The historical past of sports gambling in the US extends back on the times when the founders took risks. Back then gamblers bet on cockfights, makeshift horse races and bare fist fights. Colonists and Pioneers that arrived in the US from Europe and England in particular had betting in their veins as their ancestors gambled for generations. Therefore “sports betting” was obviously a natural part and parcel of the early American culture.
Today there’s no question that sports betting activities are the rage around the globe. With the ease of on-line sports betting, it has made the activity all the more convenient and cheaper. Though previously the sports betting segment was small, today it has permeated almost every facet of society.
Horse racing was popular from the 19th and early 20th Centuries and was appreciated mainly by the upper class. But horse tracks started to appear after the Civil War and soon gamblers 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 enhanced the betting handle. Bookies would reduce the odds on other horses to increase their attractiveness when there seemed to be a lot of money for a particular horse. By 1920s horse racing had reached the peak with more than 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 was “fixed” rocked the US and the public received an adverse view of sports bettors. Though gambling was illegal most people considered sports gambling as a harmless victimless crime. College football games and basketball also gained popularity with bettors as baseball and boxing. Pool cards were as popular as ever even though the odds of these cards were in the bookies favor.
In the majority of US cities, sports gambling activities were transforming into a section of life and most youngsters were coming in contact with the sports betting industry in a very early 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 30 years.
Established in 1930 the corporation set lines in sports events and distributed them to bookmakers in the nation through the telegraph or telephone He also published sports information which helped bookies produce better lines and gamblers make better decisions. The publication that was most popular was The Green Sheet. He was legitimate despite the fact that his customers were illegal bookies.
Sports gambling was finally legalized in Nevada in 1931 and the states financial situation which had been in dire straits during those times, transformed significantly. Legalized boxing and sports gambling activities caused it to be a hot spot for tourists and this changed its economic condition for the better.
A resolution was passed in 1951 by way of the Congress that charged 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 significant part of sports gambling and brought in the technology that revolutionized sports gambling.
