Best Person To Follow For Sports Betting
We’re just going to go ahead and be upfront with you about where we stand on this great debate. Betting online is a much more profitable and convenient experience. If you asked us a few years back where we stood on this, we would have said the exact opposite.
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But the online books have grown so much (mostly thanks to technology), and we feel strongly that they have surpassed the benefits you can get from a brick-and-mortar location. There’s a reason that most brick-and-mortar sportsbooks are trying to create their own mobile platforms.
As you can probably guess, betting online versus betting in person is completely different. You have different perks, different ways of doing things, and different ways to approach your betting. If you’ve never bet in person or online before, this guide will have a lot of great information about betting online and how it all works. If you’re someone who is used to betting in person but is transitioning to betting online, you’ll want to pay particularly close attention. We’re going to cover some major differences that you need to be aware of before you head into the inter-webs and start firing away.
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The Benefits of Betting Online
You might be thinking we’re just biased towards online sports betting because that’s the industry we’re in. For that exact reason, we’d like to start this guide off by covering some of the major advantages and benefits you’ll see when you choose to bet online. We want to make sure that you see we’re not just saying online is better because it fits our narrative. We’d like for you to clearly see that it really is the best option for you in today’s sports betting world.
You Protect Your Profits
Did you know that sports betting in person is significantly more expensive than placing your bets online? What a lot of people fail to realize is that when they are forced to go to the sportsbook every time they want to bet and cash in a winning ticket, it costs them money. These costs and expenses have to be deducted from your profits if you want to have an honest look at how much money you are making betting.
A win on a $20 bet at the sportsbook might not be worth anything once you factor in all of the costs associated with it. First, you have to look at transportation costs to and from the sportsbook. If you don’t have a personal vehicle, you have to pay for public transportation. If you do have your own vehicle, you have to pay for gas, tolls, parking, and wear and tear on your vehicle.
Then, what if you have kids or pets at home? Well, you might have to get a babysitter or pay someone to come over and give Rover a walk. If you have a significant other who isn’t into sports betting, you might have to pay for them to do something fun so that you can escape and get to the casino or sportsbook.
Remember, you also have to make two trips: one to get your ticket and then one to cash it in when you win. If it costs you a few bucks each way in gas or public transportation, that $20 win is quickly going to vanish. Even if you live close to a book, that can be a lot of money. Let’s say you live 10 miles from the book, your car gets 20 miles to the gallon, and gas is $3 a gallon. That’s 20 miles on the first trip and 20 miles on the second trip for 40 miles total. That’s two gallons of gas, which is $6. If parking is something low like $2, then that’s a total of $4 in parking. Even if you are lucky and have no other costs and choose not to factor in wear and tear on your car, that’s half of your $20 profit already gone!
When you choose to bet with an online sportsbook, all of these costs vanish. You’ve most likely already got a computer or a phone, and you’re most likely already paying for phone or internet (otherwise, how would you be reading this guide?). That means that you really don’t have to pay for anything extra to make your bets. If you’re new to betting and making smaller bets, this is going to be pretty important to protect your small bankroll.
We’d hate to see your sports betting tombstone read something like, “Here lies Bobby McBettor. Sports betting career died because of high gas prices.”
Overall Convenience
If comfort and quality of life are not important to you, feel free to skip right over this section. No one left? That’s what we were thinking would be the case. You see, everyone loves to make their lives and the things they do easier. When online sportsbooks were created, this is the issue they were trying to solve. They were looking for a way to make the practice of sports betting more convenient.
How’d they do at it? They crushed it. Online sports betting makes the entire process from start to finish much easier, headache free, and that much more enjoyable. Let’s talk about a few of the reasons why.
First, you don’t have to leave your house or wherever you might be to place your bets. Want to bet from the couch while watching football on Sunday? Done. Hungover and stuck in bed on Saturday morning but still want to bet the college games? You don’t even have to come out from under the covers. If this isn’t reason enough to get you on the online sports betting bandwagon, we’re not sure what it’s going to take.
Second, you don’t have to deal with the inconveniences of the brick-and-mortar sportsbooks themselves. This starts with your trip to the book. You don’t have to deal with traffic, tolls, or parking. The conveniences don’t stop once you get inside. Are you a fan of waiting in lines? Yeah, neither are we. Anytime you need to place a bet or cash in a ticket, you’re going to be waiting in some sort of line.
