The Latest on the Supreme Court ruling striking down a federal law that bars gambling on football Tarik Cohen Bears Jersey , basketball, baseball and other sports in most states (all times local):

10:45 p.m.

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for states to legalize betting on sports, breaking a longtime ban and creating a potential financial boon for states and the gambling industry. The first bets could be placed within weeks.

The high court has struck down a federal law that had barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states. States that want to take advantage of the ruling now will generally have to pass legislation to allow sports books to open.

Sports leagues had expressed concerns about any expansion of sports gambling. But the ruling also could be seen as bringing a popular activity out of the shadows. Americans wager about $150 billion on sports each year illegally, according to the American Gaming Association.

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6:15 p.m.

An oddsmaker at one Las Vegas resort sees little chance that betting in other states will siphon business away from Las Vegas.

Westgate race and sports book chief Jay Kornegay calls Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing sports betting in states an opportunity for which sports books have been preparing for a long time.

Kornegay says tourists don’t just come to Las Vegas to wager at the sports book. They also visit restaurants, casino tables, stores, pool venues, theaters and nightclubs.

Kornegay predicts crowd will still come for big events like the NCAA basketball March Madness tournament, the NFL Super Bowl, boxing and mixed martial arts fights, and the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup horse races.

He says people who are introduced to legal gambling in their home states might then want to visit Las Vegas.

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5:50 p.m.

Casino operator MGM Resorts International does not expect the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on sports betting to have a negative impact on the Las Vegas market.

CEO Jim Murren tells The Associated Press the company has polled customers in focus groups around the U.S. and found that widespread sports betting opportunities will not keep fans from traveling to the nation’s gambling mecca.

Murren says people will want to visit the market leader, which will take them to Las Vegas’ sports books.

The Las Vegas-based company operates more than 10 properties there and several more in the U.S. and abroad.

Murren says the ruling will increase consumer interest in sports.

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5:45 p.m.

An executive with a company that owns casinos in 18 states and Ontario, Canada Dak Prescott Jersey , says the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sports gambling could begin a ”land rush” for states to enact sports wagering laws.

Penn National Gaming senior vice president Eric Schippers says West Virginia is already at work on regulations to enable sports betting in that state by the start of the NFL season in September.

Penn National operates the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, about 60 miles west of Washington, D.C.

The company also operates the Tropicana resort on the Las Vegas Strip and the M Resort in suburban Henderson, Nevada.

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4:15 p.m.

Longtime sportscaster Brent Musburger says prohibition didn’t work with liquor and prohibition didn’t work for sports betting.

The former ESPN announcer now heads a sports betting broadcast called Vegas Stats and Information Network.

He’s calling Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on sports betting in states a healthy thing for sports and the public.

Musburger says sports betting and influence scandals are rare, and all that bookmakers in Las Vegas want is integrity and honesty.

He says the ruling takes sports betting ”out of the underground and makes it mainstream.”

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3:50 p.m.

Casino giant Caesars Entertainment says you can bet it will expand its sports wagering business to states where it says secure and responsible gambling is legalized.

It’s not talking yet about details.

Company president and chief executive Mark Frissora says Monday’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court could end illegal sports wagering by replacing it with a well-regulated alternative that sports fans can trust.

Las Vegas-based Caesars operates 47 casinos in 13 U.S. states and five countries.

Frissora says the company will announce its specific approach to adding sports books after regulations evolve from the court ruling.

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3:45 p.m.

New Jersey lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would regulate and tax sports betting, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for states to legalize it.

A bill sponsored Monday by Democratic state Senate president Steve Sweeney and others would set an 8 percent tax rate for bets made in person at casinos and racetracks, and 12.5 percent on online bets.

The state Division of Gaming Enforcement, Casino Control Commission, and state Racing Commission would all be involved in regulating sports bets that would be placed through casinos and racetracks.

The bill would presumably supplant one introduced last week that would have paid an ”integrity fee” to the sports leagues, in effect giving them a cut of the proceeds from sports betting.

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2:40 p.m.

The National Council on Problem Gambling says the high court ruling offers the largest potential expansion of gambling in U.S. history, and predicts many more people will develop gambling problems or worsen existing ones unless steps are taken to minimize risks.

