Louisiana Sports Betting

Gambling in Louisiana is hardly a contemporary phenomenon as wagering on horse racing has been legal in the state for decades. However, sports betting has only been thrust in the consciousness of local residents recently, with the state becoming one of over 30 to fully legalize the activity. We’ll detail everything there is to know about Louisiana sports betting in this guide.

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Where to Place Sports Bets in Louisiana?

#1 DraftKings	Comprehensive sportsbook Generous first deposit bonus Among six inaugural sportsbooks to launch in Louisiana	SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY Full T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
#2 BetMGM	Competitive odds Extensive sportsbook covering 27 sports Up to $1,000 in paid back bonuses welcome offer	SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY Full T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
#3 FanDuel	Huge fantasy sports market Wide range of sports promotions No sweat first bet – up to $1,000 in free bets	SEE OFFER	T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY Full T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Sports bettors in Louisiana have a multitude of options in terms of bookmakers, but here are our top three sportsbooks available in the state.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Louisiana?

Following the dissolution of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018, multiple US states went ahead with legalizing sports gambling. Louisiana did so in November 2020 after 55 of the 64 state’s parishes approved a ballot measure to allow sports wagering.

It’s worth noting that the nine local parishes that voted against the legalization of sports betting are located in the northeast, where none of the state’s 20 casinos/racetracks are based.

Sports betting was officially legalized in the state in June 2021 after Governor John Bel Edwards signed three bills into motion. The first retail betting stores opened in October 2021, while online sports betting debuted in January 2022¹.

Present & Future of Sports Betting in Louisiana

Louisiana’s first full year of legal sports betting was full of promise, but there has been a minor dip after a record-breaking January 2022, which garnered a handle of $282.2m. This decreased by 30% in February, topping out at $197.7m² – the lowest monthly total since August 2022.

However, there’s no reason to be concerned with the recent dip as Louisiana’s decline is consistent with the rest of the US.

Sports Betting Revenue & Taxation in Louisiana

In its first full year after going live, Louisiana bettors wagered $1.8bn, while the state earned $26.5m in taxes³. At the end of October 2022, Louisiana casinos and sportsbooks were reported to have made over $35.8m in revenue from sports betting. Mobile apps earned around $152m during their first ten months and paid $22.8m.

While sportsbooks incurred heavy losses following their launch, the state of Louisiana has undoubtedly benefitted financially from the legalization of sports betting.

Here are some of the main points regarding sports betting revenue and taxation in the state of Louisiana⁴.

Comparison of Top Sportsbooks

1. DraftKings

A behemoth of the American sports betting industry, DraftKings is the most ubiquitous bookmaker in the US and it arrived in the Bayou State as one of the six inaugural online sportsbooks.

DraftKings has since evolved into a premier bookmaker, and it’s one which is hard to fault. Firstly, their odds are superb, and the quality of their website unrivalled. Placing bets is simple, while the markets they offer are extensive. 17 sports make up their sportsbook, and we discovered that cricket – which is slowly gaining traction in the States – is covered in impressive depth by DraftKings, who also provide great coverage of the NFL and NBA.

Fantasy lovers can still utilize DraftKings to full effect, while vintage pools bettors can also enjoy this bookmaker’s offering.

Although their promotions are usually original and exciting with an array of sports being covered, they could do more for existing customers. Their welcome offer is a $50 bonus bet with a new customer’s first deposit.

2. BetMGM

The sportsbook wing of the MGM Resorts empire, BetMGM was launched alongside DraftKings in the first wave of online sportsbooks to go live in Louisiana.

The bookmaker asks for which state you reside in before you get started, which can make the experience with BetMGM feel a little more personal.

Their website is slickly designed and super easy to use. Placing bets is an efficient process, and a user-friendly interface allows you to access all the different components of BetMGM with ease. They provide competitive odds, and their sportsbook is one of the broadest we’ve seen among American bookmakers.

BetMGM covers a mammoth 27 sports in total, but this can depend on the state. Thus, for those that enjoy betting on less popular sports, this bookmaker might be the one for you!

Their excellent customer service and robust FAQs section complement the user-friendly experience provided by the website design. However, on the promotions front, BetMGM slacks somewhat compared to its competitors, but their welcome offer is laden with value.

New customers are given a risk-free first bet, and they could earn up to $1,000 in free bets.

3. FanDuel

Like DraftKings, FanDuel started out as a venerated fantasy sports platform and has similarly evolved into a respected bookmaker. FanDuel is regarded as one of the leading US bookmakers, and, for us, they have to be considered alongside DraftKings and BetMGM as the very best.

FanDuel is available in 15 states and remains an excellent provider of all things fantasy football. On the gambling front, we appreciate the endless list of innovative promotions offered.

