but the 49ers have had their number. It’s a matchup issue, as the 49ers are built to give the Rams headaches. The Rams don’t defend the run well. They’d much rather pin their ears back and kill you with their pass rush. But the 49ers love to run the football and they do it very well against the Rams. Also, everyone is talking about the mistakes we’ve been seeing from Jimmy Garoppolo, but Matt Stafford has had his share of mistakes as well. He’s played much better in the playoffs, but against the 49ers pass rush we easily could see more this week.

This is a tough game to pick, but it’s hard to pass on the 49ers and 3.5 points in this game. The Rams are at home but there could be more 49er fans in the stands so both teams will be dealing with the noise. The key to the game could be the 49er defensive line. If they get pressure today then the 49ers should be able to win this game outright.

Based on last week’s games, betting on NFL games can be quite stressful, so try to enjoy the experience!

2021 was a year of huge expansion in legalized sports betting across the United States. The legal sports gambling market doubled in 2021 with more than $52.7 billion was wagered throughout the year.

Young people are diving in and giving sports betting a try, and the continued popularity of NFL football and college football is certainly helping to drive interest.

We can expect continued growth in 2022 as states like Ohio will be joining the fun, while New York will continue to grow as well with casinos a possibility inside New York City.

High rollers and casual gamblers will now have many more ways to play, and everyone will need to think about what they really want to get out of this. Are you really putting the work in to win these bets, or are you just enjoying the high roller lifestyle when traveling to places Like Las Vegas? Be honest with yourself as you navigate these new opportunities.