Marlene Warner, the group’s 鈥?As Case Keenum convened the Minnesota huddle with 10 seconds left, the situation staring down the Vikings was as simple as it was daunting.With the go-ahead field goal by the New Orleans Saints that silenced this deafening stadium still fresh in the air, the Vikings were well beyond any moment of anxiety. All that was left for Keenum to do on that last snap was to throw the ball up like he used to do in his Texas backyards and hope for the best.Keenum completed his last-ditch heave near the sideline Sunday on the game’s final play to Stefon Diggs, who slithered away from the Saints for a 61-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a 29-24 victory and a spot in the NFC championship game at Philadelphia.“At that point Michael Gallup Youth Jersey , I’m just a kid throwing a football to another big kid,” Keenum said with a smile, “and he just runs and scores.”One more win, against the Eagles, and the Vikings will become the first team to play in a Super Bowl on their home turf. Instead of the usual win-or-go-home stakes, they’re in a win-and-go-home situation.“It never ends that way,” Diggs said. “Usually, it’s reality. It’s life. So things go and you walk home and worry it about tomorrow.”Instead, Drew Brees and the Saints were the ones trudging off the field in defeat.“We’re still a bit shell-shocked after what happened there at the end,” said Brees, who steered the Saints in position for Wil Lutz’s 43-yard kick with 25 seconds remaining that punctuating a forceful rally from a 17-point deficit that stood until 1:16 was left in the third quarter.The field goal was set up by a fourth-and-10 completion by Brees to Willie Snead for 13 yards to the Minnesota 33 with 40 seconds left. Brees connected with Michael Thomas for two of his three touchdown passes in a span of 3:09 that spilled into the fourth quarter. The second score was set up at the Minnesota 40 by an interception by Marcus Williams, when an off-balance throw into traffic by Keenum served as his one costly moment of recklessness, a “bonehead play,” as he put it.Keenum settled back in. He guided the Vikings to two more field goals by Kai Forbath, including a 53-yarder with 1:29 left that was his third of the game against his former team and gave them their lead back after a blocked punt by George Johnson had set up the Saints for a touchdown pass by Brees to Alvin Kamara.Then came the play that put Keenum and Diggs in permanent rotation on the NFL’s all-time highlight reels.“We knew there was still a possibility Lamar Jackson Youth Jersey , still some hope,” Keenum said.This wasn’t quite Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1972 playoffs, but these Vikings are on some kind of special path after turning to Keenum in the second game of the season after original starter Sam Bradford was sidelined by a knee injury.The Vikings were out of timeouts and nearly out of options when Keenum dropped back from his 39 and threw high into a crowd. Diggs jumped in front of Williams, who rolled awkwardly underneath Diggs during an ill-fated attempt at making a low tackle.Devastatingly for the Saints, nobody was behind him in the secondary, as Diggs made sure to note right before he made the break on his route during the play the Vikings, believe it or not, call “Seven Heaven.”Diggs kept his balance as he landed, kept his feet in bounds and kept on running untouched into the end zone as the crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium erupted with euphoria. Keenum raced around the field, looking for anyone to hug.“I’m shocked. I don’t know what else to say. This is the first time ever I’m out of words,” Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen said.Keenum, the undrafted and undersized all-time leading passer in NCAA history who was making his first career playoff start and has long looked up to Brees, was having a hard time finding the words to describe the experience. He finished with 318 yards, going 25 for 40, with Diggs catching 137 yards on six catches.“A heck of a game Connor Williams Jersey Elite , wasn’t it?” head coach Mike Zimmer said. “And the good guys won.”Diggs was still in full uniform when he took the podium for his postgame interview, the ball from the winning catch resting safely in front of him on the lectern.“It’s plays like this that you dream about your whole life,” he said, “and it finally happens.”PICKED OFFBrees saw his 13th career postseason game end in a crushing final moment, his 25-for-40 performance for 294 yards tainted a bit by two interceptions before halftime. One came on a leaping grab by safety Andrew Sendejo , the other off a tip by Griffen that landed in Anthony Barr’s arms at the Minnesota 10-yard line midway through the third quarter.FIRST-HALF FORCEThe Vikings came roaring out of their first-round bye, forcing punts by the Saints on their first three possessions and moving 55 yards in eight plays for a touchdown run by Jerick McKinnon on their first drive. Aided by two pass interference calls on Ken Crawley for 54 yards, the Vikings reached the 1-yard line before settling for a short field goal on the next possession. They pushed the lead to 17-0 early in the second quarter when Latavius Murray plowed in from the 1-yard line.“The Vikings had a phenomenal game plan,” Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan said.The only other time the Saints went scoreless in the first half of a postseason game was five years ago. They fell behind 16-0 at Seattle in the divisional round and lost 23-15 to the eventual Super Bowl champions.SENDEJO DOWNThe first touchdown to Thomas came one play after he leveled Sendejo with a jarring blindside block, sending Sendejo to the sideline for concussion evaluation and reigniting the crowd when the flag that was initially thrown was waved off.UP NEXTSaints: head home with a 1-5 record on the road in the p.