Top online sports betting apps in Louisiana

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Contents

What’s happening in Louisiana sports betting right now

Louisiana sports betting snapshot

Is online sports betting legal in Louisiana? Yes. Online sports betting has been legal in 55 of the 64 parishes in Louisiana since January 2022. The law originally allowed for as many as 41 online books to launch, but with the state lottery later announcing that it would likely not be partnering with an online sportsbook, that would make the maximum 40 instead.
What sportsbook apps are available in Louisiana?BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, BetRivers, Barstool and PointsBet.
What sports can I bet on at Louisiana sportsbooks?All major sports, both pro and college, are available for wagering.
Who is allowed to bet in Louisiana?Anyone who is 21 or older and inside one of the 55 parishes where it’s legal can bet. Geolocation software will verify a bettor’s location.

Comparing Louisiana’s top sportsbooks

There is no objective measure for determining which Louisiana sportsbook is the best. Although we have our preferences, the decision will generally boil down to what you’re looking for. Many of them offer top sports betting promotions, but here are the top picks in a couple of key areas:

1. BetMGM Sportsbook

Few books offer a deeper list of sports on which to wager than BetMGM. Once you’ve placed a bet, the app provides additional flexibility through its “edit my bet” option. Even some clunkiness with the app design is not enough to detract from the advantages of using BetMGM.

2. BetRivers Sportsbook

BetRivers Sportsbook is not a household name in Louisiana, but it has plenty to offer bettors in the state. Like most top books, BetRivers has a long list of sports on which you can bet. It also has a feed that displays big betting wins. On the downside, the app itself is not terribly flashy and can be slow to use.

3. FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel has served people in Louisiana for many years through its DFS product, and now its sportsbook app is available in the state, as well. You are unlikely to find an easier-to-navigate app, regardless of whether you are an experienced bettor or a beginner. FanDuel also has a long list of same-game parlay options every day.

New online sportsbooks in Louisiana

Although there are several options already active in Louisiana, the list of sports betting sites in the Pelican State will likely continue to grow. Some books have already made their intention to launch in the state clear. Here is a list of the ones we believe could launch in Louisiana:

Best Louisiana sports betting bonuses and how to get started

Getting started with sports betting in Louisiana is a simple process. Choose a sportsbook, register to create an account, add money to your account, and start betting. However, before you pick a sportsbook, consider the welcome bonus each one offers. Here are some details for a few books, along with any relevant bonus codes:

  1. BetMGM bonus code: Get up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if you don’t win. Use code PLAYLSR.
  2. BetRivers bonus code: Use the code LSRRIV to get a second-chance bet for up to $500 if your first wager loses.
  3. FanDuel promo code: Bet $5, get $200 in bonus bets. No code necessary.

It’s important to understand what the welcome bonus lingo can mean. Here are the most common types of introductory bonuses you may come across:

10 quick facts about Louisiana sports betting

  1. Legal sports betting received approval in Louisiana in November 2020 after 55 of the state’s 64 parishes approved a ballot measure to allow wagering on sports inside their borders.
  2. Louisiana sports betting became legal in June 2021. A trio of bills received a signature from Gov. John Bel Edwards to usher online and retail sports betting into the state.
  3. Retail sports betting launched in October 2021.
  4. Retail sportsbooks can operate at riverboat casinos, racetracks, and the lone land-based casino in the state.
  5. Online sports betting debuted in January 2022.
  6. In the first full year of sports betting in Louisiana, bettors wagered a total of $1.8 billion.
  7. The law originally would have allowed the Louisiana Lottery to offer online sports betting kiosks at bars, restaurants, and truck stops around the state. However, that likely won’t happen as the organization has abandoned looking for a sports betting partner.
  8. You must be 21 or older to wager on sports in Louisiana.
  9. It is not necessary to be a resident of Louisiana to bet on sports, but you must be in one of the 55 parishes that approved sports betting.
  10. Most of the nine parishes to reject sports betting are in the northeastern part of the state.

What to expect at a legal Louisiana sportsbook app

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board maintains regulatory control over every legal sportsbook in the state. If you have any issues that you cannot resolve, you can turn to the LGCB if there’s a problem or if you’re concerned about your funds or account security.

In addition, playing at legal books puts you in a position to benefit from the competition between them. Because you can always switch over to a different app at any moment, sportsbooks go out of their way to bring you on board and keep you happy.

Louisiana sports betting law and regulations

Although several legislators in Louisiana worked to move various bills forward, the main catalyst for sports betting in Louisiana occurred due to an item on the ballot in November 2020

Each parish in the state voted independently about whether to allow sports betting. Just one parish voting yes would have obliged the Legislature to create sports betting laws. As it turned out, the vast majority of Louisiana parishes approved. Only nine of the 64 parishes declined to proceed, and none of the nine are home to any of the major gambling venues in the state.

The Legislature responded to the vote in 2021. Lawmakers used three enabling pieces of legislation to establish legal sports betting in the state. Here are some of the specifications in the statutes:

In addition to the commercial licensing, the Louisiana Lottery also gained a broad sports betting permit for both retail and online outlets. However, the state lottery announced in May 2023 that it will likely not be partnering with a sportsbook and doing that.