Depending on how well staffed your sportsbook is, this could be a short line or a long one. It also depends on what day, time, and what is going on in the sports world. If it’s a major sporting event weekend, you can go ahead and kiss a huge chunk of your day goodbye while you wait to get all your action in. Every other person who hasn’t discovered betting online will be at the book trying to squeeze in their action before the game starts.
Also, maybe you’re not a people person. Maybe congestion, smoke, and drunk people aren’t what you’re looking for when you’re looking to take your sports betting more seriously. When you bet online, you only have to deal with the people at your own house. If they’re not bearable to be around, well, you’ve got bigger problems you need to deal with.
Never Get Shut Out of a Game or Miss a Line
If you think those lines at the brick-and-mortar sportsbook only matter because they’re annoying, think again. What happens when you see a line that you like or want to squeeze a bet in right before the start of a game? Well, if there is no one else in the book with the same idea, you’ll have no problem. But if other people have the same idea or have their own bets they want to get in, you’re going to be waiting in line.
While you’re waiting in that line, a few things can happen. One, the line can move, and you can miss out on the opportunity you were looking to capitalize on. Two, the game can start, and you can miss out completely on the bet. Both of these are not ideal situations.
When you bet online, you don’t have to worry about how many people are in line. If you see a bet you like and want to make, you just make it. There is no “virtual queue” that you have to get into. As soon as the line pops up, you can bet it within seconds and not have to worry about what the rest of the world is up to. This goes a lot further than just convenience and starts improving your bottom line and profit.
The Ability to Shop Lines More Efficiently
If you don’t already know the importance of shopping lines, you soon will. Say you have the option of making the same $20 bet at two locations. The first place will pay you $18 in profit if you win, and the second will pay you $25. Where are you going to place your bet? We’d hope you say that you’re going to place it at the second location.
Comparing these lines when betting online is as simple as opening a few browser tabs to see what odds are available at different sportsbooks. If you wanted to do this in person, you’d have to get in your car and drive to the next closest sportsbook. If their line was better, you could bet there. But if the line is worse, then you’d have to drive back to the first sportsbook and hope that the line was still the same there. Sound like a nightmare? Yeah, one that you don’t want any part of.
When you bet online, line shopping is probably the biggest perk and the easiest to take advantage of.
Promotions Are More Attainable
When you’re betting at the sportsbook in person, the bulk of the rewards that you’re probably going to see are a few free drinks. If you go for months and months and see the same manager there and bet a lot, you might be able to squeak out a free buffet or food comp if they have that ability. Outside of that, you really shouldn’t expect to see much in the way of rewards.
When you bet online, though, the rewards are wider and much more attainable. Smaller bettors are able to take advantage of promotions like deposit and reload bonuses, free bets, match bets, and money back on losses. These are things you don’t see in brick-and-mortar locations. Why? It probably has to do with the lower overhead of running an online sportsbook where you don’t have to pay as many employees, rent, etc.
Regardless of why they offer better promotions, we’re fans of it, and you should be too.
Safety
The last perk of betting online versus in person that we want to talk about is safety. Believe it or not, your money and you are a lot safer when you’re betting online versus at the sportsbook or casino. When you bet in person, you’re required to carry large sums of cash to a place filled with sketchy people who know everyone probably has large sums of cash on them. Does this sound like a recipe for safety to you?
Not only are you at risk of getting robbed, but you also run the risk of dropping or losing your bankroll. If you don’t think this happens often, spend some time in a casino or sportsbook. You’ll frequently hear announcements of people offering rewards for dropped bankrolls and wads of cash. We’ve seen a few rare occasions where the money was returned, but for the most part, it never happens.
Sure, you have threats online to worry about, but none of them will ever end up with you taking bodily harm. We’ve heard too many stories of sports bettors getting robbed in the parking lot or followed home from the book and beaten to steal their bankrolls.
When you bet online, you don’t ever have to handle money. It gets transferred from your bank account or credit card online and then gets transferred right back the same way or sent to you via check. If someone tries to steal your check on the way to the bank, they aren’t going to get too far with being able to do something with it.
Things You Need to Do Differently
While there is a lot of crossover between the above section and this one, we did want to draw attention to some functional steps that you should take to get the absolute most out of your online betting experience. By now, it’s probably clear that betting in person and betting online are two completely different experiences, and as such, they should be approached differently.
Fill Out Your Withdrawal Paperwork Early
When you cash out a winning ticket in person, there really isn’t a lot that goes into it. You hand your ticket to the agent, and they hand you money. If you happened to win a huge ticket, you might be asked to fill out some tax paperwork, but that is rare unless you’re firing huge.
