While first-pitch wagers don’t appear in the state catalog, an operator could seek agency approval to offer them. The concern was that first-pitch wagers could be fixed more easily than other bets. Last year, Major League Baseball expressed reservations to Maryland about bets on the first pitch of a game or inning, or the first delivery to a batter. The agency says it doesn’t permit betting on high school sports, nor on exhibition matches in mixed martial arts and boxing because they are not sanctioned by a governing body and have no official result. The state Lottery and Gaming Control Agency maintains a voluminous “catalog of events and wagers” that can be updated as needed. Maryland regulators allow wide latitude on the types of wagers that casinos may offer.
