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betting

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred standing at a lectern with a microphone. His image is cut out and placed on a sepia-toned background of a manual baseball scoreboard. | Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Tampa Bay Times | ZUMA Press | Newscom | Andreblais | Dreamstime.com

Sports

Rob Manfred Can't Fix Baseball. But These 4 Changes Might.

Plus: College football insanity, fans jailed in Venezuela, and the benefits of betting

Jason Russell | 8.19.2025 10:45 AM

Profile angle photo of Sen. Ted Cruz's bearded face. | Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Newscom

Sports

Sports Absolutely Do Not Need Politicians More Involved

Plus: A case for gambling freedom, the NHL’s tax dilemma, and a soccer movie.

Jason Russell | 6.24.2025 10:55 AM

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker | Brian Cassella/TNS/Newscom

Illinois

Illinois' Sports Betting Tax Means All Bets Are Off

Does Gov. J.B. Pritzker think this helps his presidential profile?

Alex Rosado | 6.12.2025 1:40 PM

Rory McIlroy walking on a putting green while spectators sit and stand behind a rope on the far side of the green. | JOHN ANGELILLO/UPI/Newscom

Sports

The Masters Ticket Lottery Is Dumb

Plus: Paying college athletes, sports betting isn’t bad, and pickleball?

Jason Russell | 4.15.2025 11:00 AM

John Stossel is seen in front of gambling supplies | Stossel TV

Gambling

Many Politicians Want To Ban Gambling. So Why Are They OK With State Lotteries?

Lottery ticket buyers are disproportionately poor, and the odds are very bad. But governments want the money.

John Stossel | 4.9.2025 1:15 AM

A basketball player in white Michigan State jersey holds his hands over his head with his mouth agape. There is another Michigan State player in the background, as well as a bouncing basketball and Wisconsin cheerleaders. | Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire DAL/Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire/Newscom

Sports

Betting Makes March Madness Better

Plus: Why the selection committee did a good job, sports ticket prices are spiking, and more.

Jason Russell | 3.18.2025 7:00 AM

People sit in theater-like seating in front of many different screens showing various sports. | MEGA / Newscom/BPLAS2/Newscom

betting

Gambling Addiction Isn't Surging

A new study claims addiction is on the rise because internet searches for gambling terms are increasing.

Guy Bentley | 2.17.2025 11:00 AM

Clemson Memorial Stadium | ID 346420375 © Gerald T. Coli | Dreamstime.com

Sports

Hometown Fans of Some College Football Playoff Teams Can't Bet on College Football

Nearly half of the universities in the College Football Playoff are located in states where sports betting is illegal.

Jeff Luse | 12.20.2024 4:30 PM

John Stossel is seen next to headlines criticizing Donald Trump | Stossel TV

Election 2024

Trump Promises To Get Rid of Bad Regulations. Can He Deliver?

Growth of regulation slowed under former President Trump, but it still increased.

John Stossel | 7.17.2024 2:29 AM

John Stossel is seen in front of a blue tinted image of the White House with a photo of Joe Biden to his left and a photo of and Donald Trump to his right | Stossel TV

Election 2024

Both Biden and Trump Are Bad Candidates

The next presidential election may be between the two men. Can't we do better?

John Stossel | 8.23.2023 12:30 AM

How Roger Sharpe ended New York's insane ban on pinball. | Steve Bealing/Landmark Media/Lex Villena/Reason

Movies

He Ended New York City's Insane Ban on Pinball

Austin Bragg and Meredith Bragg talk Remy, libertarian parodies, and their new indie film, Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game.

Nick Gillespie and Justin Zuckerman | 3.22.2023 10:30 AM

John Stossel is seen in front of poker chips bearing the faces of Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Ron DeSantis | Stossel TV

betting markets

PredictIt Helps Forecast Election Results. Bureaucrats Are Trying To Kill It.

Election betting markets are often more reliable than pundits. Did the site steal user funds? No. Did they lie to people? No. Harm anyone? No.

John Stossel | 2.15.2023 12:30 AM

A man's hand tosses blue and red gambling coins | Illustration: Lex Villena; Kelpfish, Alexey Astakhov

Election 2022

The Election Betting Markets Fell Short. They're Still the Most Flexible Predictor.

People with money on the line try harder than pundits to be right, and they adjust quickly when they've made a mistake.