Online, though, they can’t just hand you money. They still haven’t developed a way to print money out of your computer screen, and until they do, things will have to be done a little differently. The way that you receive your winnings from online sports betting is through transfers to your bank account, checks, or transfers to third-party companies like PayPal or Neteller.
If this sounds like more of a hassle, remember what we talked about during the convenience section above. You don’t have to leave your house or wherever you are plopped down to get any of this done. You click a few buttons, and the sportsbook takes care of the rest. Usually, in a few hours or a few days, your winnings show up in your bank account.
That being said, the first time that you make a withdrawal, the sportsbook is usually going to need some additional information from you. Why? Well, it’s not for IRS reasons or anything like that. They need additional information to confirm that they are releasing your money to you. This is for your safety and usually only takes a few minutes for you to handle.
Fill this information out way before you ever need to make a withdrawal. That way, when it’s time for you to pull off your winnings, you just have to click a few buttons. People get frustrated with this because they don’t realize that it’s coming (usually by their own fault for not reading or not knowing). It won’t bother you that it takes them 48 hours to process these forms when you aren’t waiting for a cashout. But if they tell you that it’s going to take an additional 48 hours while you’re actively waiting for your money, you will probably get annoyed.
So, bottom line…ask customer support what documents they will need for a future withdrawal, fill out these documents, and turn them in right away. You will be happy about this when you go to make your first cash-out.
Pay More Attention to Timing Your Bets
When you’re placing your bets in person, there is one crucial factor that must be true – you must be there in person at the sportsbook. This means that unless you are planning on camping out at the book all day and night, you have to take the odds that are offered at the time you show up. But with online sports betting, you are able to check lines at any time of the day as long as you have your smart device and an internet or phone connection.
This means if you’re at work and want to check a line on your 15-minute break, you can. If you’re at home and the kids give you a minute break, you can check the lines. Sitting in traffic (not driving) and want to check the lines? Go for it. Because you are able to pounce on a line at any point from basically anywhere, you’re able to look for more optimal lines.
Additionally, this means you’re going to want to put some effort into timing your bets. If you can determine which direction you think the payout odds and lines are going to move, you can decide if you should bet immediately or hold out and wait for a more favorable situation. There’s a lot that goes into this, but it’s an added way for you to squeeze out some extra value on a lot of your bets and a way for you to find additional opportunities.
Shop Your Face Off
Not only are you going to have the ability to time your bets for optimal lines at a sportsbook, but you’ll also have the ability to shop lines between multiple sportsbooks quickly. It’s common to find different payouts and different lines for the exact same bet.
But when you bet online, the process is simple. All you have to do is open up another browser tab and see what odds are being offered at that particular sportsbook. If you check two or three books for each bet, you’ll often find better lines that will increase the amount of money you win on correct picks and also increase your odds of winning with totals bets and spread bets.
Utilize the Resources at Your Fingertips
When you’re at a lot of brick-and-mortar sportsbooks, they don’t allow you to use your phone inside the book. Additionally, many sportsbooks are inside of casinos or big structures where cell phone reception is poor. What happens when you see a bet that you’re interested in but want to do some research? Well, you have to leave the book, go outside, and hope you can get the information pulled up on your little phone screen (no offense to your phone, of course).
But when you’re betting online from your home on your computer or tablet, you have access to all of the betting resources that you need. You can have your sportsbook open in one window and all of your research and stats open in others. You can quickly toggle back and forth as you research bets and decide what you want to bet on. If you’re doing in-game betting, this is going to be even more helpful.
The point is that when you’re betting at home, you have access to a lot of information and resources to help you succeed. Take advantage of this.
The Wrap-Up
At this point, we hope you can see why we’re so big on online sports betting over in person, and it’s not just because that’s our industry. The benefits far outweigh any negatives that you can come up with. Additionally, we hope that you understand the differences between the two and how your approach needs to be a little different.
At the end of the day, it’s still sports betting, and at the core, it is no different than what you may have already been doing in person. With a few procedural changes and taking advantage of some of the benefits available, you can get maximum value from this incredible technological advancement. Even if none of that matters to you, we have one word that should – convenience.
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After New Jersey's Supreme Court victory in May 2018, any state can legalize sports betting.
At the same time various state lawmakers are considering sports betting legislation. Congress is too.
Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and now-retired Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, co-introduced comprehensive sports betting legislation at the end of 2018. On Sept. 27, 2018 the House Judiciary Committee held a formal hearing on the topic.
