New NCAA policy allows play-off games in Montana

Montana college sports fans can breathe easier.

The NCAA Executive Committee has adopted a policy relating to sports wagering and the conduct of NCAA championships that will allow future college play-off games to be held in Montana.

UM President George Dennison said, “We appreciate the deliberate thoughtfulness of the NCAA Executive Committee in developing and adopting a policy that maintains the integrity of sporting events, while at the same time recognizing the gaming situation in the state of Montana.”

UM Athletic Director Jim O’Day said, “This is great news for Grizzly Athletics and other intercollegiate sports across Big Sky Country. I know our fans will be extremely excited by this decision.”

The Executive Committee met in Indianapolis to implement the following policy:

“No predetermined or non-predetermined session of an NCAA championship may be conducted in a state with legal wagering that is based upon single-game betting (high school, college or professional) in a sport in which the NCAA conducts a championship.”

Single-game betting is defined as wagering that involves either a money line or point-spread wager. The recommended policy would not apply to states such as Montana that offer lottery tickets or sports pools/pull tabs.

“I applaud the NCAA for coming to a common-sense conclusion,” Dennison said. “This came out as well as it could come out. I’m very pleased to have this issue removed so we can concentrate on what is really important, which is winning the games.”