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Little League World Series betting condemned, ‘feels dirty’
LV REVIEW JOURNAL SUBSCRIPTIONSummerlin South is trying to beat the odds and become the first team from Nevada to win the Little League World Series.
Wagering on the LLWS isn’t permitted at U.S. sportsbooks. But the fact that there are betting odds available at offshore sportsbooks on games being played by 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds has drawn condemnation from U.S. team managers and Little League itself.
“We feel strongly that there is no place for betting on Little League games or on any youth sports competition,” Little League International said in a statement Aug. 14. “Little League is a trusted place where children are learning the fundamentals of the games and all the important life lessons that come with having fun, celebrating teamwork and playing with integrity, and no one should be exploiting the success and failures of children playing the game they love for their own personal gain.”
Nevada prohibits wagers on amateur and noncollegiate sporting events, with the exception of the Olympics. But offshore books BetOnline and Bovada, which are not regulated in the U.S., have posted daily odds on the LLWS, which runs through Sunday at Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
”We’re in a big crazy world now, and if we ever see publicized sportsbooks throughout the world standardizing it, we have to really look into ourselves. Is this appropriate?” Summerlin South coach TJ Fechser told The Associated Press. “I’m not the decider on this, but I don’t want to see it standardized.”
Neither does South Carolina manager Dave Bogan.
“I’m not a fan,” Bogan, who noted that he visits Las Vegas twice a year, told the AP. “It’s just not appropriate, it feels dirty, quite honestly.”
Sportsbook defends decision
BetOnline, a Panama-based website, has offered wagering on the LLWS for the past four years.
“We offer Little League World Series game lines and futures because there’s a clear demand,” BetOnline brand manager Dave Mason said in an email to the Review-Journal. “These games captivate audiences on national TV every summer, and we simply provide an option for people who want to watch and wager on these remarkable athletes.
“The Little League World Series consistently garners significant interest from our customers, especially when compared to other sporting events during the same period.”
BetOnline took more bets and money on LLWS games last year than on English Premier League matches, according to Mason. He said action on this year’s event has eclipsed wagering on WNBA games.
Mason said the site has never offered game or player props for the LLWS, and he doesn’t see an ethical issue with betting on it.
“We recognize that gambling is not for everyone, and throughout BetOnline’s 25-year history we’ve prioritized responsible gaming,” he said. “We’re not forcing anyone to wager on these Little League games, and our platform is strictly for adults who choose to participate.
“Athletes under 18 compete at professional levels of soccer and basketball, as well as the Olympics, and no one seems to have a problem with people gambling on those events and athletes. So, no, we don’t see any issues with people gambling on athletes playing at the highest level, no matter their age classification.”
Offshore books aren’t the only sites that have taken bets on the event. Polymarket, a prediction market based in New York City, took more than $12,000 in wagers on the 2024 Little League World Series champion.
Line set on Summerlin South game
Nevada suffered its first loss in 14 postseason games Wednesday in a 7-3 defeat to Connecticut, which advanced to the U.S. championship game Saturday. Summerlin South will play South Carolina at 4 p.m. Thursday in the losers bracket final, with the winner advancing to meet Connecticut.
For the record, the Las Vegas team is a -275 favorite at BetOnline over South Carolina (+206). That means bettors must wager $275 to win $100 on Summerlin South to win, or $100 to win $206 on South Carolina.
