
Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the sports betting bill (SB 247) back in June 2021 after voters approved the change. However, they’ve had to wait until Friday 28th January 2022, before the first pack of online operators entered the scene.
The timing couldn’t have been better for American football enthusiasts, as they rushed to place their wagers on the outcome of the NFC and AFC championship games. Super Bowl LVI is fast-approaching, too, but it’s not a completely straightforward situation for sports bettors in Louisiana.
The evolution of the Louisiana sports betting scene was not a rapid one. Although the sports betting bill was approved back in June 2021, it wasn’t until October 2021 that land-based sportsbooks opened across the state. Mobile sports betting was later approved by voters in November 2021, in the hopes of staying up-to-date with the latest sports betting trends.
As of last Friday, six big names entered Louisiana’s legal and licensed online betting scene. In no particular order, they are DraftKings, FanDuel, Barstool, BetRivers, BetMGM, and Caesars. All names are synonymous across the larger sports betting scene for being heavy-hitters across the industry. Each boasts plenty of awards, a superb selection of sports betting markets, generous offers, and a reputation that precedes them.
While this is a great milestone for Louisiana’s sports betting scene, it is important to note that not all areas of Louisiana will be able to make use of the amendments to SB 247.
Due to the way in which Louisiana opted to conduct the vote, there are still some Parishes within Louisiana that have opted to keep sports betting illegal.
As you would expect, parishes within Louisiana that are densely populated, or already feature some form of retail sportsbook, were quick to approve the changes to the sports betting bill. However, those residing in Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, LaSalle, Sabine, Union, West Carroll, and Winn, will have to wait a little while longer until DraftKings, FanDuel, Barstool, BetRivers, BetMGM, or Caesars Louisiana open their virtual doors.
For any sports fans residing within the aforementioned eight states, all is not lost. Residents will still be able to sign-up, verify, deposit, and browse markets within their state; however, they will have to make a trip to a Parish where sports betting has been legalized before they can click submit on their latest parlay.
Over the coming months, it has been mentioned that over forty more LA online sportsbooks will launch and begin to flood the market, gifting Louisiana’s sports bettors with ample opportunities to unlock sizable welcome bonuses and wager on some fantastic upcoming events. Some names have already been released, including Betfred Louisiana, Golden Nugget sportsbook, and WynnBet sportsbook LA.
Legal sports betting Parishes across Louisiana have also promised that a full range of online sports betting markets will be available to players across the state, including moneylines, spreads, totals, futures, and a solid selection of prop bets. An added perk, that isn’t available across other legal states, is the ability to wager on college sports. It’s an exciting time for sports bettors from LA!
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