Little League World Series Gambling Sees 'Rapid Rise' Amid Controversy

WILLIAMSPORT, PA — As the opening games of the 2025 Little League World Series Wednesday afternoon draw nearer, some bookmakers are handling a sharp uptick in bets from a sport which they said has seen a "rapid rise" in gambling popularity. But it's not without controversy.

The site BetOnline.ag is entering its fourth year offering gambling odds on the tournament, and they said they received more than a thousand wagers in the opening hours Tuesday morning. But the Little League World Series has sharply condemned all gambling associated with the tournament, and says it is not affiliated with the betting in any way.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Commission calls the site "unregulated," and, separately, the PA attorney general's office has joined others around the nation urging a federal crackdown on similar overseas gambling operations. In the past, BetOnline defended its operations by saying that gambling on the Olympics, which includes minors, is allowed, and that betting helps to grow the sport. They're also based in Panama, which they argue exempts them from U.S. law.

The Little League World Series has also banned all depictions of gambling by any advertisers associated with the event.

Sports gambling only became legal at the federal level in 2018, and professional sports leagues, policies, and fandom itself are all still adjusting to that new reality. But gambling on children's sports, which might have been unimaginable at this scale a decade ago, is apparently a booming business.

See also: Little League World Series 2025 Comes To PA: What You Need To Know

"The Little League World Series is an exciting tournament that our customers absolutely love to watch, and we get requests from them every year around this time to offer odds," BetOnline brand manager Dave Mason said in a statement. "This will probably be shocking to hear, but we'll take more bets on these Little League games than we will on any professional tennis or soccer match over the next two weeks."

The Little League World Series, held for 78 years in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, features 10 teams from regions around the United States competing in one bracket, and 10 teams from countries around the globe competing in another bracket.

With the MLB playoffs and the start of the NFL season both still weeks away, the "light" betting calendar will turn renewed focus to Williamsport, oddsmakers said.

Bets opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday, and by noon, BetOnline said they had already received a thousand unique wagers. The United States has won six consecutive world championships, but they are not favored to win this year, with the winner of the international bracket currently sitting at minus 155 odds to win it all.

In the United States bracket, the team from Hawaii currently has the best odds at 3/2, following by South Carolina 2/1, Washington at 5/1, Texas at 12/2, South Dakota at 7/1, Nevada at 9/1, Pennsylvania at 9/1, Connecticut at 12/1, Massachusetts at 25/1, and Illinois at 28/1.

Chinese Taipei is favored to win the international bracket at 2/1 odds, trailed by Tokyo at 9/4 odds and Aruba at 11/4 odds (See all odds and brackets at BetOnline here).

Beyond concerns with regulations and youth sports, sports gambling at large has come under sharp criticism from some fans and athletes who say they've received physical threats to themselves and their families over subpar performances. Several MLB stars have also been suspended over gambling-related tampering investigations this season.