Bet boosts, win bonuses, and parlay specials are almost always supplied by FanDuel, and their welcome offer is also excellent. New customers receive a no-sweat first bet in which they can earn up to $1,000 in free bets if their first bet doesn’t win.

Their site is also easy to access and navigate, with all the dull financial processes being quick and simple, so you’ll never have any issues depositing or withdrawing with FanDuel!

Best Sports Betting Apps in Louisiana

Louisiana Sports Betting Promotions

Here are some of the most common sports betting promotions offered by bookmakers licensed in Louisiana:

Those that sign up with FanDuel in Louisiana are entitled to a tasty reward after placing their first bet. The bookie's welcome offer is a $150 deposit bonus following a new customer’s first stake of at least $5.

To qualify for this promotion, punters must deposit at least $10 before placing their bet, and they’ll earn the $150 no matter whether their qualifying bet wins or loses.

BetMGM’s welcome offer for Louisianians is incredibly generous, with punters earning $1,000 in bonuses. There’s nothing but value here.

To qualify for this promotion, new customers simply have to create an account and deposit a minimum of $10. Punters can place their qualifying bet on absolutely anything, and they’ll receive their stake back (up to $1,000) if it loses. However, it's important to note that you’ll receive your money back in bonus bets, not as cash, so there is an element of risk at play.

Fancy the opportunity of making some quick cash? Well, just sign up to DraftKings and you’ll almost instantly earn yourself $50 in bonus bets after you make your first deposit of at least $5.

DraftKings’ superb welcome offer also includes a $1,000 play through bonus, which means punters will earn a 20% deposit bonus up to $1,000. So, let's say you deposit $100, DraftKings will add another $20 to your account.

DraftKings’ NFL bonus will be very handy once the season rolls around in September. This offer is a generous sport-specific promotion that rewards punters with $200 in bonuses that can be used on any NFL market after they place their first $5 bet. This is an offer laden with value, and brilliant for any NFL fans.

A no deposit bonus is brilliant as punters do not have to deposit any funds into their account in order to receive the reward on offer. You’ll qualify for the bonus by merely registering with the sportsbook, which means punters will likely have to enter a promo code to receive their bonus.

This promotion comes with many perks for the new customer as they’ve got an opportunity to win without risking anything. You can also use your free bets as a way of testing out the sportsbook to see whether it fits your betting needs.

Everybody loves putting on a parlay, right? Such bets are among the most popular among sports punters, especially novices.

A parlay bet is when a better makes multiple wagers and combines them to create one big bet. They’re a great way to win big money, but they’re mightily difficult to pull off.

Enhanced parlays, or parlay boosts, is a juiced-up version of your standard combo bet. Sportsbooks will boost the odds of your parlays to increase potential payouts, and these boosts are usually proportional to the number of selections in your parlay. The more selections, the bigger the boost.

This only adds to the entertainment of parlay betting, with punters not having to do anything different to earn a boosted parlay. However, some bookmakers might make these enhanced parlays sport or event specific.

Such promotions are common among sportsbook, but they’re a handy way of punters garnering greater value for their bets. Some bookmakers may randomly boost odds, but, for the most part, punters will be able to see which markets have been boosted before the event begins.

While the perks of boosted odds are obvious, they could also tempt punters into staking more. So, to combat this, some bookmakers limit how much you can bet on a boosted market.

As fun as parlays can be, they can also be incredibly frustrating. It only takes one erroneous selection for your entire bet – no matter how big it might be – to lose. Thus, bookmakers have tried to get rid of such frustration by introducing parlay insurance. Now, this kind of offer isn’t as common as enhanced parlays, which are borderline ubiquitous, so it’s worth doing some research into which sportsbooks offer it.

The insurance gifts punters a full or partial refund should just one leg of their parley let them down. This refund will often manifest as a free bet as opposed to real cash.

Popular Types of Bets

Here are some of the most popular types of bets that Louisiana bettors make on a variety of sports.

This is as simple as it gets. If you make a moneyline bet, you’re betting on that team to win the contest. So, if you place this kind of bet on the New Orleans Saints to beat the Carolina Panthers, the Saints must win the contest for your bet to win. Your bet loses if the Ravens win or if they tie.

Because of the lack of value typically associated with moneyline betting, punters will often turn to spread betting.

The point spread is the number of points that a team must win by for the bet to pay out. The favourite will have a ‘-‘ next to their points spread, while the underdog will have a ‘+’.

So, let’s say the spread is: New Orleans Saints (-2) @ Atlanta Falcons (+7). This means that if you backed the Saints, they must win by more than two points for your bet to be successful.

If you don’t fancy betting on the outcome of a game, over/under (totals) betting is a popular alternative.

