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The NFL's Uneasy Relationship with Gambling

The upcoming Super Bowl Sunday will undoubtedly be the most gambled- on day of the year, with analysts estimating that more than $7 billion will change hands.

Even though all states except Nevada and Oregon outlaw sports betting, the NFL and gambling have gone together since the league was founded. Even during the regular season, an estimated $40 million is bet on NFL games legally in Nevada, with an additional $3 billion bet in other states and around the world, during a single game weekend. The internet, home to hundreds of gambling sites, has made it even easier to place an NFL bet. Those who bet on the NFL also do so, in astronomically large numbers, with professional bookies, pools in bars and in the workplace, and in fantasy leagues.

Why is the NFL so popular with gamblers? According to experts, the league has certain qualities that make it perfect for gambling: a schedule of 14 or 16 games per week, a rough parity between the winning odds of a number of teams, and the fact that the majority of the games are available for free. Moreover, there is a great deal of information available on each team; a whole culture of commentary flourishes.

Furthermore, sports experts say that a great deal of knowledge is not necessary to be able to place a decent bet, since so much of a team's chances revolve around the starting quarterback and the kicker.

The enthusiastic interest in gambling on the part of NFL fans is both a boom to the league, and a thorn in its side. On one hand, anything that gets fans excited is good for the game. Many fans say that gambling is the only thing that makes watching a dud game worthwhile.

The NFL can be said to encourage gambling in some ways. Television stations that are partnered with the NFL host football experts like Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder and Hank Goldberg, who give fans gambling tips. Also, magazines about the NFL are full of advertisements for casinos and internet gambling sites. Perhaps most incriminatingly, the NFL itself has a section on "fantasy football" on its website, which is widely known to be used by those in search of gambling tips.

Yet, NFL officials are constantly trying to distance themselves from ties to gambling activities.

"We weren't created to be a gambling vehicle. That was created by others," said Greg Aiello, NFL VP of public relations. "It doesn't mean we approve of it or think it's positive, it's just the way it is."

The NFL discourages players and league personnel from gambling at all, and even prohibits them from "associating with gamblers or gambling activities in a manner tending to bring discredit to the NFL." Also, they are subject to a life- long ban on gambling on NFL games.

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