Sports betting has been legal in Louisiana since June 2021. However, the market will go a step further. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chair stated that mobile sports betting will launch at 8 am CT on Friday.
Louisiana sportsbooks operators have done well while only offering retail sports betting to the public. December’s sports betting handle hit $39.5 million which generated $4.38 million in revenue. Providers had an 11.1 percent hold for the month.
Online sports betting will be available in 55 of the 64 parishes across the state. Louisiana is the first state to allow people to vote if they want any form of gaming in their jurisdictions. Six sportsbooks are set to go live as it includes DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, BetRivers, and Barstool Sportsbook.
Each of the 20 sportsbook operators that received or will receive licenses in the future can have up to two online skins. Johns’ previous goal was to have mobile sports betting up and running by the Super Bowl, but the operation is taking place ahead of schedule.
To this moment, retail sportsbooks have offered bettors across the state an array of different events and ways to bet on games. These operators covered NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB, and lesser popular sports like badminton, table tennis, and volleyball.
The Bayou State is home to collegiate programs like the LSU Tigers, Tulane Green Wave, and the LA Tech Bulldogs. Betting on Esports has a few restrictions because some of the participants are younger than 18. Due to the strict rules, bettors cannot wager on high school or youth sports.
What Can Residents in the State Bet This Weekend
The convenience of mobile sports betting will most likely increase the average betting volume this weekend. Residents may have to wait to bet on the New Orleans Saints and college football until next season, but there are a few events residents can look forward to.
LSU college football fans can wager on the AFC Championship Game that will feature some familiar faces from the 2019 National Championship team. Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow both play for the Cincinnati Bengals and Clyde Edwards-Helaire plays for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Johns stated, “Everyone has gravitated toward Cincinnati with Burrow playing for the championship,…“It will be a huge weekend.” Bettors also will be able to place wagers on the NFC Championship game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.
The New Orleans Pelicans will be taking on the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at home. The Boston Celtics will be in town on Saturday. LSU’s men’s and women’s basketball programs have not disappointed this season.
The men’s basketball team is 16-4 and is currently ranked 19th in the country, and will be facing the TCU Horned Frogs. The women’s team has a 17-3 record which is good for 12th in the nation and will be hosting the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday.
Bettors can pretty much continue their way of betting with the launch of mobile sports betting.
