On Friday, a federal judge granted an injunction filed by the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and NCAA that kept sports wagering in New Jersey — set to begin on NFL games Sunday at the state's casinos and racetracks — from happening.

The long-term impact of the ruling is unclear, but in the short term, let's all exhale. If you live in this great country, it is still impossible to bet on professional or college sports unless you dash off to Las Vegas and plunk down your hard-earned money on the team or wager of your choice.

No, there couldn't possibly be any other venues for this sort of thing. There's not a ...

Wait, what's this e-mail I just received from a website claiming I can "bet anywhere, anytime." The e-mail gave all sorts of odds about which NBA coach will be the first to be replaced in-season in 2014-15 — Kevin McHale of the Rockets is first, Flip Saunders of the Wolves is second, though the latter would be awkward since Flip is also the President of Basketball Operations and would therefore fire himself. This site claims I will receive a bonus when I make my first online deposit. Surely the NBA has a problem with this, yes?

Must be an anomaly, except ... here's another e-mail from a different site saying it is my "online football betting playbook." It offers all sorts of odds on which teams will make the Super Bowl, who will win various NFL awards and so on. Again, it doesn't even seem like I have to be in Vegas. And it wouldn't seem to matter if I was in New Jersey. The NFL must frown upon this, right?

But wait, I'm sensing a pattern here. Here's another offer for weekly fantasy football contests. Real money is involved, so this is kind of like betting, right?

Sure, but all of this is happening online, where everything is harder to track and regulate. Maybe the line in the sand is on placing actual, physical bets on games outside of Las Vegas.

But ... what's this I read in numerous outlets about London? Why, yes, sports betting is perfectly legal in London, where the NFL just played another game Sunday (Lions vs. Falcons). There are reports indicating there could be five NFL games there next year, while there is persistent talk the league wants to put an expansion team there.

So you can bet on sports in Las Vegas ... and on countless online sites ... and across the ocean. Just not in New Jersey. It's a good thing major sports leagues are dedicated to fighting the good fight.

Michael Rand