Donald Trump To Legalize Sports Gambling? Updated 2020 Presidential Odds Favor Michelle Obama, Tim Kaine
Will Donald Trump legalize sports gambling in the United States? Outside of Las Vegas, Nevada and the states of Oregon, Delaware, and Montana, it is technically illegal to wager on sports. The incoming Trump administration may have something to say about that.
It has been clear since day one that Donald Trump has not taken the normal path to the White House, and that probably won’t change. For millions of folks that is like a breath of fresh air, while for others it has been a nightmare. Either way, before you can judge Trump’s time in the White House, people have to give him a chance – whether you want to or not.
One subject many sports fans have been hoping would change for years is the ability to wager on sports legally everywhere in the US. According to a Yahoo! report, this could become a reality soon.
The former casino owner may be just what sports enthusiasts have been waiting for when it comes wagering on sports without breaking any laws or regulations.
Last November Trump was on Fox Sports Radio with host Colin Cowherd when Cowherd asked the soon to be President Elect, “Are you pro- or anti- fantasy [sports] and gambling?” Trump replied, “I’m okay with it because it’s happening anyway. Whether you have it or you don’t have it, you have it… it’s all over the place.”
Trump also seemingly showed support for legalizing sports wagering back in 1993, when he spoke to an NBC reporter in New Jersey about the effort to peel back the then-new federal ban on sports betting.
“It’s vital to keeping your taxes low, it’s vital to the senior citizens, and it’s vital to putting the bookies out of business… Everybody wants it, we do polls showing 80% in favor.”
Interestingly enough, some sports figures believe wagering on the games should already be legalized, including NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Silver has been arguing in favor of changing the law for several years now and believes that it should be legal in every state.
“Despite legal restrictions, sports betting is widespread… It is a thriving underground business that operates free from regulation or oversight… The laws on sports betting should be changed. Congress should adopt a federal framework that allows states to authorize betting on professional sports, subject to strict regulatory requirements and technological safeguards.”
When you think about it, it is arguably hypocritical not to legalize sports wagering.
Fantasy Football is a billion dollar a year business, and it is no different from wagering on any particular team or the outcome of a sporting event. The only difference is you are wagering on individual performances rather than the final result of a game — that’s it.
So how can fantasy sports be legal, yet wagering $20 on your favorite team is not? That is the million dollar question.
While on the subject of odds, over in the UK where it is legal to wager on almost everything, the 2020 US Presidential odds have shifted a bit over the past two weeks.
Although Michelle Obama has said she wouldn’t consider a run for the White House, her odds keep moving her towards the favorite. Obama is listed at 8/1 after opening at 20/1 back in November. She has been holding those strong 8/1 odds for a while now, even though she recently told Oprah Winfrey that she wouldn’t run for the Oval Office. Right behind Obama is Tim Kaine and Elizabeth Warren at 11/1, Julian Castro at 12/1, and Hillary Clinton at 14/1.
Kaine, who was the VP choice of Hillary Clinton, has climbed from 18/1 to 11/1 since the November election results were announced. So what about Hillary?
Could Clinton actually throw her hat back in the ring for the third time at making a run for the Presidency? As we have learned from the 2016 election, in politics, anything can happen.
[Featured Image by Scott Olson/Getty Images]
