Luigi Mangione due in court for pretrial hearings over U.S. healthcare executive's killing

By Jack Queen

NEW YORK, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down a UnitedHealthcare executive outside a Manhattan ​hotel, is due in state court on Monday for a series of high-‌stakes hearings on the admissibility of key pieces of evidence at his murder trial.

Mangione, 27, was arrested in ‌December 2024 and charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan. Public officials condemned the shocking assassination. Mangione became a folk hero to some Americans who decry steep healthcare costs.

He has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges and is expected to ⁠face trial next year. ‌Mangione has pleaded not guilty in a separate federal case where prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.

The hearings before Judge Gregory Carro could last ‍the entire week and feature testimony from witnesses involved in Mangione's arrest in Pennsylvania, where Mangione's lawyers say he was illegally searched and questioned.

The defense lawyers are seeking to block prosecutors from presenting ​evidence police say was found in Mangione's backpack, including a 3-D printed gun,‌ silencer, electronic devices and journal writings that appear to implicate him in the killing.

Mangione's lawyers are also seeking to suppress statements he gave to police during his arrest, saying Mangione was not given proper notice of his legal rights.

Prosecutors with the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg have opposed Mangione's requests to suppress the evidence and denied ⁠his claims that he was illegally searched and questioned.​

Mangione could face life in prison if convicted of murder ​in the second degree, which is defined as an intentional killing. He also faces seven counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count ‍of possessing a false ⁠identification.

Carro dismissed two terrorism counts against Mangione in September, finding prosecutors had not presented enough evidence that Mangione intended to intimidate health insurance workers or influence government policy.⁠

Trial dates have not yet been set in either the state or federal cases. Mangione has been held ‌in federal custody in Brooklyn since his arrest.

(Reporting by Jack Queen ‌in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell)

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December 01, 2025

Luigi Mangione due in court for pretrial hearings over U.S. healthcare executive's killing

By Jack Queen NEW YORK, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down a UnitedHealthcare exe...

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In Trump country, suburban grandmas push back against ICE

HAMILTON, OH ‒ A group that's grown almost 70-strong shows up weekly to commissioner meetings in this conservative Ohio county toprotest officials' agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They're mostly grandmas.

"I'm here because I'm outraged. I'm here because I'm angry," Cassie Stevens, who lives in Hamilton, said at a Butler County Commissioners meeting on Nov. 18. "I'm here because I need to be able to look my grandkids in the eye and say I did not remain silent."

For 17 weeks, this group of Butler County residents has spoken at the commissioners' meetings in Hamilton. They want commissioners to cancel Sheriff Richard Jones' March agreement with ICE, which allows theButler County Jail to detain people facing deportation.

Commissioners authorized the agreement, which bringsmillions of federal dollars to the county.

At the latest commissioners' meeting, more than 70 people sat, stood and spilled through the doors. Most were White women who sported silver and white cropped hair. After the meeting, they took their protest outside, braving the November rain with fleece jackets and handmade signs.

Commission meetings prompt residents to band together

Sharon Meyer, who lives in Hamilton, criticized the county's agreement with ICE and said it sends one message: "If you don't look like us, bring a passport to Butler County."

Some people cried as speakers shared their neighbors', friends' and grandchildren's classmates' fears about ICE arrests and detentions. Toward the end of the meeting's public comment portion, and after one commissioner told them not to, critics of the contract broke into song: "America the Beautiful."

Anne Jantzen, 82, who lives in Seven Mile, first began attending commissioners meetings over the summer to protest the county's agreement with ICE. There, she met others with the same beliefs and started an email chain.

"They said, 'I heard about you and I want to be part of this,'" she told The Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, after the meeting.

Their group, Butler County for Immigrant Justice, ranges in age from 60 to 85, she said. Retirees are more likely than younger people to be able to attend commissioners meetings, which are held at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays.

"I can do it; therefore I need to," Jantzen said.

The meetings are also streamed online, but speakers must be present to make a public comment.

A 'dirty money contract'

President Donald Trump won Butler County in 2024 with 62% of the vote. The federal government'sextra funding for the Butler County Sheriff's Officebegan to arrive this month.

Stevens, a member of Butler County for Immigrant Justice, called the agreement a "dirty money contract" and said it has "emboldened racists."

