MLB Takes Action to Stop “Micro Prop” Betting in Ohio

Major League Baseball is working to limit “micro prop” betting, bets on specific in-game events, due to rising worries about professional sports integrity. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said league officials told him they were about to finalize deals with most big betting companies to remove these types of wagers from baseball markets.

Governor DeWine Warns Micro Prop Bets Threaten Sports Integrity

Micro prop bets let people gamble on specific game moments, like whether the first pitch will be a strike or how many batters a pitcher will get out in an inning. DeWine cautioned that these bets open doors to tampering and put the integrity of competition at risk since they depend on what individual players do rather than how teams perform.

The governor said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is leading a bigger push involving several major sports leagues to ban micro prop betting in all 50 states, reported The Columbus Dispatch. However, DeWine also hinted that if nationwide efforts stall, Ohio might go ahead and outlaw such bets within its own borders. He stressed that while he would prefer a solution across the country, he would not hold off on state action forever.

MLB’s talks with gambling companies are happening when sports betting is under close watch. Just before DeWine made the statement, federal agents revealed a big probe into illegal betting involving several NBA figures. This has led to more calls to protect fair play and separate legal sports betting from shady activities.

Micro Prop Bets Under Fire in Ohio Following Guardian’s Inquiry and NCAA Reforms

Ohio saw the micro prop betting issue pop up earlier this year. The Cleveland Guardians put pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase on leave while MLB looked into odd betting patterns. Though no one got punished, it sparked new debates about whether bets on single-player stats should be allowed.

DeWine has worried about similar betting practices since Ohio made sports gambling legal in 2023. He backed a successful effort to ban player-specific bets on college sports, pointing to reports of harassment and pressure on student-athletes. The Ohio Casino Control Commission put this ban in place in February 2024, after the NCAA asked for it.

To add new limits on professional sports betting, the state’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review would need to look them over. However, DeWine said if a league like MLB asked for such changes, the commission could act faster to put them in place.

The governor called micro prop bets a growing weak spot in sports betting. He urged regulators and leagues to focus on keeping competitions fair rather than chasing betting money.