Major League Baseball officials will tell anyone who listens that the integrity of the sport is safer than ever. Despite the widespread legalization of sports gambling, despite MLB’s lucrative partnerships with the gambling platforms, despite Americans legally wagering about $120 billion on sports last year alone, and despite in-game advertisements that encourage fans to place bets right now—despite all that, everything’s fine. Third-party security companies, baseball officials point out, are monitoring traffic on DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and other legal apps, and can see wagers in real time. They can flag curious activity in a matter of minutes and then trace the activity all the way to an IP address, usually someone’s computer or phone. But, as I learned while reporting my book Charlie Hustle, about the rise and fall of Pete Rose, illegal bookies are still out there. They won’t be found in back alleys or smoky rooms like they once were; many bookies in 2024 have their own glossy websites. Some, just like the legal platforms, allow gamblers to place bets online. It’s easy …