"They use the dehumanizing term 'illegals' just like they use the n-word," she said.

Melanie Stearns, who lives in Hamilton, said the county's cooperation with ICE has given the region a bad reputation. The sheriff's office is the only one in Ohio with a Jail Enforcement Model agreement, according tocurrent ICE contracts, which allows the Butler County Jail to hold ICE detainees for extended periods of time.

"We look like idiots, just like we did withthe cats and JD Vance," she said, referring to the vice president's comments last year that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, about an hour north of Butler County, were eating pets. Vance was raised in Butler County's Middletown.

Resident, Jay Stevison, who joined the group after the meeting, got teary-eyed as he spoke about his three grandchildren, who, he said, have a Latino parent.

"I would have to defend them with my life if ICE tried to take them," he said.

Commissioners give reasons for not canceling ICE contract

Twenty residents spoke out against the contract for about an hour. None spoke in favor of it.

The three commissioners, all Republicans, responded.

Commissioner Cindy Carpenter, who has served on the board since 2011, said the sheriff "alone" sets policies, determines operations and makes decisions about cooperating with federal agencies, including ICE.

But the sheriff is not an independent contractor, said Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser. Jones' office needs commissioner authorization to sign most contracts and agreements, as was done for the ICE agreement.

In a phone call with The Enquirer the day after the meeting, Carpenter said commissioners aim to facilitate county operations without inserting their own political opinions.

"We would lose a lot of credibility with our officeholders if we started undermining their judgment," she said.

The resolution passed by commissioners in February amended the sheriff's agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service to allow the jail to hold ICE detainees. Commissioners could take action to cancel the agreement. The ICEdocumentsays either party can terminate or suspend the agreement.

Commissioner T.C. Rogers,citing CNN coverage, said there is a need for ICE arrests because of a 2023 surge of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border. That surge wasdeclining under President Joe Biden and has slowed even furtherunder Trump.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer:Suburban grandmas protest ICE contract in Trump-voting Ohio county

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December 01, 2025

In Trump country, suburban grandmas push back against ICE

HAMILTON, OH ‒ A group that's grown almost 70-strong shows up weekly to commissioner meetings in this conservative Oh...

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ByteDance rolls out AI voice assistant for Chinese smartphones

By Liam Mo and Brenda Goh

BEIJING, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant ByteDance said on Monday it ​is launching anartificial intelligencevoice control tool that will debut on ‌asmartphonemade by ZTE Corp, before becoming available on phones from other manufacturers in ‌due course.

The AI assistant, powered by ByteDance's popular Doubao large language model, allows users to voice activate tasks such as finding content and booking tickets.

The tool will compete with similar AI features introduced by Chinese smartphone makers such as ⁠Huawei and Xiaomi. ‌Applehas yet to make its Apple Intelligence available in China, though Alibaba has said it would partner with Apple ‍to develop AI features for iPhones in the country.

ByteDance's AI voice tool will first appear on ZTE's Nubia M153 handset, currently a prototype priced at 3,499 ​yuan ($495). The device is available for pre-order in ‌limited quantities.

Shares in ZTE surged 10% on Monday, their highest level since October 29, helped by reports of the phone as well as news that it had won a string of contracts to supply 5G equipment in Vietnam.

ByteDance said in a statement it has no plans to develop its own ⁠smartphones and is in talks with multiple ​phone makers to roll out the AI voice ​assistant.

ByteDance, which owns TikTok and the short video app's Chinese version Douyin, has emerged as the leading player in ‍consumer AI apps ⁠in China due to its chatbot Doubao.

Doubao had 159 million monthly active users in October, far more than Tencent's Yuanbao at 73 ⁠million and DeepSeek at 72 million, according to AI product tracking platform Aicpb.com.

(‌$1 = 7.0735 yuan)

(Reporting by Liam Mo and ‌Brenda Goh; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

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December 01, 2025

ByteDance rolls out AI voice assistant for Chinese smartphones

By Liam Mo and Brenda Goh BEIJING, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant ByteDance said on Monday it ​is launchin...

