Sports betting is a relatively new industry in the US.

Until 2018 you could only legally bet on sports in the state on Nevada, the home to Las Vegas.

New Jersey was the first state to legalise sports betting six years ago and since then, a total of 38 states across America have done the same.

Hannah Mullane looks at how the industry has grown so rapidly and discusses the consequences of the industry which has been allowed to evolve with very little regulation.

(Produced and presented by Hannah Mullane)

(Image: Detroit Lions fans pose prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. Image credit: Getty)

Stella, Dawa and Salome arrived at the Bidi Bidi refugee camp in north-western Uganda with little more than the clothes they were wearing.

Now, all three are entrepreneurs and businesswomen, running thriving businesses and earning enough money to clothe, feed and send their children to school.

Can their stories help development agencies and governments deliver support to those most in need?

(Picture: Salome, picking crops in a field in Uganda. Copyright: Village Enterprise)

Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick

The Nigerian-born businessman tells us about his journey from working in a fast food restaurant and facing racism from some customers, to being inspired to start his own business in London.

He also talks about the influence of his Christian faith on his business decisions - and how it opened up a network of business connections which allowed his property portfolio to grow.

Sanmi Adegoke's Rehoboth group has now undertaken more than 20 major renovation projects and has £35m worth of property assets under its management.

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw.

(Image: Sanmi Adegoke. Credit: A&O Studios)

The Eurovision Song Contest has transformed itself from a TV show experiment to the world's largest live music event.

160 million people are expected to watch this year's competition in Sweden, as 37 countries take part.

The acts participating will be hoping to become global superstars following the likes of ABBA, Celine Dion and Måneskin.

And outside of the competition many fans around have turned their love of Eurovision into a business: from side-hustles to songwriters. We hear their stories and learn about the economics of having a winning song, and discover the plans for the first ever Eurovision world tour.

Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

(Image: Malta entry Sarah Bonnici rehearsing Loop at this year's Eurovison. Credit: Connie Cumming/EBU)

In Scotland in the 1980s, a slump in the whisky market brought about the closure of some of the country's most iconic distilleries. These sites become known as 'ghost' distilleries - where spirit production has stopped, but where some stock is still available.

In this programme, Elizabeth Hotson will be discovering why some of these distilleries are now being brought back to life.

She visits the legendary Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay for its much-anticipated re-opening and hears from the master blender there, and she takes a tour of London’s fabled Vintage House.

A whisky writer explains what makes a truly great dram and we learn why investors need to be careful if they’re planning to jump on the whisky bandwagon.

(Picture: A bottle of Port Ellen whisky bottled in 1980. Credit: Elizabeth Hotson/BBC)

Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

Elton John, Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran - all artists who've had sell-out world tours in recent years.

And new markets, such as India, are being added to the global tour map. But the same can’t be said for smaller venues. In the UK and Australia, the lights are off, and thousands are closing their doors. We hear from musicians, promoters and the people who run venues; asking why there’s such a contrast between sell out stadium tours and struggling grassroots venues.

And we see what the future could hold for India's live music scene. Produced and presented by Megan Lawton

(Image: Ed Sheeran performing in Mumbai, India in 2017. Credit: Getty Images)

Ed Butler travels to Kosovo to find out what the prospects are for this young, ethnically divided population.

After Ukraine, it's Europe's poorest region, where a brutal past still casts a shadow.

But it's also a territory full of economic promise – with precious minerals buried underground, and vast vineyards. If only the politics would stop getting in the way.

(Image: A wine maker in Kosovo, Milan Lakicevic, standing in front of stainless steel tanks, while holding a bottle of his wine.)

Presented and produced by Ed Butler

Meet Sharvari, Belinda and Brenna, three female bike mechanics from different corners of the world. From setting up a female run workshop in India, teaching skills to other women, or working within elite sport: these three are all making a living in the male dominated world of bike mechanics. Hear their stories and find out what happened when we got them all talking to each other.

Presenter/producer: Lexy O'Connor

(Photo: Bicycle mechanic Belinda Everett, Credit: Ryan Goff, #rygoff)

Over its long history women have been mostly excluded from the Tour de France. Until recently.

In 2022, after a long campaign by some of female cycling's biggest names, the Tour de France Femmes was introduced. So how is it doing? And will it ever be on a level footing with the much older and long-established men's race?

We hear from competitors, sponsors, broadcasters and race director Marion Rousse.

Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor

(Team Jumbo Visma rider Marianne Vos wears the yellow jersey during 3rd stage of the first Tour de France Femmes in 2022: Getty Images)

The 'pink pound' or 'pink dollar' is believed to be worth billions of dollars, and tourism is one sector looking to benefit. We find out how the industry is trying to attract LGBT travellers, with countries like Nepal taking steps to be a more appealing destination.

Plus, we head to the coastal town of Sitges in Spain, where gay people have been holidaying for more than 100 years.

Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney

(Photo: The Nomadic Boys in New Zealand. Credit: The Nomadic Boys)

Ireland has just launched a scheme to charge a deposit on bottles and cans which is refunded when consumers return them to recycling machines in supermarkets.

The Irish have set up a non profit making company to manage the scheme, funded by the drinks making firms, which should avoid the financial problems that have dogged the industry in the United States.

Many privately owned American recycling companies are in danger of going out of business because the fee they get from state governments, under the Bottle Bill, has not been increased for years, even though their costs have soared.

Produced and presented by Russell Padmore

(Picture: Reverse vending machines for Ireland’s new deposit return recycling scheme)

We speak to the Armenian entrepreneur behind the popular photo editing app used by millions on Instagram, and by businesses too.

Mr Avoyan tells us about his childhood, growing up in a country which only gained independence when he was in his 20s. He tells us how this liberation set free his entrepreneurial spirit, and why he relocated his company from Armenia to the US.

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw

(Image: Hovhannes Avoyan)