With this, you’re betting on how many points will be scored in a game. The bookmaker will set a line, and you have to choose whether more or fewer points will be scored than that line.

For example, the bookie might set the line for NFL match-up between the Saints and Panthers at 41.5. So, 42 or more points will have to be scored for the over bet to win. Anything less and the under wins.

Parlay bets have us all dreaming of a vacation to Cancun. One day, a big one will come off! Parlays are what the Brits like to call an ‘accumulator’ or ‘acca’, which is essentially one big bet which relies on multiple bets – called ‘legs’ – winning.

Even if you have a mammoth eight-leg parlay and only one ‘leg’ lets you down, your bet is still a loser.

While they’re very challenging to pull off, the low stakes/high reward nature of such bets makes them incredibly popular. You could earn a fortune if the gambling Gods align.

A proposition – more commonly known as ‘prop’ – bet is another bet type that doesn’t focus on the outcome of a sporting event. The most common type of prop bet involves players.

These bets focus on the player’s performance, with markets for such bets surging as of late. You might want to bet on how many yards Derek Carr will throw for, or how rushing and receiving yards Alvin Kamara will combine for in a particular game.

There are other types of prop bets, including game props. With these bets, you’re wagering on something specific to happen in the game, like: will Zion Williamson hit a triple-double – yes/no?

With futures bets, you’re thinking long-term as you’re betting on the future outcome of a sporting event.

Such bets include Super Bowl winner, League MVP, and the total number of wins a team achieves in the regular season. You can also bet on seasonal stats like how many yards Patrick Mahomes will throw in the regular season, or how many yards Nick Chubb will rush for.

Where To Bet on Local Louisiana Teams

Louisiana simply isn’t a major sporting state, but its biggest city, New Orleans, possesses fervent supporters of two major franchises: the Saints (NFL) and Pelicans (NBA).

The Saints enjoyed their fair share of success with Drew Brees at quarterback, winning the Super Bowl in 2010, which emerged as one of the heartfelt stories in American sports in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Brees, along with Sean Payton, helped New Orleanians believe again.

Important Sports Events in Louisiana 2023

Let’s take a look at a list of significant sporting events that Louisiana sports fans might fancy betting on this year:

Louisiana bettors can bet on pretty much everything, but there are some restrictions. For example, some esports events are not available due to some of the competitors being younger than 18. The state has also banned wagering on high school and youth sports.

Moreover, it’s worth noting that nine of the state’s 64 parishes do not offer legal sports gambling.

Louisiana Sports Betting Timeline

Here’s a history of sports betting in Louisiana:

• May 2018 – US Supreme Court overturns PASPA.
• 2019 – Senator Danny Murphy begins to push sports betting legislation (SB153).
• November 2020 – Referendum passed by Louisiana voters that legalized sports betting in the state.
• June 2021 – Governor John Bel Edwards signs SB247 into law, which legalizes sports betting.
• October 2021 – Retails sports betting officially launches.
• January 2022 – Mobile sports betting officially launches.

States Where It Is Legal To Bet on Sports

Changes to federal law has facilitated the legalization of sports gambling in 31 states to some degree, and Louisiana is currently one of those.

ThePuntersPage Final Say

This guide has detailed everything there is to know about sports betting in Louisiana. While not a state revered for its sport, Louisiana is blessed with a couple of major institutions, and the leniency of their betting laws mean there’s plenty for punters residing in the state to get stuck into.

References

¹ Legal Sports Report. (n.d.). Louisiana Sports Betting & Sportsbook Apps in LA 2022. [online] Available at: https://www.legalsportsreport.com/louisiana/.

² Gazzale, J. (2023). Louisiana Sports Betting Handle Drops After Record-Setting Start To 2023. [online] Legal Sports Report. Available at: https://www.legalsportsreport.com/108845/february-2023-revenue-louisiana-sports-betting/ [Accessed 11 May 2023].

³ The Daily Advertiser. (n.d.). In first year of sports betting, Louisiana made $26.5M, Mattress Mack won $75M. [online] Available at: https://eu.theadvertiser.com/story/money/business/2023/01/12/louisiana-brings-in-26-5-million-in-first-year-of-legal-sports-bets/69796159007/ [Accessed 11 May 2023].

⁴ lgcb.dps.louisiana.gov. (n.d.). Louisiana Gaming Control Board. [online] Available at: http://lgcb.dps.louisiana.gov/ [Accessed 11 May 2023].

Written by James Cormack View all posts by James

Big sports fan specialising in football. Experienced the lows of Vlad Chiriches and Tim Sherwood as a Spurs fan along with the more recent ‘success’ under Pochettino. My following of the New England Patriots since 2012 somewhat makes up for the lack of silverware produced by Spurs in my lifetime.

JamesCormack@thepunterspage.com