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Pope in Lebanon prays for peace at tomb of saint revered by Christians and Muslims alike

ANNAYA, Lebanon (AP) —Pope Leo XIVprayed Monday at the tomb of a Lebanese saint revered among Christians and Muslims as he opened his first full day in Lebanon with a message of peace andreligious coexistencein a region torn by conflict.

As bells rang out, thousands of enthusiastic Lebanese braved a morning of steady rain to line Leo's motorcade route heading into Annaya, around 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Beirut. Some waved Lebanese and Vatican flags and tossed flower petals and rice on his covered popemobile in a gesture of welcome as it zoomed by.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit the hilltop monastery of St. Maroun overlooking the sea to pray at the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf, a Lebanese Maronite hermit who lived from 1828 to 1898. He is known for alleged miraculous healings that have occurred after people prayed for his intercession.

Leo prayed quietly in the darkened tomb, and offered a lamp as a gift of light for the monastery.

"Sisters and brothers, today we entrust to St. Charbel's intercession the needs of the church, Lebanon and the world," Leo said in French. "For the world, we ask for peace. We especially implore it for Lebanon and for the entire Levant."

Leo's visit to the tomb, the first by a pope, opened a busy day for history's first American pope. He is set to meet with Catholic priests and nuns at a shrine in Harissa and then preside over an interfaith gathering alongside Lebanon's Christian and Muslim leaders in the capital Beirut.

A message of peace in a time of turmoil

There, Leo was expected to hammer home his core message of peace and Christian-Muslim coexistence in Lebanon and beyond at a time of conflict in Gaza and political tensions in Lebanon that are worse than they have been in years. His visit comes at a tenuous time for the tiny Mediterranean country after years of economic crises and political deadlock, punctuated by the 2020 Beirut port blast.

More recently, Lebanon has been deeply divided over calls forHezbollah, a Lebanese militant group and political party, to disarm after fighting a war with Israel last year that left the country deeply damaged.

Leo was moving through Lebanon in a closed popemobile, a contrast with the previous Pope Francis, who eschewed bullet-proofed popemobiles throughout his 12-year pontificate. Lebanese troops deployed on both sides of the road along his motorcade route.

Leo was to end the day at a rally for Lebanese youth at Bkerki, the seat of the Maronite church, where he is expected to encourage them to persevere and not leave the country like many others despite Lebanon's many challenges.

A plea for Christians to stay

Leo arrived Sunday in Lebanon from Turkey where he opened his first trip as pope. He is set to wrap up his visit on Tuesday with a prayer at the site of the 2020 Beirut port blast and a Mass on the waterfront.

In his opening speech, Leochallenged Lebanon's political leadersto put aside their differences and work to be true peacemakers, while also urging Lebanese Christians in particular to remain in the country.

Today, Christians make up around a third of Lebanon's 5 million people, giving the small nation on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East.

A power sharing agreement in place since independence from France calls for the president to be a Maronite Christian, making Lebanon the only Arab country with a Christian head of state.

Lebanon's Christian community has endured in its ancestral homeland even as the rise of the Islamic State drove an exodus from communities in Iraq and Syria that dated to the time of the Apostles.

"We will stay here," said May Noon, a pilgrim waiting for Leo outside the St. Charbel Monastery. "No one can uproot us from this country, we must live it in it as brothers because the church has no enemy."

Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay accompanied a group of 60 people from the Lebanese diaspora in Australia to welcome Leo and join in his prayer for peace but to also reinforce the Christian presence in the country.

"Even though we live abroad, we feel that we need to support young people and the families to stay here," he said as he waited for the pope to meet with clergy in Harissa, north of Beirut. "We don't like to see more and more people leaving Lebanon, especially the Christians."

Tarabay said Lebanese were grateful that Leo chose to visit on his maiden voyage as pope.

"He decided to say that there we have suffering people, we have young people that are very much like at the edge of desperation," he said. Leo, he said, decided: "I have to go there and to tell them 'You're not forgotten.'"

Winfield and Chehayab contributed from Beirut; Abbey Sewell contributed from Harissa.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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December 01, 2025

Pope in Lebanon prays for peace at tomb of saint revered by Christians and Muslims alike

ANNAYA, Lebanon (AP) —Pope Leo XIVprayed Monday at the tomb of a Lebanese saint revered among Christians and Muslims as h...

