History of sports gambling
The history of sports gambling in the US dates back on the times when the founders took risks. Back then bettors bet on cockfights, makeshift horse races and bare fist fights. Colonists and Pioneers that landed in the US from Europe and England specifically had betting within their veins because their ancestors gambled for generations. Therefore “sports betting” was a natural part and parcel with the early American culture betting tips.
Today there’s no question that sports betting activities are definitely the rage around the globe. With the ease of on-line sports betting, it has made the activity much more convenient and cheaper. Though previously the sports betting section was small, today it’s permeated virtually every facet of society.
Horse racing was popular from the 19th and early 20th Centuries and was appreciated mostly by the upper class. But horse tracks began to appear after the Civil War and soon gamblers coming from all sectors of society flocked to these racing establishments. Bookies had a hold over the gambling population and they were setting odds on horses that increased the betting handle. Bookies would reduce the odds on other horses to increase their attractiveness when there was a lot of money on a particular horse. By 1920s horse racing had reached a peak with over 300 racetracks all over the US.
Professional baseball became popular from the late 1800s and “pool cards” came into use. The “Black Sox Scanal” which had been “fixed” rocked the US and the public acquired an adverse view of sports bettors. Though gambling was against the law a lot of people considered sports gambling to be a harmless victimless crime. College football and basketball also gained popularity with bettors as baseball and boxing. Pool cards were as popular as ever although the odds of these cards were in the bookies favor.
In the majority of US cities, sports gambling activities were transforming into a part of life and most youngsters were being exposed to the sports betting industry in a very young age. Some professionals have said, “Sports gambling was getting more popular than hotdogs!” Soon Leo Hirschfield started Athletic Publications that became the sports betting world standard for nearly three decades.
Established in 1930 this company set lines in sports events and distributed them to bookmakers in the nation through the telegraph or telephone He also printed sports information that helped bookies produce better lines and gamblers make smarter decisions. The publication that had been most widely used was The Green Sheet. He was legitimate even though his clients were illegal bookies.
Sports gambling was ultimately legalized in Nevada in 1931 and also the states finances which had been in dire straits during those times, changed drastically. Legalized boxing and sports gambling activities caused it to be a hot spot for tourists and this changed its economic condition for the better next page.
A resolution was passed in 1951 by way of the Congress that imposed a 10% tax on every sports bet. New regulations allowed the bookies to come out of the dark and work openly. Turf clubs were the initial legal sports books in Nevada and they were occasionally called “sawdust” rooms. In 1980s Roxborough became a major part of sports gambling and brought in the technology that revolutionized sports gambling.