It’s not quite gambling, but it wouldn’t be happening if legalized sports gambling weren’t sweeping the nation.
John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reports that the Rams will become the second NFL team to implement a gambling-style game. Free of charge (and thus not gambling), the “Rams Pick’em” will debut on Saturday night when the Rams visit the Raiders.
On Thursday night, the joint venture between Washington and NBC Sports Washington premiered, with a prize of $1,000 per quarter. The Rams’ game includes game tickets, pregame field passes, and autographed merchandise as prizes.
The Rams game can be played during each of the team’s four preseason contests through the team’s mobile app, or at TheRams.com/predict.
For now, that’s all the Rams (or the Chargers or 49ers) will be able to do. California has begun the process of legalizing sports wagering, but it won’t be easy to get it done.