What Internet sports wagering does is press the secret economy of the bookie into the mainstream. It can't be ignored as easily. It's the convenience of Internet wagering that spurred the bill's proponents to action. Downloaded casino-connected slot machines, with algorithms calculated to pay out a certain percentage, might very well be the crack cocaine of the gambling world. Like those zombified old folks with the buckets of quarters you see haunting casinos at 4 a.m., home gamblers can get a hit of their chosen excitement every few seconds.
Sports betting spreads the entertainment dollar out over a few hours.
You're wagering on God's own algorithm. A quarterback might twist an ankle, a race-car driver might blow a carburetor. The Man moves slowly. You have to sit and watch. For many, gambling makes events more entertaining, a fact major sports leagues probably recognize if not publicly admit.