John Stossel | 11.10.2022 3:30 PM

John Stossel in front of "I Voted" buttons | Stossel TV

Election 2022

This Election Day, Listen to the Betting Market Instead of Pundit Predictions

Over time, betting has been a better predictor than polls, pundits, statistical models, and everything else.

John Stossel | 10.26.2022 12:30 AM

Sports betting room | RemusM / Dreamstime.com

Gambling

Gaming Tribes Battle Online Corporations for Control of California Sports Betting

Messy, dueling ballot initiatives await voters in November.

Scott Shackford | 9.21.2022 4:30 PM

iconphotossix025035 | Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire DGM/Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire/Newscom

Sports

Someone Placed a Record-Setting Super Bowl Bet From His Phone

But he still had to drive two hours to do it in a legal state.

Jason Russell | 2.13.2022 7:00 AM

eyepress107283 | EyePress/Newscom

Gambling

Someone Placed a Sports Bet From Space

To boldly bet where no man has bet before.

Jason Russell | 9.17.2021 2:05 PM

MEGA725807_059 | MEGA / Newscom/BPLAS2/Newscom

Sports

More Fans Can Easily Bet on the NFL Than Ever Before

Convenient online sports betting is legal and live in 14 states.

Jason Russell | 9.12.2021 8:00 AM

dreamstime_m_101441847 | ID 101441847 © Auremar | Dreamstime.com

Gambling

Virginia Says You Can Gamble On This, But Not That

Casinos, sports betting, and even online lottery sales are okay. Electronic skill games have no such luck.

Jason Russell | 6.30.2021 12:45 PM

topicsregulations | Illustration: Joanna Andreasson; Source images: georgeclerk/iStock; TylerFairbank/iStock

Regulation

Sports Betting Pays Off

The first major intersection of college basketball and legal sports betting seems to have been a completely clean affair.

Eric Boehm | 6.1.2021 6:00 AM

csmphototwo739230 | Scott Serio/Cal Sport Media/Newscom

Sports

Everyone Should Be Able To Bet on the Kentucky Derby From Anywhere

Six states don’t allow any horse racing bets, but others still make it difficult.

Jason Russell | 5.1.2021 8:00 AM

iconphotosfive755022 | Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire DHZ/Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire/Newscom

Sports

This Year's March Madness Is the Biggest Legal Sports Betting Event in American History

Even the famously stodgy NCAA is changing its views on gambling. For the first time, games will be played in a state where sports betting is legal.

Eric Boehm | 3.19.2021 3:55 PM

electiondonuts_1161x653 | Gene Blevins/ZUMA Press/Newscom

Election 2020

Will Trump Beat the Odds? Are You Willing to Bet on It?

Betting sites have a better record of predicting election outcomes than most polls and pundits.

John Stossel | 10.21.2020 12:30 AM

fantasysports_1161x653 | RICHARD B. LEVINE/Newscom

Fantasy Sports

New York Court Says Daily Fantasy Sports Betting Law Is Unconstitutional

Lawmakers legalized DFS betting. The state’s top justices say that’s not allowed.

Scott Shackford | 2.6.2020 5:10 PM

Large image on homepages | Fanatic Studio/agefotostock/Newscom

Gambling

With or Without Legalization, Sports Betting is Here to Stay

U.S. politicians prevented the development of a legal market for sports betting, driving eager gamblers to underground bookies.

J.D. Tuccille | 5.15.2018 1:50 PM

Large image on homepages | Images Money / Flickr

Brexit

Brexit Shows Betting Markets Are Not a Silver Bullet

At close yesterday the odds were 12-1 against leaving. Whoops.

Stephanie Slade | 6.24.2016 2:08 PM

Large image on homepages

Politics

You Put Your Politics Into My Sports!

Listen to Anthony Fisher and Matt Welch talk about the bloody intersection between policy and sports on Sirius XM channel 121 at noon ET

Matt Welch | 3.18.2016 11:27 AM

Large image on homepages

Policy

Is Your Fantasy Football Squad Illegal?

A scandal sparks a new effort to regulate daily fantasy sports.

Jim Pagels | 12.13.2015 7:00 AM

Large image on homepages

Politics

Could Sports Gambling Beat Marijuana to National Legalization?

Experts expect it will be legal within five years.

Jim Pagels | 3.2.2015 4:28 PM

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