Delaware hoping to be 1st state with full-scale sports betting

While it seemed a foregone conclusion that New Jersey would be the first state to legalize full-scale sports betting after Monday's decision by the Supreme Court, Delaware is making a push to steal that spot.

Delaware has the advantage of already offering an NFL parlay system, and the state is poised to expand that to full-scale sports betting options on professional and college sports.

"Following Monday's ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court and consultation with the Delaware Attorney General's Office, we are confident that Delaware has the legal and regulatory authority to authorize sports gaming in Delaware," the department of finance said in a release obtained by David Purdum of ESPN on Thursday. "The Delaware Lottery has had plans in place for months, and we will begin training lottery and casino staff early next week."

After the Supreme Court ruled that PASPA (Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act) was unconstitutional on Monday, states can begin allowing legalized sports betting on a case-by-case basis. Delaware's NFL parlay betting that began in 2009 saw roughly $46 million wagered in 2017, a number that is likely to be blown away by a full-scale sports betting system.

Both New Jersey and Delaware are now targeting the first week of June to be up and running with their sports betting programs.