Oregon Lottery Scoreboard Could Permit Sports Wagers up to $250,000, But Restrictions Apply

Posted on: October 9, 2019, 02:48h. 

Last updated on: October 9, 2019, 04:03h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

The Oregon Lottery is nearing the launch of its “Scoreboard” mobile betting app, and with that debut comes the potential for gamblers to make some hefty wagers.

Oregon’s Scoreboard sports betting app could be ready for Blazers season and could take bets up to $250,000. (Image: Blazers Edge)

Scoreboard’s initial deposit limit will be $250,000, meaning it’s possible that app users could wager that much on a single contest.

The deposit limit is $250,000,” said lottery director Matt Shelby in an interview with Willamette Week. “Theoretically, if someone had the means to deposit a quarter-million dollars into their player account, they could wager it.”

As is the case with other states that are homes to rapidly growing online and mobile sports wagering markets, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Oregon will require users of its betting app to be inside the state when placing bets.

Bettors in the Beaver State will be able to use Scoreboard to place single game bets, parlays, and in-game wagers. Sports betting kiosks located throughout the state will also accept each of those bets. But lottery retailers will not take in-game action because that’s “impractical,” according to a presentation by the Oregon Lottery.

Other Stipulations

The Beaver State’s potential willingness to accept individual bets of $250,000 isn’t far-flung. Earlier this year, New Jersey mulled a sports betting cap of $5 million per wager, and Nevada has no such limitations.

Oregon does, however, have other restrictions. Scoreboard won’t allow gamblers to have action on college teams, including the Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers.

The Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City, a tribal gaming property, does take bets on college games, but gamblers have to go that venue to place wagers.

Even without offering wagering on the state’s marquee college programs, Oregon Lottery promises Scoreboard will feature “a tremendous selection of leagues and bet types, as well as comprehensive live betting options.”

Banking On The Blazers?

Oregon Lottery was hoping to have Scoreboard operational prior to the start of the NFL season. But with Week Six of professional football here, the app has yet to launch.

If Scoreboard comes online over the next few days, bettors could have action on the remaining NBA exhibition games and be ready to go for the start of the Portland Trail Blazers’ regular season on Oct. 23, when Oregon’s lone professional sports franchise takes on the Denver Nuggets.

According to data from UNLV, basketball is usually the second-most wagered-on sport behind football in Nevada. The Blazers won 53 games last year, and sportsbooks throughout the country have win totals on the team ranging from 45.5 to 47.5 for the 2019-20 season. That’s the eleventh-highest total among the NBA’s 30 teams.

As for Oregon’s $250,000 bet limit, that figure may not hold true for every game. Factors such as the sport, odds on the game in question, and the lottery’s risk tolerance could lead to rejections of some $250,000 wagers.

Oregon Lottery is also requiring Scoreboard users to select a deposit limit amount. Bettors moving their limits up must wait 24 hours in between changes and those making two or more such adjustments in a week will receive a notification from the lottery.