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Tyler Adams from 45 yards out caps a weirdly delightful weekend for USMNT World Cup hopefuls

By and large, it was a productive weekend for U.S. World Cup hopefuls scattered across Europe, the United States and Mexico. Four scored, four assisted and two helped their Canadian side advance to MLS Cup for the first time.

For four of them, in particular, it was also a weirdly delightful weekend.

Let's begin with someone rarely discussed but a contender for a roster spot next summer:Jonathan Klinsmann, whose father, Jurgen, the former German superstar, used to coach the U.S. men's national team.

The 28-year-old goalkeeper, who grew up in Southern California, is employed by Cesena in Italian Serie B. A former U.S. youth international, he has received a few senior call-ups, including the November camp, but has yet to earn his first cap.

On Friday, he pulled off a bizarro hat trick of sorts in Italy: a penalty kick save, a clean sheet and an assist on the match's only goal, against Modena. With a near-perfect 9.6 rating fromFotmob, he was the player of the match.

̶K̶l̶i̶n̶s̶m̶a̶n̶n̶ ̶ 𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣-𝙎𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙣 🙌Non passa nulla questa sera nella porta del 𝘾𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙖 🧱#CesenaModena#SerieBKT#DAZNpic.twitter.com/2yEZFYxbmA

— DAZN Italia (@DAZN_IT)November 29, 2025

In Cesena's pursuit of promotion to Serie A — I Cavallucci Marini, or the Seahorses, are fourth, four points from the top — Klinsmann has started all 14 matches and conceded 14 goals while recording three shutouts.

As for Klinsmann's standing with Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. program, the goalkeeping situation is unsettled heading into 2026.

With 12 consecutive starts, New York City FC'sMatt Freeseis the clear No. 1 on the depth chart. Though he wasn't called up in November, New England'sMatt Turnerwould seem to have the No. 2 spot, because of his experience (52 caps, 2022 World Cup starter). Klinsmann, Columbus'Patrick Schulte(three caps), Chicago'sChris Brady(none), Cincinnati'sRoman Celentano(none) and perhaps Colorado'sZack Steffen(30, but just one the past three years) are also in the mix.

All the MLS keepers, however, have entered the offseason and will not have any competitive matches until February, leaving Klinsmann with a prime opportunity to make his case before Pochettino narrows his options for the reported friendlies in Atlanta against Portugal and Belgium in late March.

It's hard to envision someone without any international appearances making the World Cup squad, and as it stands, Freese seems certain to start both March matches — the last friendlies before Pochettino names his team in late May. The competition for at least one, and maybe two, of the three slots, though, seems far from over.

While Klinsmann prevented goals over the weekend,Tyler Adamsscored one from some 45 yards. After collecting a pass in his own end and accelerating across the halfway line, the central midfielder alertly spotted Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs well forward and drove a shot over the leaping keeper for his second Premier League goal in his past four outings.

GOODNESS GRACIOUS TYLER ADAMS THAT IS SENSATIONAL! 🤯pic.twitter.com/9K9wmI4OaO

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT)November 29, 2025

In France's Ligue 1, Olympique Marseille was on the verge of stepping into first place when mid-table Toulouse scored a stoppage-time equalizer — off a throw-in by U.S. defenderMark McKenzie. His long toss set up Santiago Hidalgo's header for a 2-2 draw.

Another unusual situation unfolded in the Netherlands, whereRicardo Pepiwas actually in PSV Eindhoven's lineup. The striker took full advantage of his first start in more than two months, assisting on Joey Veerman's goal in the sixth minute and scoring with an angled overhead kick in the 24th during a 3-0 home victory over Volendam.

Ricardo Pepi scoort met een omhaal! 😍#PSVVOLpic.twitter.com/RwOsDcgcrU

— ESPN NL (@ESPNnl)November 30, 2025

Elsewhere, four players were involved in knockout competitions in both MLS and Mexico's Liga MX.

Brian White, on the fringes of the U.S. striker pool, scored twice from close range in the first half as theVancouver Whitecaps rolled into their first MLS Cup with a 3-1 away victory against San Diego FC. MidfielderSebastian Berhalteralso played 90 minutes for the Whitecaps, who will visit Lionel Messi's Inter Miami for the trophy Saturday. MidfielderLuca de la Torreplayed the second half for San Diego.

