New Jersey to receive first sports bets on Thursday morning

New Jersey governor Phil Murphy finally got around to signing the bill that legalizes sports betting.

On Monday, Murphy inked his name to the bill after it previously made its way through both the Assembly and the Legislature.

In a statement on the matter, Murphy claimed that he saw the bill as helping to “attract new business” to the state he governs. With an 8.5 percent taxation rate on sports betting, it’s clear where the government’s interest in the legalization of sports betting is rooted.

William Hill, a popular sportsbook that is based out of the United Kingdom, has already set up camp in New Jersey at a racetrack known as Monmouth Park Racetrack. They expect to take in their first sports bet on Thursday morning of this week at 10:30AM.

Partisan American sports fans will likely be funneling a fair share of their bets toward Major League Baseball games and perhaps even the antepost markets as divisional races heat up in the months ahead.

American tennis favorites at the upcoming Grand Slam from Wimbledon 2018 might also receive a share of bets, especially on the women’s side where Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, and Madison Keys are all among the favorites.

The World Cup for soccer may also attract a fair share of antepost bets. It’s true that the sport is not as popular in the United States as it is in the rest of the world. However, America is a diverse nation and it’s worth pointing out that the day that New Jersey plans to start taking bets, this Thursday, is the same day that the World Cup starts.

Americans won’t be able to bet on their national team as the USA team failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Look for USA punters to back tournament-favorite Brazil as that country looks to make amends for its embarrassing exit at the last World Cup.