Major League Baseball is collaborating with sports betting companies to eliminate “micro prop” wagering from the game, as disclosed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
In a conversation with The Columbus Dispatch, DeWine shared that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s office indicated the league has negotiated agreements with nearly all prominent sports betting firms—except for one—to prohibit micro prop bets. These bets enable gamblers to place bets on highly detailed in-game events, such as the number of strikeouts a pitcher achieves or how many innings they finish.
“Micro prop betting poses significant dangers. It’s a considerable risk to the integrity of sports,” stated DeWine. “While they can occur in baseball, they also field into other sports, which is concerning.”
Micro prop gambling falls under a broader category termed in-game or live betting, which has constituted over half of the total bets placed on platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings in recent financial reports, as reported by The New York Times.
DeWine’s discussions with MLB come shortly after FBI Director Kash Patel announced the apprehension of a current NBA head coach, a current player, and a former player in relation to an alleged illegal gambling operation.
The proposed prohibition would be specific to MLB and would not extend to other professional sports leagues. DeWine mentioned that he intends to defer any action at the state level until after the World Series.
The governor initially proposed a ban on micro prop betting in July, following the Cleveland Guardians placing pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase on administrative leave amid a gambling investigation.
DeWine advocates for a “holistic solution” that tackles this issue on a national scale, but stated that if that isn’t feasible, he would “likely” request the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) to restrict such bets within Ohio.
Newly established state regulations would require approval from the Ohio Legislature’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review before becoming effective. However, if a sports league formally sought a change, DeWine noted the OCCC could act with greater urgency.
This isn’t the first instance where Ohio regulators adapted gambling rules in response to league concerns. In February 2024, the OCCC prohibited prop betting involving college athletes less than a month following a request from the NCAA for such a change.