Never mind sports betting in office pools anymore, serious sports gamblers bet online now, especially when it comes to the college basketball tournament where wagers get really serious. According to statistics from USA Today, this year gamblers will wager between $1 billion to $1.3 billion over the Internet on the NCAA Tournament. The implications for the tournament because of the amount of money involved are tremendous. Plus, according to the American Gaming Association, 12 million people gambled online in 2003,( with approximately 4.5 million of them from the U.S. and the remaining 7.5 million from other countries). While those numbers may seem negligible in comparison to the total global population, they are quite significant in terms of the impact they can have on the NCAA Tournament and the hornet’s nest of trouble it can open. The fear is that, with that much money at risk and that many people with a vested interest in the money, the chances of a player succumbing to blackmail, bribery, or temptation of some sort to manipulate the outcome of the game are heightened significantly. This potential has naturally led to widespread doubts about the ability to maintain the integrity of the sport. Suspicions about the outcome of a game and whether or not it was fixed or manipulated will not be uncommon.

The NCAA is understandably growing increasingly nervous about the phenomenon as well, but there is very little they can do about it. Nor can the federal government or the courts do anything since online gambling sites are registered outside of U.S. jurisdiction in countries where they are legal. The only law in place that could possibly address the problem, the federal Wire Act of 1961, was originally written to prohibit people from using phone lines to place wagers and does not effectively address Internet gambling.

Thus, bettors are getting bolder and online gaming sites are encouraging this by making it easier and easier to place bets online. New software and technology allows players to place bets simply my moving currency via cell phones, computers, and PDAs, thereby eliminating the need for cash, checks, or credit card transactions. Moreover, bets can be placed before or during games, as well as on the score or on game statistics.

The OffShore Gaming Association does its best to monitor the industry but it makes no guarantee that they can offer total protection. They suggest that the bettors play it smart. In other words, do the research, know the basics, and generally be savvy. They also urge betters to check to see how close to home or to the opposition tournament games will be played and how the team has played as an underdog or victor.