Fans may soon be able to legally bet on the Vikings in Minnesota
By Adam Carlson
Following a landmark Supreme Court ruling, sports fans may be able to legally bet on the Minnesota Vikings and other teams in their states in the future.
Betting on sports can be fun. Whether you’re putting some money down with a friend on an individual Minnesota Vikings game, playing fantasy football, or taking the over/under on team wins and losses in Vegas, there is something exciting about playing those games and possibly winning some money!
However, most states haven’t been in on sports gambling in a formal capacity, but that looks to change due to a landmark ruling made by the United States Supreme Court that individual states can have legalized sports betting.
Following the 6-3 vote from justices according to WCCO CBS Minnesota, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was struck down and the ruling allowed New Jersey to join Nevada as a state where a bet can be placed on a single game.
FOX9 is reporting that Minnesota State Representative Pat Garafalo wants to “ensure Minnesota can capitalize on sports gambling revenues before the market is dominated by offshore companies.”
This means that the people of Minnesota may soon be able to bet on the outcome of individual Minnesota Vikings games legally for the first time soon, but the change would need the support of tribal casinos in the state.
The ruling of the Supreme Court is one that is concerning to professional and collegiate sports because of the worry that “legalized sports betting would hurt the integrity of their games” if betting is allowed.
Justice Samuel Alito clarified the court’s stance on the ruling with the following statement:
"“Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each state is free to act on its own. Our job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution. PASPA is not.” Minnesota Vikings The Viking Age 0d - 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history More headlines around FanSided: 1d - Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North 1d - Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take 1d - 6 Vikings who (maybe) won't make the 53-man roster in 2023 2d - Which teams could be drafting a quarterback next year? 2d - Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022 More News at The Viking Age"
The idea of being able to legally place a bet on a game between the Minnesota Vikings and another franchise should be something interesting to fans, but not significant enough to change the way that football fanatics look at the game.
However, hardcore fans in need of a little more of a fix on game day may find themselves putting a little money on the line to make things even more interesting.
At this time, there is no official timeline for legalized gambling on individual sports games in Minnesota, but considering the nature of this ruling, the money that can be made from sports betting, and the fact that politicians are moving forward with it already should give hope it won’t take too long.
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If legalized sports betting comes to Minnesota or your state, would you put money down on a Vikings game or would you continue watching without putting money on the line? And would having that option change how you look at sports? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.