Mexico

U.S. wingerAlex Zendejasscored in the 30th minute of Club América's 2-1 victory over visiting Monterrey in the second leg of the quarterfinals. But Monterrey's stoppage-time goal provided a 3-2 aggregate triumph.

A sizzling strike from Alex Zendejas on Saturday night for@ClubAmerica! 🔥💥pic.twitter.com/eyhQL4eCwY

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT)November 30, 2025

Italy

A week after scoring the winner in the derby against Inter Milan,Christian Pulisicsat out first-place AC Milan's 1-0 victory over Lazio with a thigh injury. It was not considered serious and, as a precaution, he watched from the stands. He might return Thursday for the rematch against Lazio in Coppa Italia.

Four days after scoring in the Champions League,Weston McKenniewent the distance as Juventus came from behind to defeat Cagliari, 2-1.Yunus Musahdid not receive any playing time in Atalanta's 2-0 victory over Fiorentina.

England

Chris Richardsplayed 90 in Crystal Palace's 2-1 home loss to Manchester United, whileBrendan Aaronsonentered in the 90th of Leeds' 3-2 loss at Manchester City.

Antonee Robinson— who hasn't been in uniform in almost two months and hasn't played for the national team in more than a year — remains sidelined for Fulham with a knee ailment, but there might be light at the end of the long tunnel.

"He is getting good feelings but is doing individual work — nice to see him on the pitch," Manager Marco Silva said. "He is getting better and more confident — not just about his knees but his mindset. Soon we can have more news, but right now we have no timescale."

Patrick Agyemangscored his third Championship goal and played 90 minutes for Derby County, but his second-minute strike was canceled out in a 2-1 loss at Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough'sAidan Morris, a usual starter, sat out with an injury.

Josh Sargent(88 minutes) had an assist in Norwich City's 3-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers but extended his scoring drought to 15 games for club and country.

Injured strikerHaji Wrightmissed his third consecutive match for Championship leader Coventry City — and he might have a hard time getting his job back from his replacement, Ellis Simms, who has five goals in that span.

Germany

If you thoughtGio Reyna's U.S. performances in November might elevate his role at Mönchengladbach, think again. The 23-year-old attacker entered in the 73rd minute of a 0-0 draw with RB Leipzig. Since returning from international duty, he has logged 35 minutes in two appearances.

Right backJoe Scally, Reyna's teammate for club and country, made his fourth consecutive start. Central midfielderMalik Tillmanplayed 74 minutes in Bayer Leverkusen's 2-1 loss at Borussia Dortmund. In Bavaria, defensive midfielderJames Sandsand second-to-last St. Pauli were no match for undefeated leader Bayern Munich, 3-1.

DefenderNoahkai Banksand Augsburg conceded three first-half goals in a 3-0 loss at Heidenheim. In the second division, left wingJohn Tolkinwent 74 minutes as Holstein Kiel fell 1-0 at home to surging Hertha Berlin.

France

WingerTim Weahwent the distance for Marseille in that aforementioned 2-2 home draw with Toulouse, whileFolarin BalogunandTanner Tessmanndeparted their respective matches in the closing moments with what appeared to be minor injuries.

Balogun and Monaco upset visiting Paris Saint-Germain 1-0, but for the first time in his past six starts, the U.S. striker did not score. Typically a defensive midfielder, Tessmann made his second consecutive start on the backline as Olympique Lyonnais routed Nantes 3-0. Could he provide cover in the back for the national team, as well?

Others

While Pepi made a rare start for PSV Eindhoven, right backSergiño Destwas in the lineup for the 13th time in 14 matches for the Eredivisie leaders, who are 12-1-1 with a plus-27 goal differential. … Three days after returning from a two-month absence, central midfielderJohnny Cardosowas affixed to the bench for Atletico Madrid's 2-0 win over Oviedo. … Scottish power Celtic continues to show trust in center backAuston Trusty, who has played every minute of his past seven appearances across all club competitions. On Sunday, second-place Celtic defeated Hibernian 2-1 for its fourth consecutive Premiership victory.

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December 01, 2025

Tyler Adams from 45 yards out caps a weirdly delightful weekend for USMNT World Cup hopefuls

By and large, it was a productive weekend for U.S. World Cup hopefuls scattered across Europe, the United States and Mexi...

