Legal sports betting begins in upstate New York

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – New York sports fans may now bet for the Yankees — or the Mets — closer to home after the state joined the growing list of states allowing sports wagers.

Schenectady’s Rivers Casino and Resort opened its betting lounge to the public Tuesday, the first of what is likely to be several casinos that expect to begin taking bets before the fall football season.

New York’s entry into sports wagering comes after a ruling last year by the U.S. Supreme Court lifted sports betting prohibitions covering most states and prompted a frenzy of interest.

In New York, officials are eager to catch up to New Jersey, where gamblers bet more than $3 billion on sports in the first full year since it became legal in that state.