NFL Players In The Super Bowl Face Strict Gambling Rules In Las Vegas
NFL players who make the Super Bowl better not plan on hitting the blackjack tables while in Las Vegas.
Super Bowl LVIII will be played in Las Vegas February 11th, and it should be an absolutely epic time in Sin City for fans and everyone else involved......other than players who like to gamble.
In fact, players on the two teams who make the Super Bowl will face incredibly strict gambling restrictions while in Vegas.
A memo sent to teams in September informed franchises no gambling of any kind would be tolerated by players in the game, according to a recent report from Front Office Sports (via CBS Sports). That includes gambling on sports, table games or any other kind of gambling they might be able to find.
The unbelievably strict gambling rules do not apply to players who visit Vegas from other teams. They're free to gamble on anything other than the NFL and they're banned from stepping foot inside a Vegas sportsbook - which pretty much every hotel has - unless it's mandatory for them to walk through to get to a specific destination, according to the same report.
Players in the Super Bowl face strict gambling restrictions while in Las Vegas. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Do the Super Bowl gambling rules make sense?
It's a bit strange that players in the game have been banned from hitting the tables in Las Vegas. What's the logic here?
Is it an optics issue? Are they worried about players, who are grown adult men, not being focused? If they can play blackjack during the season without a concern, why does that change in Las Vegas?
For comparison, the regular NFL gambling policy allows players to gamble on sports other than the NFL and allows for table games at casinos.
NFL has strict gambling policies for players in the Super Bowl. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Super Bowl policy for players in the game doesn't allow for anything. It's certainly an interesting decision that doesn't seem to have much logic behind it.
Not gambling on the game or the NFL makes perfect sense. In theory, players could influence outcomes or know inside information.
It should go without saying, but the same doesn't apply for table games. There's nothing a guy can do at a blackjack table that will impact the NFL.
However, the league doesn't care. It's a flat ban, and as a betting man myself, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this rule is violated by at least one player.
NFL players playing in the Super Bowl are banned from gambling while in Las Vegas. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)
Should NFL players playing in the Super Bowl be allowed to play table games while in Las Vegas? Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.