Sports Betting Q&A
Frequently asked questions about sports betting

Is sports betting rigged?

Last Updated: May 6, 2020
|
Fact Checked By: Adam Zdroik

No, sports betting is not rigged, but it is against your favor because of the vig.

In order to make money, sports betting companies collect a commission on losing bets, which is called the vig. Because of that, it may seem like sports betting is rigged, but that's simply to insure it's a source of revenue. If sports betting didn't make a profit, there would be no reason to legalize it across the country.

For sports betting to exist, companies have to make money off it, which is why PASPA was struck down in 2018. While Nevada has been raking in millions of dollars through sports betting, new legislation will allow each start to benefit from sports gambling. If states are benefitting from sports betting, that means those wagering are losing money more often than not.

If you're losing because you think "sports betting is rigged" and can't get out of the game, there are resources to help. There are online guides, readily available access to addiction centers and a National Problem Gambling Helpline.

Read More Sports Betting Q&As

More Questions To Read
NFL Week 1 odds came out on all the best sportsbooks following the release of the 2024-25 NFL schedule in May.
Yes. Sports betting is legal in Virginia and residents began betting via FanDuel in January 2021.
Sports betting is legal in Ohio, and takes bets as of January 1, 2023.
Yes, sports betting is legal in Maryland. It launched on November 23, 2022.
Yes, sports betting is live in Massachusetts.
Yes. Michigan passed legislation to allow sports betting in December 2019 and the first physical sportsbooks opened in March 2020.
Yes. Colorado legalized in-person and mobile sports betting in November 2019.
Yes. Pennsylvania passed legislation to allow sports betting in 2017 and sportsbooks began taking bets in 2019.
Yes. Sports betting is legal and regulated in Arizona as of football season in 2021.
Yes. New Jersey was one of the first states to legalize sports betting and online wagering after the 2018 Supreme Court decision.
Yes, FanDuel pays out real money. Whether you use the DFS portion of the website, sportsbook, or online casino, you will be paid out in real money.
Yes. Illinois passed sports betting legislature in 2019 and launched at legal sportsbooks in March 2020.
Yes. Sports betting can be a career if you make it your full-time job and put in the hours.
Bonus bets in sports betting are often connected to deposits and are also referred to as bonuses.
Yes, sports betting is legal in the state of Ohio.
The plus (+) and minus (-) in sports betting can refer to either the point spread or betting odds.
FanDuel Sportsbook is legal in 22 states. These states are AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY.
Sports betting payouts depend on which type of odds are being used.
If you've never bet before, there are surely a lot of words and phrases you've never heard before and even if you have bet before, you may not know...
A hedge is a method to reduce risk and secure winnings for a specified bet.
Odds can refer to moneyline, spread or total bets, and they can be displayed as American, British (fractional) or European (decimal).
Sports betting spreads, also referred to as lines, are used to even the odds between two unevenly matched teams.
The BetMGM bonus code is ROTOBONUS giving new customers a $1500 first bet offer. Copy and paste the code upon registration to redeem.
While 21 is the more common age limit, there are states in which you can bet on sports if you are at least 18 years old.
A unit in sports betting is a measurement of the size of a given bet.