Mississippi Sports Betting 2024: Top Sportsbook Apps

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Mississippi sportsbooks in 2024

Is sports betting legal in Mississippi?

Yes. Sports betting has been legal in Mississippi since August 2018, but bettors must place all wagers on casino grounds. Many casinos with sportsbooks in the state offer in-person sports betting, and a few of those have apps that people can use while at the sportsbook.

Can you bet online in Mississippi?

Yes, you can bet online in Mississippi, but online sports betting does not operate in a conventional way. Bettors cannot bet from their phones or other devices from anywhere in the state; they must be located at a licensed casino. 

You may, for example, download the BetMGM Sportsbook app, Caesars Sportsbook app, or Pearl River Sports app from anywhere in the state, but you can only place bets on those apps if you are at one of their associated casinos.

However, there is support for online sports betting in Mississippi, and new legislation was introduced during the 2024 legislative session.

What’s happening in Mississippi sports betting right now

• Sept. 11, 2024 — Mississippi sports betting handle was $13.9 million in July, down 27.9% from June and down 21.4% year over year.
• July 24, 2024 — Mississippi sports betting handle was $19.3 million in June, down 28.5% from May and down 5% year over year.
• May 1, 2024 — Sports betting bill HB 774 died in conference committee on April 29, likely ending the push for statewide online sports betting for another year. The bill did not meet a deadline before the session’s adjournment on May 5.
• April 16, 2024 — The Caesars Sportsbook app launched in Mississippi on April 10. Bettors can download the app from anywhere in the state but must place bets while physically located at Harrah’s Gulf Coast casino in Biloxi.
• April 15, 2024 — With Mississippi online sports betting legislation still alive, both chambers could collaborate on a bill during a conference committee during the week of April 22, according to an LSR source.

Legal online sportsbooks in Mississippi

BetMGM Sportsbook

For the best sports betting promotions in Mississippi, bettors have few options. BetMGM has a presence, and there are two casinos in the state — Beau Rivage and Gold Strike — where you can use the BetMGM Sportsbook app to bet on sports from the premises.

The BetMGM app is a top option for bettors nationwide. It offers one of the best menus of sports betting markets and some of the best welcome bonuses. The “edit my bet” function is a favorite among users, and reviews favor customer service, available payment methods, and odds. The app can sometimes be clunky and tough to navigate, but it is a solid all-around choice.

• App Store rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.6 (Android)
• Key takeaway: The deep menu of betting options makes up for what the app lacks.
• Best feature: Edit my bet
• BetMGM Sportsbook bonus: Up to $1,500 in bonus bets paid back if your first bet does not win. Use the code PLAYLSR.

Caesars Sportsbook and the Pearl River Resort offer the only other mobile sports betting options. Pearl River operates three casinos (Bok Homa, Golden Moon, and Silver Star), and people can wager through the Pearl River Sports app while located at any of them. You can bet on the Caesars Sportsbook app at Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi.

Retail sportsbooks in Mississippi

Here is a breakdown of every casino in Mississippi that offers sports betting, along with the company that runs its sportsbook (if available). Many casinos in the state are not associated with well-known online sportsbooks and instead independently provide their own odds and menu of sports betting options.

Mississippi sports betting law

In 2017, Mississippi legalized daily fantasy sports with the passage of HB 967. Language in that bill effectively repealed the portion of the state’s law prohibiting online sports betting. At that point, the only thing stopping online sports betting in the state was federal law.

Once the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act on May 14, 2018, it took just a few hours for the Mississippi Gaming Commission to release draft regulations for sports betting in the state. Here are some of the basics:

• All sports betting must take place within the state of Mississippi.
• All sports bets must be in person at a licensed Mississippi sportsbook. 
• The minimum age for placing a sports bet in Mississippi is 21.  
• There is no maximum on how much you can bet on a single game or event.

Regarding what bettors can wager on in Mississippi, all sports and leagues are available, including college sports. Wagering on high school sports is not legal in the state.

The state had formalized its gambling industry in 1990 with the passage of House Bill 2 and the Mississippi Gaming Control Act, which allowed riverboat casinos in coastal counties. The first casino opened two years later, floating down the Mississippi River from Iowa to its permanent home in Mississippi.

Today, the rebuilt Mississippi Gulf Coast region — which was largely destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — is the nation’s third-largest casino market, with a dozen gambling venues open for business. Casinos can now be built within 800 meters of the shoreline following the destruction in 2005.

Legal gambling in Mississippi

Aside from sports betting, Mississippi has many legal gambling options. The 29 casinos in the state have the usual menu of table games, slots, and poker, though options will vary depending on the casino.

Betting on horse and dog racing is also legal in the state, though no horse or dog tracks operate within state lines. Pari-mutuel wagering is allowed at all licensed casino sportsbooks.

