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WILLIAMSPORT - AUGUST 24: A general view of Lamade Stadium during the game between the Waipio (West) Little League team from Waipio, Hawaii and the Matamoros Little League team from Matamoros, Mexico during the World Series Championship game at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, PA on August 24, 2008. The Waipio team defeated the Matamoros team 12-3.
How pervasive has gambling culture become within sports in the United States? Well, look no further than the upcoming Little League World Series.
On Monday, BetOnline’s Dave Mason shared the site’s odds for teams to win the United States championship of the portion of the bracket.
However, while some fans engaged with Mason seriously regarding the odds, most pointed out the extreme ethical dilemma brought about by people gambling on a game played by teens and preteens.
LLWS USA champ:
California +200
Texas +250
Jersey +500
Bama +550
Iowa +650
Massachusetts +750
Pennsylvania +1000
Nevada +1200
Ohio +1600
Washington +2500Cali getting the early love from the bettors.
— Dave Mason (@DaveMasonBOL) August 17, 2026
Little League World Series Call Out Sleezy Oddsmakers And Bettors
According to Mason, California is the heavy betting favorite to win the U.S. championship, and BetOnline has already taken a number of wagers on the matter.
“California is getting bet like they are the 1998 Yankees,” Mason wrote on X shortly after posting the initial lines. “Almost half of the bets are on the youngins’ from the Golden State. They are currently the odds-on -150 favorites.”
But it seems that the overwhelming majority of fans and viewers agree that you shouldn’t even be able to bet on the event.
Betting on literal children is actually disgusting https://t.co/TNl6gi3ZpP
— John Gugs (@jgugs23) August 17, 2026
Imagine being a lousy enough human being that you post odds on Little League games. https://t.co/DtKU1ZLCX9
— David Jay (@dmjay) August 18, 2026
I know @devenmorgan and I talked about losing the plot last week but let’s add betting on a bunch of 12 year olds to the story. https://t.co/eqr42W7l0H
— Maren Angus (@Maren_Angus) August 17, 2026
Now, it’s important to note that gambling on youth sports is banned in all legal U.S. jurisdictions. Therefore, no mainstream or state-licensed sportsbook, such as FanDuel and DraftKings, carries lines for youth sports
BetOnline is able to do so because it operates as an offshore sportsbook. But according to Mason’s posts, that hasn’t stopped the bets from rolling in.
So, what do you think? Is betting on the Little League World Series fair or foul? Let us know in the comments below.