There is a lot of confusing and conflicting information on the Internet when it comes to the legality of sports betting in Texas. Some websites will inform you that it is legal, whereas others will tell you it’s not. If it’s confusing and slightly frustrating for neutral parties like us, imagine how frustrating it must be for an actual Texan that wants to place bets online.
There’s no doubt that the legalization of online betting would be massive, as Texas is the second-largest state in terms of size and population. With 29 million people living in the state, it would be huge for sportsbooks and casinos economically to suddenly have access to that market.
That’s not to say legislators and government officials haven’t tried. They have. The issue here is that trying to legalize online betting here would require extreme legislative effort and a big legal battle. The last time there was an effort to legalize sports betting was in 2019 when Senator Lucio III proposed the HB 1275 Bill. What has happened since? Nothing. It got filed, and it seems as if it’s not been looked at since.
There are so many great teams in Texas such as the Houston Astros, Houston Rockets, Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, that it’s such a shame that Texans can’t take advantage of those teams’ success and bet on them.
However, there are a few ways Texans can put their money on some sports, so let’s get into it.
It must be noted that placing bets on the websites below is not legal for Texan residents, but in general, U.S. citizens, depending on their geolocation, can. Here is a list of betting site that offers the best DFS and horse racing experience:
| RANK | DFS APP | FEATURES | PLAY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  DraftKings |
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| 2 |  FanDuel |
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Currently, there is a lot of ambiguity surrounding the actual legality of sports betting and gambling in Texas. Much like other states, Americans still gamble online fruitfully and there hasn’t been any consequences against them, it’s just that for legality’s sake, states like Texas adopt a hardline attitude against online sports betting.
So, unofficially, you can bet via all of the above websites. Just beware that it technically is not legal for Texans!
Betting on sports online is super easy, and you’ll be able to get going in no time. It’s important to choose a sportsbook that’s right for you, and you can check out a bunch of reviews we’ve written on all the different sportsbooks to help make your decision easier. Alternatively, you can check out the 5 we’ve listed above!
Currently, none of the physical casinos in Texas have sportsbook operations, but it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on them for the eventuality that they are allowed to create a sportsbook.
Texas is blessed with having a thriving professional sports team with so many teams to root for. On any of the given sportsbooks you can bet on virtually anything you’d want. If you’re into baseball and the Texas Rangers, you’ll be able to easily! Here’s a list of everything you can expect to bet on in Texas:
We’d be very surprised if you weren’t able to find something you’d want to bet on! There are some sportsbooks that won’t have this exact list of sports, but they’ll more or less be the same. For sure you’d be able to find all your favorite teams such as:
There isn’t much variety when it comes to what you can bet on, generally, every sportsbook offers the same selection of bets regardless of your geolocation. However, different sportsbooks will have different odds some times for the same bets. Texan bettors can expect to see the same selections as everyone else on all online sportsbooks.
Moneyline is the most basic bet on all sportsbooks, and it’s no different in Texas. Most Texans enjoy such a competitive local scene that generally the moneyline odds when the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks play is very competitive. Moneyline is basically betting on who will win the match – plain and simple!
Over/Under is pretty fun if you’re unsure of who will win a game. As mentioned before, if there’s a highly competitive match between two Texan teams and you think the match could go either way, it may be more beneficial for you to bet on how many points, goals, or runs will be scored. That’s what Over/Under is. You’re just predicting how many goals, points, or runs there will be in a match. This can either be for both teams combined, or for either team individually.
Point spread is basically a more valuable version of moneyline. If you’re sure a team is going to win, sometimes the moneyline odds can be a little underwhelming, but usually the point spread is more like a 50/50 bet. Let’s say we have the Houston Astros vs. the Texas Rangers and the moneyline heavily favors the Astros. It could be considerably better to bet on the point spread, which could look something like -2.5. This means the Astros has to win by 3 or more.
Futures bets require a lot of patience! But if you have an inherent feeling that a certain team will win the World Series or the NBA Championship, then you could put quite a considerable sum on them to do so. Will any Texan teams win a championship or a title in any of the major sports? Maybe the Luka Doncic can carry the Mavs!
There are much more selections available out there for all in Texas to bet on. You can bet on individual player’s statistics like how many points someone may score in a basketball game, you can predict the exact winning margin and so much more!
The welcome bonus package is usually mandatory on most sportsbooks. This is often called a first deposit bonus as well. This usually looks something like 100% up to $500, for example. This means that if you deposit $100, you can expect $100 back in bonus funds. Some websites differentiate the bonus between sports and casino, so it’s important you understand where you’re getting your bonus. These bonuses can be great when you’re getting started on a new sportsbook to build your bankroll.
A reload bonus is sort of like a welcome bonus, except it has significantly less bang for your buck than the latter. These will usually look something like get a 25% match bonus on your second deposit up to $100. They are significantly less valuable but still something to try and entice customers to keep depositing.
Free bets are the holy grail for sports bettors. If betting sites provide you with free bets, they are generally looked favorably upon. Sometimes some sportsbooks can give you free bets randomly, or sometimes they can give it to you via a different kind of promotion. For example, there could be something like a daily scratchcard where they give you a free bet.
Loyalty schemes or VIP programs are quite rare to come by. It’s difficult to truly ascertain whether or not they are truly worth it or not, but if you don’t particularly care much about bonuses, they can be exactly that – a bonus. We don’t really recommend hedging all your bets on bonus opportunities anyway, so loyalty schemes can be fun to get involved with.
It’s really tough if you’re a U.S. resident just looking to bet. It can be really confusing as some states allow it and some prohibit it, so it’s difficult to know when you’re allowed or not.
Although it’s illegal to bet if you’re a resident in Texas, there are technically ways you can engage in legal sports betting. That comes in the form of fantasy leagues. Websites like DraftKings are indeed allowed, and although it’s not really sports betting, it’s quite close to it and a fun way to get involved legally.
Apart from that, although the gambling laws within the state seem very stringent, you can still technically place a bet. Although you must understand that under the Texas state constitution, it is illegal to place bets online, many Texans still do freely.
Technically, no. But many still do enjoy placing bets online in the state. There are also legal options such as horse racing and fantasy leagues.
Although there are currently bills and legislations in the pipeline, the last time it was mentioned was in 2019. Since then, it hasn’t been touched. Hopefully, in the near future, we can expect to see sports betting legalized.
The federal standard for gambling is that you have to be 21 years old.
It is generally illegal to bet in Texas, and specifically, it is illegal as soon as you wager on a particular match. However, again, there is really nothing stopping you if you can accept that responsibility.
No, definitely not! You can be anywhere in the world where it is legal to gamble. And even then, a lot of the time, there are ways around it. So even if worst comes to worst, you can always use a VPN.
Mobile sports betting is an extension of normal betting, so all the same rules apply as above. We must admit, though, that mobile betting is much more convenient!
Although it can be frustrating knowing that gambling and sports betting is not legal within the state, there are efforts to make it legal in Texas. The timeline is unknown, but hopefully, in due time the legislators and lawmakers can pass a bill that will allow all gambling aficionados to enjoy a nice bet.
Despite all this, there are still ways you can bet while living in Texas, so if you’re up for it, take a look at the sportsbooks we recommended above and have a crack at it!
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