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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Here are the sports you can — and can't — bet on in Mass.
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
It’s the dawn of a new era in Massachusetts, for better or worse.
The state’s first-ever legal sports bets will be placed at the state’s three casinos at 10 a.m. today. And while (more popular) online sports betting platforms won’t be available until March, those willing to trek to one of the state’s casinos in the meantime won’t be short of options.
Last week, gaming regulators signed off on which sports people in Massachusetts will — and won’t — initially be able to bet on. And the list is lengthy. In fact, it’s easier to start with what’s off limits:
What you cannot bet on:
- High school and youth sports
- College teams from Massachusetts (unless they’re playing in a tournament with at least four teams, like March Madness)
- Olympics events that are decided by judges (i.e. gymnastics or skating) — because the Gaming Commission had lingering questions about their “more subjective” nature
- Chess — because of a cheating scandal involving one of its top players
- Cornhole — because of a cheating scandal called, yes, BagGate
- Esports — because of unanswered questions regulators had about esports’ various governing bodies
- Jai alai — due to an exclusive betting contract the American jai alai league has with an out-of-state company
What you can bet on:
- Basically all other professional sports. That includes major American and international sports leagues (NFL, NBA, etc) as well as more niche sports like beach soccer, netball and Finland’s baseball-like sport of pesäpallo. (Editor’s note: Pesäpallo looks wild, and it’s my new obsession since learning about it last week.) Read the full list here.
- The rules also allow betting on certain non-sports events, like the Academy Awards, Emmys and even food-eating competitions — in case you want to win some easy money on Joey Chestnut.
- It’s also very possible that betting will be allowed on judged Olympic events, chess, cornhole and esports by the time mobile betting launches in March. Regulators say they just want more time for due diligence on the integrity and oversight of those sports.
Look inside: In their applications, the casinos — Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, MGM Springfield and the Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville — preview what their sportsbooks will look like.
Need a refresher? Read my sports betting explainer for more on what’s allowed and how the rules are different than those in other states. Remember, you have to be 21 and you can’t use credit cards to bet.
Risks and rewards: Some experts have concerns about what legalization means for those who may be susceptible to developing a gambling problem — and that doesn’t just mean people with a history of addiction. UMass professor Rachel Volberg talked to WBUR’s Sharon Brody this past weekend about why adolescents, women, immigrants and college athletes are all particularly vulnerable.
Reach out for help: If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling problem, call the state’s gambling helpline. You can also add yourself to a list to ban yourself from retail and/or digital sportsbooks.
In other news:
Massachusetts Republican Committee members are expected to vote tonight for a new state party chair — or the old one. WBUR’s Steve Brown reports it’s the party’s beleaguered incumbent Jim Lyons against a field of challengers who are disillusioned with the Trump-supporting MassGOP leader’s strategy after another tough election year.
- Tune in: Radio Boston will have a full preview of the MassGOP chair vote during this morning’s 11 a.m. show.
Also today: school is out again in Woburn as a teachers’ strike in the city stretches into its second day. WBUR’s Max Larkin has more here on the disagreements at the center of the work stoppage — including a salary floor for paraprofessionals.
- Woburn officials have gotten a court injunction ordering teachers back to class, but school is still canceled due to the uncertainty.
P.S.— Sports betting isn’t the only big local launch today. Users of WBUR’s mobile app may have noticed it recently underwent a bit of a makeover. The new and improved app now includes the ability to play hourly local news updates on demand — as well as my personal favorite feature: the ability to easily pause and rewind live shows.
If you haven’t already, download the free app now in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store!