The Mississippi Lottery Corp. runs the state lottery and offers the standard selection of scratchers and draw-style games. National lottery games such as Powerball are also available.

Daily fantasy sports in Mississippi

Mississippi legalized DFS in 2017. The Fantasy Contest Act laid out the regulatory framework for the industry, following a similar road map to other states. DFS providers such as DraftKings and FanDuel operate in the state.

Popular sports to bet on in Mississippi

Like most of the South, Mississippi loves football. And while there are no professional football teams — or major pro teams in any sport — in Mississippi, the state definitely still has its favorite football team.

The University of Mississippi Rebels, aka Ole Miss, are the most popular team in the state by a wide margin. The Rebels have won their share of bowl games over the years but have not won a national championship since 1960. The Mississippi State Bulldogs also have a solid following of their own. 

As far as the nearest pro teams, the northern part of the state borders Tennessee, which has teams based in Memphis and Nashville, while the southern part of the state borders Louisiana, where New Orleans is home to a couple of franchises:

• New Orleans Saints, NFL
• Tennessee Titans, NFL
• Dallas Cowboys, NFL
• Memphis Grizzlies, NBA
• New Orleans Pelicans, NBA
• Nashville Predators, NHL

Mississippi sports betting timeline

2024: Rep. Casey Eure introduced sports betting bill HB 774 on Jan. 29.

On Feb. 8, sports betting bill HB 774 advanced from the House to the Senate with a 97-14 vote.

DraftKings Sportsbook opens a retail location at the Golden Nugget Casino in Biloxi.

Underdog stops offering its DFS pick’em product in Mississippi.

2023: Lawmakers sign HB 606 into law. The bill mandates 13 state legislators to complete a “comprehensive analysis of all matters related to online sports betting” by Dec. 15, 2023.

In October, Mississippi’s Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force met with people in the gaming industry to discuss a possible expansion of the online sports betting industry in the state. The group contained officials from casinos who oppose betting expansion.

2022: Lawmakers introduce four sports betting bills in the state Legislature. All four would have expanded online sports betting in the state with slight variations, but none make it through committee.

• HB 997
• HB 184 
• SB 2462
• SB 2652

2021: The state’s first online sportsbook launches when BetMGM debuts its app in September. The app, however, is limited to bets taking place at a licensed casino partnered with BetMGM. 

2018: Within hours of the Supreme Court voting to repeal PASPA in May, the Mississippi Gaming Commission releases draft regulations to govern sports betting. After a 30-day review period, those regulations go into effect, and licensed gambling venues begin applying to offer sports betting.

Regulators spend the next few weeks preparing for the launch of sports betting. Beau Rivage and Gold Strike accept the first legal sports wagers in Mississippi on Aug. 1, 2018. Sam’s Town, Horseshoe and IP Casino quickly follow.

2017: Mississippi legalizes daily fantasy sports with HB 967.

However, Mississippi’s DFS law includes another statute with broad ramifications — language that effectively repeals the portion of state law prohibiting online sports betting. Gambling officials say they are ready to move forward with regulations. Federal law stands in the way, but the US Supreme Court removes that hurdle in May 2018.

2014: The Mississippi House Gaming Committee creates the Internet Gaming Taskforce to study its namesake topic. The task force subsequently added online sports betting to its study and submitted a report by the end of the year.

The comprehensive “fact-finding study” covers the regulated gambling industries in other states and hurdles specific to Mississippi. Here was the conclusion:

“To date, it appears that the actual revenue generated is far behind the revenue projected by the introduction of Internet gaming. In addition, it would seem the most likely way for Internet gaming to be productive is for states to form compacts with each other, in order to make the payoffs attractive. There are technology issues that Mississippi would have that other less rural states may not encounter, while not preventing Internet gaming from occurring, it may be more frustrating for the patron trying to log on and determining if they are located in the state or outside of the state. As for sports betting, it is still uncertain as to whether a state can overcome the federal ban.”

Mississippi sports betting FAQ

Is online sports betting legal in Mississippi?

Yes. Legal sports betting in Mississippi launched on Aug. 1, 2018. However, bettors may only wager if they are on the premises of a partner land-based casino.

Who oversees Mississippi sports betting?

The Mississippi Gaming Commission.

Where can I bet on sports in Mississippi?

Gambling is limited to water- and land-based casinos in Mississippi, and that restriction extends to sports betting, too. Beau Rivage (Biloxi) and Gold Strike (Tunica) became the first two Mississippi casinos to accept sports wagers in August 2018. A total of 28 Mississippi properties now offer legal sports betting. All online bets must take place from the premises of a licensed casino in the state.

Who can bet on sports in Mississippi?

Anyone 21 and older can bet on sports in Mississippi. 

Is mobile sports betting available in Mississippi?

As written, current laws limit sports betting to those physically present in a licensed casino. Mobile sports betting is legal and available on three different apps, but you can only place bets at a licensed casino.