Baseball Fans Should Root for Gambling to Expand

Oddsmakers are becoming a crucial financial pillar for baseball, supporting the recent run of massive contracts signed by the sport's star players. Major League Baseball and media giants are in a race to dominate the upcoming surge in sports gambling, weaving betting into live game broadcasts. This shift might unsettle baseball purists, but fans should weigh the alternative: escalating costs for watching or attending games as teams and media corporations scramble for fresh revenue streams. In other words, fans should welcome the growing influence of betting on baseball.

Imagine being able to bet on the next batter's performance or the outcome of the next pitch, with the odds displayed directly on screen. These types of things are already starting to be seen on MLB broadcasts, and they aren’t going away. The sports betting world is no longer just a FanDuel vs DraftKings debate that’s confined to a small group of fans. There are growing ways that fans are seeing the influence of betting in baseball.

Of course, Major League Baseball has historically been wary of gambling's influence on the game. The shadow of the 1919 Black Sox scandal, where eight players were banned for rigging the World Series, still hangs over the league. For decades, that event forced MLB to be careful with regard to gambling influencing the integrity of the game. As a result, Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, remains barred from the sport and the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his involvement in betting on games

However, baseball is confronting a critical juncture. It grapples with an aging fan base and a game pace that clashes with the short attention spans of today's viewers accustomed to apps and quick highlights (though recent changes, such as the pitch clock, aim to address this). As the younger fan base expands, revenue from gambling-related sponsorships, ads, and product fees (such as those paid by sportsbooks for real-time game data) is expected to soar. Eventually, gambling could become as entrenched in the national pastime as strikeouts.

The added revenue coming from betting-related entities will help to offset the revenue being lost from cord-cutters who are breaking ties with cable companies and regional television networks. For the last few decades, this has been a big cash cow for MLB. But now betting revenue is starting to replace TV money. For fans, this means teams will be under less pressure to jack up prices for tickets and in-stadium concessions.

Of course, it also means that the growing influence of gambling in baseball isn’t going away, at least in states that have legalized sports betting. Roughly half of MLB teams have marketing partnerships with betting apps. Likewise, players are now permitted to endorse sportsbooks. Also, several sports stadiums, including some MLB venues, have a retail sportsbook within the stadium.

While baseball's foray into expanded gambling isn’t sitting well with some fans, it’s ultimately for the best. Without it, fans would have to endure higher ticket prices than they already have. There could also be price hikes for streaming games at home or watching via cable. This would be particularly harmful for small-market teams, potentially increasing the gap between what cash-rich teams like the Dodgers can pay players and MLB’s most budget-conscious teams. That wouldn’t be good for baseball or fans. In other words, while it might take some getting used to or feel like it goes against the history of the game, it’s time for fans to embrace the influence of gambling in baseball