The dual track of proposals -- state and federal -- have increased in frequency since the start of 2017.
To measure the change in the landscape, we ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of how likely it is for each jurisdiction to offer full-scale legal sports betting. A brief synopsis for the active states is included, with updates to follow.
Last updated on October 19, 2020. Data provided by American Gaming Association.
Already there
1. Nevada
No longer the only state to permit a wide variety of legal sports betting, Nevada is a mature market that has existed for decades. Given its long history in successfully offering regulated sports wagering, many states might look to Nevada for best practices.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 223
Population: 3,034,392 (2,246,259 21+)
2. Delaware
On June 5, 2018, Delaware moved to offer single-game betting on a number of different sports at three casinos in the state. Expanded sports wagering options could take place at additional locations or online. Delaware's authorization of what Gov. John Carney described as 'a full-scale sports gaming operation' happened less than a month after the Supreme Court ruled that the federal law restricting single-game betting to Nevada was unconstitutional.
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Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 3
Population: 967,171 (726,161 21+)
3. New Jersey
On June 11, 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the sports betting bill that had passed the previous week. A William Hill sportsbook at Monmouth Park took the first bets on Thursday, June 14 at 10:30 a.m. ET. Gov. Murphy was the first customer in line. The Borgata in Atlantic City booked sports bets 30 minutes later. Other sportsbooks in New Jersey opened soon thereafter. For example, FanDuel's first sportsbook at the Meadowlands opened its doors on July 14.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams and collegiate events held within the state
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 9
Population: 8,908,520 (6,634,683 21+)
4. Mississippi
Two casinos owned by MGM Resorts booked their first sports bets in Mississippi on Aug. 1, 2018. Mississippi enacted a new law in 2017 that allowed for sports betting pending a favorable decision by the Supreme Court. In June 2018, the Mississippi Gaming Commission adopted implementing regulations that require all betting to take place in person, with mobile wagering to be considered later.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 29
Population: 2,986,530 (2,153,795 21+)
5. West Virginia
On Aug. 30, 2018, West Virginia became the fifth state to offer legal and regulated sports betting when the Hollywood Casino -- a sportsbook owned by Penn National -- opened its doors. The move came six months after the West Virginia legislature passed a new bill with the West Virginia Lottery Commission serving as the chief regulator.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 5
Population: 1,805,832 (1,375,788 21+)
6. New Mexico
On Oct. 16, 2018, the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel booked its first sports bet in partnership with Nevada-based USBookmaking. Although New Mexico has not passed any new sports betting legislation since the Supreme Court's decision, the move by the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel was made via a gaming compact with the state. According to Nedra Darling, spokeswoman at the Department of the Interior's Office of Indian Affairs -- the federal agency in Washington, DC that oversees tribal gaming compacts -- the New Mexico compacts permit 'any or all forms of Class III Gaming,' a category in the federal regulations that specifically includes '[a]ny sports betting and pari-mutuel wagering.'
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 32
Population: 2,095,428 (1,529,540 21+)
7. Pennsylvania
The Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course booked the first legal sports bets in Pennsylvania in mid-November 2018. The move came just over a year after Gov. Tom Wolf signed a new sports betting bill as part of a broad legislation push that included online poker and DFS. The October 2017 bill became effective after the Supreme Court's May 2018 ruling upending the federal ban on single-game betting outside of Nevada.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 12
Population: 12,807,060 (9,645,705 21+)
8. Rhode Island
The Twin River Casino in Lincoln opened its doors for legal sports betting on Nov. 26, 2018. The move came five months after Gov. Gina Raimondo signed the state budget, which included language allowing sports betting. Only two locations would be allowed to offer sports betting under the law, with the state's lottery providing regulatory oversight. In early 2019, the law was tweaked to provide for mobile betting.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 2
Population: 1,057,315 (800,838 21+)
9. Arkansas
On July 1, 2019, the Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort booked the first legal sports bets in Arkansas. Two other retail locations opened sportsbooks in the subsequent months. Sports betting is regulated by the Arkansas Racing Commission.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 3
Population: 3,013,825 (2,191,256 21+)
10. New York
On July 16, 2019, the first legal sports bets were placed in New York. J. Gary Pretlow -- a New York lawmaker and chair of the state's racing and wagering committee -- was among the first to place a wager at the Rivers Casino in Schenectady. The opening of a legal sportsbook came six years after New York passed a law to allow sports betting at four on-site locations, all in upstate New York. After lying dormant for years, the law was revived after the Supreme Court ruling in 2018 and the issuance of regulations earlier this year. The current law does not allow for mobile wagering.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: No betting on games involving in-state college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 28