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Broncos win in OT when Commanders fall short on 2-point try

Marcus Mariota hit Terry McLaurin for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 2:47 remaining in overtime, but the two-point conversion pass failed and the Denver Broncos held on for their ninth straight win, 27-26 over the Washington Commanders on Sunday night in Landover, Md.

Mariota's conversion pass attempt was blocked by linebacker Nik Bonitto.

Denver got the ball first in overtime. Bo Nix hit Evan Engram for 41 yards to the Washington 11 and, two plays later, RJ Harvey went up the middle for a 5-yard touchdown.

Washington drove inside Denver territory and a defensive pass interference penalty on fourth down gave the Commanders a first down at the 36-yard line. Three plays later, Mariota hit McLaurin for 30-yard touchdown that was wiped out by a holding penalty. Mariota then found Deebo Samuel for 38 yards to the Broncos' 2-yard line. After a running play and two incompletions, Mariota connected with McLaurin on fourth down.

Denver is tied with New England at 10-2 for the top seed in the AFC, with the Patriots playing the New York Giants on Monday night before a bye week.

Washington (3-9) has lost seven straight.

Nix completed 29 of 45 passes for 321 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Engram caught six passes for 79 yards. Harvey ran for two touchdowns.

Mariota went 28 of 50 for 294 yards, two touchdowns and one pick. Tight end Zach Ertz had 10 catches for 106 yards and wide receiver McLaurin, active for first time since Oct. 27, caught seven passes for 96 yards and the OT score.

Trailing 20-17, the Commanders started on their 15 with 3:00 left in regulation. After Washington converted fourth-and-1 at the 35 with just over two minutes remaining, two penalties pushed Washington back to second-and-25. However, Mariota hit McLaurin (19 yards) and Ertz (8) for a first down at the Denver 37 with 34 seconds left. Jake Moody, in his Commanders debut, later hit a 32-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game 20-20.

Washington was trailing 13-7 when it took the second-half kick and drove 72 yards in 10 plays. Treylon Burks made a spectacular leaping, one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown.

The 14-13 lead was short-lived. On third-and-11, Nix hit Courtland Sutton for 31 yards to the Washington 29 and then found Pat Bryant for 21 yards to the 3-yard line. Harvey ran for the score and Denver led 20-14 with 3:59 left in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, Nix was picked off by Bobby Wagner, who returned it to the Broncos 36. Washington settled for Moody's 38-yard field goal and trailed 20-17 with 12:37 remaining.

Trailing 6-0 midway through the second quarter, Mariota drove the Commanders 71 yards in 11 plays. He hit Ertz for 21 yards to the Broncos' 23 and, after an unnecessary roughness penalty on Bonitto made it first-and-goal from the 8, Chris Rodriguez Jr. went up the middle for the score and a 7-6 lead.

Nix capped the next drive by, as he was falling, flinging an 11-yard touchdown pass to Sutton just before halftime.

--Field Level Media

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December 01, 2025

Broncos win in OT when Commanders fall short on 2-point try

Marcus Mariota hit Terry McLaurin for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 2:47 remaining in overtime, but the two-point conve...

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Missouri launches sports betting as recent scandals shine a spotlight on the growing industry

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — As Missouri launches sports betting Monday, people will be able to wager on how many points a particular athlete will score in a game — so long as it doesn't involve a Missouri college or university.

The restriction on "proposition bets," though less sweeping than in some states, highlights an area of rising concern as legal sports betting spreads to its 39th state in a steady expansion sincethe Supreme Courtcleared the way for it in 2018.

In the weeks leading up to Missouri's betting debut, one scandal after another has rocked the sports world. Two Cleveland Guardians pitcherswere chargedwith taking bribes to throw certain pitches.An NBA playerwas arrested over an alleged scheme to provide inside information to gamblers. And the NCAArevoked the eligibilityof six men's college basketball players accused of manipulating their performance in games.

All centered around the outcome of prop bets, a popular type of wager often focused on what individual players will do in a game — like achieving a certain number of strikeouts in baseball, racking up a certain amount of points and rebounds in basketball, or surpassing a particular passing yardage in football.

