I remember when gambling was considered a vice, evil. There was no lottery, that was called the "numbers game" run by criminals. Rumor had it that there were a few illegal slots (gasp!) in the Crofton area.

Then states decided to start lotteries. Ok, i figured, better to let the states get the revenue than the mob. But I was astounded when states started promoting the lottery. Suddenly something that had been evil yesterday, today became something to be engaged in as much as possible.

Gee, if they legalize prostitution I wonder if they'll push that too.

...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I agree, but the genie is out of the bottle. My favorite lottery moment came a few years ago when I played a 10-spot Keno ticket here and got eight of 10. It paid $400 and I was pretty psyched, until I went to Atlantic City and saw that eight of 10 pays something like $1100 there.

Fire Trembley

People bet on the NFL ?

Great article Pete. I hope more and more sportswriters call the leagues on this. They act like if people can bet in Delaware, all of a sudden these shady people will start fixing games. Guess what? Shady people know how to hop on a plane to Vegas to bet! If having large scale gambling in Vegas hasnt ruined the leagues, I doubt a couple (relatively) small time betting parlors in Delaware will do the trick.

Legalize gambling.....legalize pot .....the country would be out of debt in 12 months.
People have always gambled and smoked pot and they will continue. So why not take it out of the hands of the criminal element, let the government run it and put some people back to work.
Dont even get me started on prostitution.

Things you make illegal dont stop to exist, they just are made available to the average person by criminals....alcohol, pot, gambling, and prostitution is part of the American cullture...always has been, always will be.

if anyone is incline to try to change the result of a game they can do it or at least try. having gambling that is legal in del isn't going to have any difference on the outcome for the nfl. mlb. nba or ncaa. didn't put nhl because not that many people care and those who give a goal or whatever some masuggah does in a hockey game in the first place. and for the leagues to contest this is pathetic. they are all schmucks. not to be confused with p.schmuck. i guess i could call them putz's. sorry j.j. anyway, cbs must be thrilled tiger is involved late in the match. i wish i could have bet on this golf match in dover today. meanwhile harrington had a one stroke lead coming to the 16th and had a sterling a triple bogey and tiger now has a 3 shot lead. game over. may the schmuck be with you.

Pete:

Speaking of gambling, can you check with your Vegas contacts and see what latest over-under is on the date when the Nationals winning percentage will surpass the O's?

If it's anything later than August 25th, put down $50 on the under for me. I'm good for it. Promise.

Best,

Steve Severn
Amarillo, TX

I see KyleProBoller is now "anonymous" *L*

Pete,
I always felt that the day after the Colts moved Willy Don and Harry H. should presented a bill in the House of Delegates legalizing sports gambling. I bet they Mayflowers would have been back the next day. Good for Delaware! And the U of D should sue the NCAA. Funny how the NFL wants to move to Toronto and guess what...they have sports gambling in Ontario.

If Delaware offers the NCAA a piece of the action, all of a sudden gambling will become just another way that the fans take part in the experience that is NCAA sports.

I think it's a stupid argument for the leagues, but as an MD resident I hope they win their lawsuit. Future budgets here are based on slots revnue and we don't even have them getting built yet to keep money from going to states like DE. That's a whole different debate though I'd think.

I will say that if DE wins it'd just be a lawsuit bonanza for all of the states frozen out of sports betting. From there it'd be a lawsuit on single game betting and an eventual free for all cash grab in all 50 states. I'm not saying it'd be that way in 2 years, but there was a time when WV, PA, DE, etc. didn't have any slot machines in them.

So even though I don't think their motives are genuine at all, I wish them the best.

fkterp...
You have a ton of anger towards hockey...did they beat you up in high school?

Great article Pete. You're absolutely right, but hypocrisy towards gambling has been the NFL's style forever. Like most monopolies, morals go out the window when it comes to money. I do think, however, that fantasy football more than gambling has led to the huge growth of the NFL in the past ten years.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Technically, fantasy football is gambling.

I'm amazed at how ubiquitous NCAA tournament pools have become. People who don't watch a college basketball game all year gamble on the tournament this way.

The last time I was in Las Vegas I lost $100 on the over-under on the runs scored in a Braves/Astros game. Why couldn't MLB have outlawed gambling before that?