SACRAMENTO -
Have you in a Superbowl pool yet? You'll probably will by game time, even though it's illegal in California. Much of the 8 to 10 billion dollars wagered on the game nationwide will be done so illegally. Why?
We already know that most of the 100 million viewers of the Superbowl don't normally follow either team. But betting in a pool can spice things up.
"I think it's a good thing because it lends toward people really wanting to follow the game," said sports fan Adam Little.
Dan Franklin agrees. "I'll be in a pool. ...it makes the game more exciting," he said.
But not everybody knew they were risking 5 years in prison until this year.
"That's way overboard," said Franklin.
In January a new law by Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries kicked in making betting on sports pools an infraction, like a traffic ticket.
Jefferies' chief of staff Craig DeLuz said, "We just felt it was more appropriate for the punishment to fit the crime."
It passed both houses of the legislature with no opposition. Even though office pools on the Superbowl are widespread, cops and district attorneys will tell you they have better things to do than to crack down on friendly betting. Why not go all the way and legalize sports pools? Probably because state lawmakers can't get around Federal gambling laws.
It's important to remember that the lower penalty only applies to pools less than 2,500 dollars.
"If someone's out there thinking they're going to run a sports betting pool for profit or they're going to run a large pool they'd better think again," said DeLuz.
Still, some won't think about it at all.
"People still do it with or without the legislation," said sports fan Dimitri Semelov.
We already know that most of the 100 million viewers of the Superbowl don't normally follow either team. But betting in a pool can spice things up.
"I think it's a good thing because it lends toward people really wanting to follow the game," said sports fan Adam Little.
Dan Franklin agrees. "I'll be in a pool. ...it makes the game more exciting," he said.
But not everybody knew they were risking 5 years in prison until this year.
"That's way overboard," said Franklin.
In January a new law by Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries kicked in making betting on sports pools an infraction, like a traffic ticket.
Jefferies' chief of staff Craig DeLuz said, "We just felt it was more appropriate for the punishment to fit the crime."
It passed both houses of the legislature with no opposition. Even though office pools on the Superbowl are widespread, cops and district attorneys will tell you they have better things to do than to crack down on friendly betting. Why not go all the way and legalize sports pools? Probably because state lawmakers can't get around Federal gambling laws.
It's important to remember that the lower penalty only applies to pools less than 2,500 dollars.
"If someone's out there thinking they're going to run a sports betting pool for profit or they're going to run a large pool they'd better think again," said DeLuz.
Still, some won't think about it at all.
"People still do it with or without the legislation," said sports fan Dimitri Semelov.
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