You never want to leave money on the table when there is a sure thing. But that's what the United States is doing when it comes to sports wagering by having Nevada as the only state to legally accept straight sports bets.
It's estimated by the American Gaming Association (AGA) that $4.2 billion is going to be bet on Sunday's Super Bowl game with only about three percent of that being wagered legally. The AGA also released results from a survey conducted by the Mellman Group where 80 percent polled want to change the current highly restrictive betting laws in the U.S.
That's 80 percent. You'd have a hard time getting 80 percent to agree that the sky is blue. The survey also showed 72 percent believing that allowing states to regulate sports betting will make it safer for consumers.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is savvy enough to support legalization. Now it's Roger Goodell's turn. The NFL wants fantasy football. They should end their hypocritical ways and get behind the real thing without any pretending.