The Latest: Senator predicts New Jersey sports betting win

The Latest on a Supreme Court hearing on a case that could make sports betting widely available (all times local):

1:20 p.m.

New Jersey state Sen. Ray Lesniak is predicting that the Supreme Court will hand the state a victory in its yearslong efforts to legalize sports betting.

Lesniak said after listening to Monday's arguments in Washington that he thinks the court will rule 7-2 or 6-3 in New Jersey's favor. The Democratic lawmaker sponsored the bill that legalized sports betting in the state, prompting a lawsuit from the four major U.S. sports leagues and the NCAA that ultimately made its way to the Supreme Court.

Lesniak says the likelihood of a ruling in the state's favor is "not quite a slam dunk, but it's about Tiger Woods and a 5-foot putt."

He says sports gambling will be a "lifeblood" for the struggling casinos in Atlantic City and for New Jersey's racetracks.

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12:45 p.m.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says that if the Supreme Court rules in his state's favor in a major sports betting case, then sports betting would quickly become available in the state.

The Republican governor was in Washington on Monday to hear arguments in the case. Christie said outside court that if the justices rule in New Jersey's favor, "we could have bets being taken in New Jersey within two weeks of a decision by the court."

The case is a result of New Jersey's yearslong effort to bring sports betting to its casinos and racetracks. New Jersey is challenging a federal law that bars states from authorizing sports gambling.

The case pits New Jersey and other states against all four major U.S. professional sports leagues, the NCAA and the federal government.

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11:30 a.m.

The Supreme Court is wrestling with a case that could make sports betting widely available.

The case heard Monday is a result of New Jersey's yearslong effort to bring sports betting to its casinos and racetracks. The case pits New Jersey and other states against all four major U.S. professional sports leagues, the NCAA and the federal government.

New Jersey is challenging a federal law that bars states from authorizing sports gambling. The law has exceptions for Nevada, Montana, Oregon and Delaware, which had approved some form of sports wagering before the law took effect.

The justices could ultimately greenlight the expansion of sports gambling nationwide by striking down the federal law.

A number of justices suggested Monday they were inclined to side with New Jersey.

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1:10 a.m.

The Supreme Court is taking up a case that could make sports betting widely available.

The case the justices are hearing Monday is a result of New Jersey's yearslong effort to bring betting on sports to its casinos and racetracks. New Jersey is challenging a federal law that bars states from authorizing sports gambling. If the Supreme Court strikes down the law, giving sports betting the go-ahead, dozens of states could quickly move to offer it.

The case pits New Jersey and other states against all four major U.S. professional sports leagues and the federal government. The stakes are high. The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans illegally wager about $150 billion on sports each year.