Population: 19,542,209 (14,724,807 21+)
11. Iowa
Legal sports betting arrived in Iowa on Aug. 15, with multiple operators all opening their doors to customers on the first day. The move came three months after Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into a law a comprehensive bill to legalize sports betting in the Hawkeye State. Operators must pay a $45,000 licensing fee and there is a 6.75 percent tax on revenue. The new law permits mobile wagering. Betting on college sports is permitted, but certain kinds of in-game prop bets involving college games are banned. The new law bestows the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission with authority to regulate sports betting.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No prop betting on in-state college athletics
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 23
Population: 3,156,145 (2,286,374 21+)
12. Oregon
Legal sports betting returned to Oregon on Aug. 27 after a long hiatus, with the first bets booked on-site at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City. Oregon is one of a small number of states that already had a law on the books permitting some forms of sports betting, so the resumption of wagering did not require the legislature to pass any new law or have the governor amend an existing tribal-state compact. In mid-October, mobile sports betting arrived in Oregon too, with the state-run lottery overseeing the launch of a new website and app.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None at the Chinook Winds Casino Resort, but sportsbook operated by the Oregon Lottery does not permit betting on games involving in-state colleges
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 10
Population: 4,190,713 (3,167,912 21+)
13. Indiana
Legal sports betting opened up at a number of locations in Indiana on Sept. 1. The Indiana Gaming Commission oversees all sports betting regulations and has issued licenses to operators across the state. Wagering on both college and pro sports is permitted, but betting on esports and high school sports is banned. Indiana's new law allows for both mobile and in-person wagering. Regulations permit sports leagues or colleges to request 'to utilize a geofence to prohibit wagers at the location of a particular sporting event.'
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No prop betting on in-state college athletics
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 14
Population: 6,691,878 (4,842,337 21+)
14. New Hampshire
Governor Chris Sununo placed the ceremonial first legal sports wager -- on the New England Patriots -- in New Hampshire on Dec. 30, 2019. The state's lottery is in charge of regulatory of regulatory oversight. Both retail and mobile sports betting will be permitted on a wide variety of sports, although no betting on New Hampshire's in-state colleges is allowed.
Type of wagering permitted: Mobile
Notable prohibitions: No betting on in-state colleges
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 0
Population: 1,356,458 (1,042,882 21+)
15. Illinois
Legal sports betting arrived in Illinois on March 9, 2020. The move came less than a year after the Illinois legislature passed a broad gaming bill that allowed for both online and in-person sports betting. With Governor J.B. Pritzker's signature, the new law also provided for betting on-location at venues such as Wrigley Field. Operators and certain data providers are required to obtain a license under the new law.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: No wagering on minor leagues or Illinois college teams
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 10
Population: 12,741,080 (9,391,158 21+)
16. Michigan
Legal sports betting in Michigan commenced on March 11, 2020, with two Detroit-area casinos launching on the same day. The move came less than three months after Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the 'Lawful Sports Betting Act' into law. The new law provides for wagering on a wide variety of sports, including college contests.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 27
Population: 9.995,915 (7,428,72721+)
17. Montana
Legal sports betting arrived in Montana in March 2020. The move came after Governor Steve Bullock formally signed into law a 28-page bill that brought sports wagering to Big Sky country via the state's lottery. Governor Bullock cited the Montana Lottery's 'proven track record of responsibility and integrity' when signing the bill.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 13
Population: 1,062,305 (793,151 21+)
18. Colorado
May 1, 2020 marked the launch of legal sports betting in Colorado, with multiple operators allowing residents to open accounts online and place wagers. The move came less than six months after Colorado voters -- by a narrow margin -- approved a ballot measure that would provide 'for the regulation of sports betting through licensed casinos.' Both mobile and retail sports betting are permitted. Tax revenue from sports betting will help fund various state water projects.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions: None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019): 35
Population: 5,695,564 (4,210,663.00 21+)
19. Washington, D.C.
In June 2020, the D.C. Lottery launched its 'GameBetDC' platform allowing consumers 'to wager while in the District on major sports worldwide' via computer or mobile device. Sports betting in nation's capital followed the passage of the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018 and a Congressional review period during which time Congress did not formally object. The Office of Lottery and Gaming provides regulatory oversight of all sports wagering in D.C.
