Offshore books offer strikeout wagers on 12-year-old pitcher at Little League World Series
Offshore sportsbooks posted prop bets on Kinley Rasmus, a 12-year-old pitcher at the Little League World Series, including a strikeout over/under. BetOnline's Dave Mason said the wagers are kept low-stakes and fun, while former LLWS participant Michael Conforto expressed discomfort with gambling on children's games. Legal U.S. sportsbooks do not accept such bets.
Kinley Rasmus, a 12-year-old from Phenix City, Alabama, drew international attention as the ninth girl to pitch in the Little League World Series. Offshore bookmaker BetOnline offered a strikeout over/under of 6.5 for her first start, with wagers capped at $25 and excluded from parlays to limit stakes. The book also reported heavier betting on a South Korea–Canada LLWS matchup than on some Major League Baseball games that same day.
Little League International has publicly opposed all betting on youth competition, repeating a statement first issued the prior season. Legal U.S. sportsbooks and regulated prediction markets do not accept these wagers, leaving offshore, unregulated sites as the only venue. Former LLWS player Michael Conforto, now a Cubs outfielder, called gambling on children’s games inappropriate, citing the tournament’s “pure” nature.
This story may normalize wagering on minors’ athletic performances, potentially desensitizing audiences to youth sports as entertainment commodities. Families and young players could face added pressure or unwanted attention from bettors, even with low limits. While legal U.S. books abstain, offshore access means the practice persists, possibly prompting renewed calls for clearer federal enforcement or industry self-regulation. The impact may be most acute for child athletes whose public exposure now carries an implicit gambling angle.