Full list of Louisiana sportsbook apps

This is every sportsbook app active in Louisiana as of October 2023:

Louisiana non-betting parishes

You can bet on sports online anywhere in Louisiana aside from the nine parishes that declined to authorize the practice. With the exception of Sabine Parish, most of these parishes are in northeastern Louisiana, away from most of the gambling locations in the state. However, election results indicate that the decision not to allow sports betting was no slam dunk, with most of the referenda failing by a 52-48 margin or less. If you happen to live in or are visiting one of the following parishes, you won’t be able to bet:

Louisiana sports betting history

Talk about sports betting picked up in Louisiana shortly after the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in May 2018. However, it took the state three years, several attempts, and an undeniable prod from most of the state’s voters before legislation, regulation, and launches could occur in Louisiana. Now, more than 80% of the parishes in the state have options for sports betting, either through apps, retail sportsbooks or both. Here’s a brief history of the main steps:

2023: The state generated about $32 million in sports betting revenue in 2022, the first full year for legal betting.

2022: Online sports betting begins in Louisiana in late January. The first full month of wagering was one of the largest to date, with more than $238 million in wagers in February. The figure, undoubtedly bolstered by the Super Bowl’s presence in New Orleans, declines slowly into the months of July and August to a handle of $171 million. The start of the NFL season pushes those numbers back up, however, with regulators reporting an October handle of $255.5 million — the state’s highest to date.

2021: After months of preparation, retail sports betting debuts in Louisiana in October. The first sportsbook to receive a wager is the Paragon Casino Resort, a tribal casino in Marksville, which took a bet from former Saints star Joe Horn on Oct. 6. Commercial betting begins on Halloween at Harrah’s New Orleans

2020: State Sen. Danny Martiny, who led initial efforts to legalize sports betting in Louisiana, leaves office due to term limits. Several other lawmakers take up the mantle from Martiny and present their own proposals, but few gain the traction to make any waves in the Capitol. In the end, a move by state Sen. Cameron Henry succeeds in placing the issue on the ballot for voters ahead of the November election. The issue is to be decided on a parish-by-parish basis. Louisiana voters respond favorably in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes, which means lawmakers will need to move forward with sports betting legislation. 

2019: Attempts to make sports betting legal in Louisiana fail on the final day of the legislative session despite furious efforts from their supporters. The chief supporter of the bill farthest along in the process is Martiny, who hopes that his SB 153 will serve to legalize sports betting at the state’s casinos and racetracks. However, lawmakers opposed to the legalization of sports betting attach several poison-pill amendments, including an unpopular proposal to legalize video poker parlors.

Popular sports to bet on in Louisiana

Louisiana is an interesting state for popular sports teams. For one thing, it is the least-populous state with two representatives from major sports leagues. For another, despite the presence of several Division I universities in the Pelican State, one school’s teams stand above the rest in terms of fandom across Louisiana: LSU. The Tigers are one of the more popular football programs not just in Louisiana but across North America, with national championships in 2003, 2007, and 2019.

Here are the most popular teams for betting in Louisiana:

In addition to the teams that play in Louisiana, the state is also home to several annual events of note, including three bowl games and a PGA Tour event (Zurich Classic of New Orleans). The Caesars Superdome is also a frequent host for March Madness, sometimes the Super Bowl, and several other major games and events.

Louisiana sports betting FAQ

Is sports betting legal in Louisiana?

Yes. Online sports betting has been legal and available in 55 of the 64 parishes in Louisiana since January 2022. There are currently more than a dozen retail sportsbooks and seven legal online sportsbooks.

Is Bovada legal in Louisiana?

No. Bovada, BetOnline, and other sportsbooks that claim to be legal in Louisiana are not. Instead, they are offshore sportsbooks headquartered and doing business outside of the United States. Bovada, for example, is in Curaçao, while BetOnline works out of Panama. Because these books are outside the country, they do not have to comply with US laws and bear a host of potential problems for American users.

With so many legal options in Louisiana, there’s no reason to take a chance on one of these offshore books.

Where can I bet on sports in Louisiana?

First and foremost, you can place a bet online legally in 55 Louisiana parishes. The state is also home to 20 retail sportsbook locations at riverboat casinos and racetracks. Some of those locations include Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino, Delta Downs Racetrack, and Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge. 

How old must you be to bet on sports in Louisiana?

You must be 21 or older to bet on sports at a legal Louisiana sportsbook. It is not necessary to be a resident of Louisiana, but you must be inside state lines — and in one of the parishes where betting is legal — when you make your wager.

Is horse betting legal in Louisiana?

Yes. There are four live racing venues and associated betting facilities located in the Pelican State. In addition, people in Louisiana may place wagers on horse races via online horse betting sites like TVG.

Can I play DFS in Louisiana?

Yes, it is legal to play daily fantasy sports in Louisiana. However, as with sports betting, it depends on the parish. In the case of DFS, only 47 of the parishes in the state approved the activity. You’ll need to check the results from your parish to see if you can play. As a general rule, parishes in the northern and central portions of the state were the ones to reject the proposal, but it’s best to confirm before you try to play.

Resources on Louisiana sports betting

If you want more information or have a specific question we didn’t cover, here are some resources that should have the answers.