One sports betting site says its research shows Patriots fans are among the happiest in the NFL, only ranking below the New Orleans Saints. The site, OLBG, said its results were based on social media activity of U.S. professional teams — the Red Sox ranked seventh in baseball, and the New England Revolution were sixth in MLS. Second-ranked Patriots fans are likely seeing an additional boost in joy as players will report to training camp in Foxborough on July 26, with practice set to start the following day.
Hometown teams like the Patriots, Celtics and Red Sox may see some action on sites like OLBG, but not from their own state, where sports betting remains illegal. A push to change that has dragged on for years, since the Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that banning sports betting was unconstitutional. A bill that would legalize the practice in Massachusetts has passed both the House and Senate, but the two different versions of the legislation have striking differences that are holding up the deal.
The legislation, which passed the House last July, has been in a joint conference committee since the Senate passed its own version in late April. Three representatives and three senators are in negotiations to try to hammer out a deal, Mariano said. The aim, according to reports, is to try to get a bill before sports betting proponent Gov. Charlie Baker by the end of the legislative session on July 31. The major difference, House Speaker Ronald Mariano said, is that unlike the House, the Senate does not support college sports betting in its version.