Type of wagering permitted: In-person and mobile
Notable prohibitions:No betting on games involving colleges located in D.C.
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019):None
Population: 705,749
20. Tennessee
Regulated sports wagering -- all online -- launched on November 1, 2020 in Tennessee with four licensed operators offering a wide variety of options. The 'Tennessee Sports Gaming Act' permits statewide mobile sports betting without any brick-and-mortar anchor. As such, there are no in-person retail sports betting locations in the state. Subject to an exception, Tennessee's new law requires all licensed operators to 'exclusively use official league data for purposes of live betting.'
Type of wagering permitted: Mobile only
Notable prohibitions:None
Number of casinos (as of Dec. 31, 2019):None
Population: 6,829,174
On-deck circle
21. North Carolina
On July 26, 2019, Governor Roy Cooper signed into a law a bill to 'allow sports and horse race wagering on tribal lands,' with such betting designated as a 'Class III' gaming activity under the state compact. The new law permits betting on both college and professional sports, but all bettors must place their wagers in-person at one of two retail locations.
22. Washington
Governor Jay Inslee signed Washington's sports betting bill into law on March 25, 2020. The new law permits sports wagering at Class III tribal casinos in the state. Mobile sports wagering is not allowed statewide, but is permitted when on-site at a licensed tribal casino. Betting on an 'esports competition or event' is allowed, but the new law bans wagering on games involving in-state colleges or minor league professional events. The new bill delegates regulatory oversight to the Washington State Gambling Commission.
23. Virginia
After some back-and-forth between Governor Ralph Northam and the legislature, legalized sports wagering was approved in the Commonwealth of Virginia in April 2020. Online betting is allowed, but wagering is not permitted on Virginia-based college sports or certain youth sports.
24. Maryland
In November 2020, Maryland voters approved 'sports and events betting for the primary purpose of raising revenue for education' by about a 2-1 margin. A regulatory framework must be created by Maryland lawmakers before any sports wagering takes place. The Maryland referendum would potentially allow for both in-person and mobile sports betting throughout the state.
25. South Dakota
On November 3, 2020, voters in South Dakota approved a ballot measure permitting 'sports wagering in Deadwood.' Other tribal locations in South Dakota could see the arrival of regulated sports betting too. State lawmakers must now establish a regulatory apparatus and tax rate for legalized sports wagering.
26. Louisiana
In November 2020, voters in the vast majority of Louisiana's 64 parishes approved a ballot measure permitting 'sports wagering activities and operations.' As a result, regulated sports wagering could come to New Orleans and certain other cities as early as 2021. Lawmakers will be tasked with setting up a regulatory scheme during an upcoming state legislative session.
Moving toward legalization
All of these states have seen some degree of legislative activity towards the legalization of sports betting the past few years.
27. Oklahoma
In April 2020, two federally-recognized tribes reached agreement with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on new gaming compacts that include sports betting. On June 8, 2020, Governor Stitt announced that the Department of the Interior had approved the compacts, paving the way for sports betting to start in Oklahoma as soon as the 'compacts are published in the Federal Register.' A bipartisan group of state lawmakers, along with Oklahoma's attorney general, have expressed opposition to the expansion of sports betting in Oklahoma and the prospect of legalized sports wagering remains uncertain.
28. Maine
On the last day of the state's 2019 legislative session -- June 19 -- Maine lawmakers passed 'An Act to Ensure Proper Oversight of Sports Betting in the State.' Shortly thereafter, the governor vetoed the bill. The legislature could re-introduce the bill later.
29. Nebraska
On November 3, 2020, Nebraska voters approved certain amendments to its state constitution legalizing 'all games of chance.' If the new constitutional amendments are construed to include wagering on sporting events, legalized sports betting could arrive in Nebraska upon the establishment of certain regulations.
30. Connecticut
31. Kentucky
32. Massachusetts
33. Minnesota
34. Missouri
35. Kansas
36. South Carolina
37. California
39. Ohio
40. Arizona
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41. Hawaii
42. Texas
43. Georgia
44. Vermont
45. Alabama
46. Florida
47. Alaska
48. Wyoming
No legalization activity ... yet
49-50. Idaho and Wisconsin
These states have not had any publicly-announced bills devoted to sports betting legalization.
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Unlikely
51. Utah
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Utah's anti-gambling stance is written into the state's constitution. Any change to existing state policy toward gambling would be a massive departure from decades of opposition to any form of gambling, including lottery tickets, table games and sports betting.