For bettors, a lot can ride on one player, putting those athletes at risk of threats or enticements to rig their performance.

A growing proposition in sports betting

Sports betting operators took in over $11 billion through the first three-quarters of this year, up more than 13% from the same span last year, according to the American Gaming Association, which represents the industry.

Though national data is lacking about the prevalence of prop bets, they are "an increasingly popular way in which to provide for engagement for any type of fan," said Joe Maloney, the association's senior vice president of strategic communications.

West Virginia, which was among the first to allow sports betting after the court ruling, now is collecting a trove of data from the industry. During a roughly one-month period this summer, prop bets comprised more than half of all wagers made through one of the largest sports betting platforms, said Brad Humphreys, an economics professor and director of the Center for Gaming Research and Development at West Virginia University.

Additionally, he said, almost all bets involved parlays, where two or more wagers are grouped together under the umbrella of a larger bet. To win, a person must be right on each prong in the bet, making the odds of success longer and the potential payout larger.

Because prop bets "speed up the ability to make multiple bets," they carry a higher risk of developing addictive behavior for some bettors, said Rachel Volberg, a research professor of epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has spent decades studying gambling.

Most states provide some money forproblem gamblingservices. Missouri's new sports betting program allots at least $5 million annually for that purpose.

No national standard for prop bets

Prop bets on professional athletes are currently allowed in every state that has legalized sports betting, though legislation proposed in New Jersey would ban them.Ohio Gov. Mike DeWinehas urged state regulators to end player-specific micro betting and told The Associated Press recently he regrets signing the law that legalized sports gambling in his state.

States have widely differing rules for bets on college athletes. More than a dozen states place no limits on collegiate prop bets while an equal number prohibit all such bets. Other states fall somewhere in between. Missouri is one of over a half-dozen states with a prop bet prohibition pertaining only to games involving college teams from their states.

Missouri's restriction was included in a constitutional amendment authorizing sports betting that wonnarrow voter approvallast year after a state-record $43 million campaign funded almost entirely by DraftKings and FanDuel, the two predominant sports betting sites.

"We thought this was a good middle ground that had worked in other states and that would uphold the integrity of the games here," said Jack Cardetti, a spokesperson for the Sports Betting Alliance, an industry group that supported Missouri's amendment.

A blanket ban on prop bets likely would drive people to illegal and unregulated sportsbooks, placing bettors at greater risk and making it harder to flag problems, the Sports Betting Alliance said.

Others doubt that Missouri's narrowly tailored prop bet restrictions will have much impact in an Internet-connected society where people can easily bet on athletes playing anywhere in the U.S.

"That's going to be a Band-Aid on a dam that's breaking here," said Nathan Novemsky, a professor of marketing and psychology at Yale University, "because folks will just make those bets on other teams."

Placing a bet with no drive time

The Missouri Gaming Commission has three employees focused on regulating sports betting and is looking to hire a fourth, said commission chair Jan Zimmerman.

But the job of detecting fraudulent bets falls largely to sports betting operators working with sports leagues and law enforcement agencies. After the recent indictment of two Guardians pitchers, Major League Baseball announced an agreement with leading sportsbooks tocap bets on individual pitchesat $200 and exclude them from parlays.

The criminal charges, player penalties and policy changes involving prop bets are "a demonstration that the market is really working as intended," Maloney said.

The scandals aren't deterring some Missouri residents who have been eagerly waiting for sports wagering.

Brett Koenig, who lives in suburban St. Louis, has occasionally crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois to legally bet on sports. Others who live in the Kansas City area have driven across the border into Kansas, pulling over at the first exit to place bets from smartphones. The drive allows bettors to get around geolocation technology that blocks bets from people in states where it's not legal.

Koenig said he plans to bet on Monday night's NFL game without leaving his home. He might place some type of prop bet, if he likes the odds.

"It's something I've been looking forward to for a long time," said Koenig, whoused social media to pushfor legalized sports betting. "I'm ecstatic to have the opportunity to do it, and to not have to drive 45 minutes across the river."

byCosmopolite

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December 01, 2025

Missouri launches sports betting as recent scandals shine a spotlight on the growing industry

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — As Missouri launches sports betting Monday, people will be able to wager on how many points a ...

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