Sports
Offshore Sportsbook Again Taking Little League World Series Wagers
Regulated U.S. sportsbooks don't accept wagers on youth sports, and the Little League World Series organization condemns the practice.
The Little League World Series gets underway on Wednesday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, but wagering on which team will walk away with a trophy and championship rings has already started.
Licensed U.S.-based sportsbooks such as DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM are prohibited from accepting wagers on LLWS games, but the regulations don’t stop offshore sportsbooks.
One example is Panama City, Panama-based BetOnline.ag, which is offering Little League odds for the fifth consecutive year and claims the tournament has “seen a rapid rise in popularity.”
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“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,” Dave Mason, BetOnline’s brand manager, said in a news release. “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.”
Citing the ethical concerns of placing wagers on a game involving 12-year-olds, Little League International last year strongly condemned the practice, PennLive reported. None of the jurisdictions where the Little League organization operates permit wagering on youth sports, reflecting a focus on safe, responsible entertainment and regulatory compliance, the group said. Betting can compromise the integrity of sports by leading to match-fixing and undue influence.
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The 38 LLWS games will be televised daily by ESPN from Aug. 13-24.
International teams will battle in one tournament, while American teams will battle in the other. Respective tournament champions will be crowned, and the winners will meet in the final World Series game on Aug. 24.
Semifinal games will be held on Aug. 23, and a third-place game, between the runners-up in the American and international tournaments, will be held on Aug. 24.
A U..S. team has won the tournament for six consecutive years, but is not favored in 2025, according to BetOnline..
Odds opened Tuesday morning. LLWS bracket odds are updated in real-time, according to the release. Game lines will be posted each morning.
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