States are free to authorize sports betting, Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court on Monday opened the door to an unprecedented expansion of legalized betting on college and professional sports, striking down a federal law that forbade states from authorizing such gambling.

The decision set off a rush among states to put plans in place — a New Jersey racetrack said it would offer sports betting within weeks — and could revolutionize spectator sports, with some envisioning real-time wagering at baseball stadiums on whether the next pitch will produce a hit or an out.