Online sports betting in Louisiana

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Home to over 4.6 million people including two teams playing in major league sports (NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans and NFL’s New Orleans Saints), Bayou State is one of the southern states’ sports hubs. Besides, the state boasts about being served by the best sportsbooks countrywide.

Here, the Cajun, Creole, and French influences are obvious even in sports betting and players can comfortably bet on sports on their mobile and PC devices or in any of the 15 retail sportsbooks. In this article, we will uncover more about online sports betting in Louisiana which now operates in 55 out of its 64 parishes. So, keep reading this article to get more insights.

Yes, online sports betting is legal in Louisiana. The Louisiana Lottery has currently allowed 8 sportsbooks to accept bets in the state and can still license up to 20 bookies. Fortunately, some of these licensed sportsbooks offer the best betting services countrywide. For example, they promise massive bonuses and promos, user-friendly interfaces, modern betting apps, stellar market coverage, and convenient payment methods.

They include FanDuel, DraftKings, BetRivers, BetMGM, Caesars, and PointsBet sportsbook. Note that other bookies claim to accept bets here, yet they have no authorization from the state’s betting regulator. Such bookies are offshore operators, and it’s not safe to bet with them.

The Best online sports betting sites in Louisiana

All bookies you’ll ever come across will always claim that they are the best. But what makes up a good LA sportsbook? An up-for-grabs sportsbook offers a flawless sports betting experience to both new and experienced bettors. And getting hands-on with such bookies is not a simple task. You have to examine its betting markets, payment options, bonuses, mobile app, and other features. Luckily, our experts have done all that for you and here are their choices alongside reasons for choosing them.

FanDuel Louisiana

This is arguably the best sportsbook countrywide that makes betting in Louisiana exciting, with a myriad of sports markets, a user-friendly interface, and huge bonuses. It welcomes new players with an attractive risk-free bet bonus, which allows you to place your first bet with the most competitive odds. Besides, it offers almost every sport you can think of for betting and each of the sports comes with interesting types of prop bets. So, you can have an unforgettable betting experience on its platform that has everything well-organized for easy maneuvering through the offers.

Joining FanDuel’s online sportsbook is a straightforward three-step procedure that allows you to place your first bet within minutes. Newcomers only need to provide their personal and account details to get started. Afterward, you can log in and enjoy everything the bookie offers. These include features like live streaming, early cash-out, live betting, and same-game parlays. Also, Louisiana bettors who’d like to bet at retail locations can do so in any of the bookie’s five retail locations. These are Sam’s Town in Shreveport, New Orleans, Treasure Chest in Kenner, Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Delta Downs in Vinton, and Amelia Belle in Amelia.

BetRivers Louisiana

Popular for its great desktop site, exciting bonuses, and fast payouts, BetRivers highly fit into every Louisiana bettor’s portfolio. Signing up for an account with BetRivers makes you eligible for its above-standard welcome bonus alongside the regular promos that make your stay interesting. In fact, its flagship welcome offer; risk-free bets keep increasing and every betting fanatic will find it worth grabbing.

Every feature of the BetRivers sportsbook web-based platform responds quickly to touch or clicks and helps you bet with no delays. Other famous site features you can take advantage of include its casino, early cash-out, live betting, same-game parlays, and live streaming. BetRivers also offers a top-notch sportsbook app for Louisiana bettors that sweeten mobile betting. However, the Rush Street Interactive sportsbook is yet to launch a retail location in the Pelican state.

DraftKings Louisiana

Representing the evolution of daily fantasy sports into full-on sports wagering sites, DraftKings is arguably the best choice for Louisiana’s savvy app users. The bookie offers a futuristic mobile app that offers the best-personalized betting experience for both iOS and Android users. The betting carousel, for instance, uses your search history and favorite sports to help you find your betting markets with ease.

Besides, players can enjoy using the push-up notification, password savers, Play Limits, and the live-streaming feature that covers several sports. To cater to retail sports betting fanatics, DraftKings is developing another retail sportsbook in Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge to serve players alongside its Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino location. Otherwise, the bookie gives attractive bonuses and accepts almost all the conventional methods.

PointsBet Louisiana

This is a rare sportsbook brave enough to offer a completely different format of betting; the high-risk, high-reward type of betting. It brings its PointsBetting feature to Louisiana bettors, which allows players to earn more wins as their bets go their way. For example, an Over bet on NBA will earn you more payouts every time the teams score past the bookie’s set odds. However, your losses also accumulate at the end of the event whenever the bet goes against your prediction.

Beyond this, PointsBet offers a quality mobile app, a massive risk-free welcome offer, a myriad of recurring promos, and the leading spread lines in the industry at times. So, the high-risk, high-reward enthusiasts can enjoy everything on offer by the bookie despite the fact that it is yet to launch a retail sportsbook.

Caesars Louisiana

As one of the first bookies to go live in the wake of sports betting legalization in the country, Caesars has made strides to be one of the industry’s titans. It is a trustworthy bookie offering some of the most significant bonuses, countless markets, daily promotions, and a myriad of live betting options. And its aggressive expansion has helped it launch in Louisiana where it offers both online and in-person betting.

Currently, it has two retail locations; Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans, and Horseshoe Bossier City Hotel & Casino. Betting on sports via its online and physical sportsbooks promises the same excitement and competitive odds mean players have the potential to make a lot out of betting on sports with Caesars.

BetMGM Louisiana

This is a must-have bookie for Louisiana bettors who’d like to bet on a variety of sports in the most functional manner. BetMGM has a worldwide reputation for offering an elegant interface with an easy-to-use interface, a reliable betting platform, and markets for all sports across the world. Its massive risk-free welcome offer also makes it rank top among the best sportsbooks in Louisiana.

New players can sign-up for an account with BetMGM and bet on sports online like they’d do on a retail location if the bookie had any in the Creole state. Notably, BetMGM also offers a sleek mobile app available for both Android and iOS users. This app brings all the bookie’s features to your mobile device and allows you to do some extras. For instance, you can watch live matches, request early cash-outs, bet on live sports, view match statistics, and get notifications with its push-up notification feature.

Getting an account with an online sports betting site in LA

All the top sportsbooks accepting bets in Louisiana allow players to create accounts with simple steps. You only need to provide your personal and account details to get started with any of our choice of bookies. Remember that you should give your correct personal info for the account creation to go through.

Here is a stepwise procedure to help you get started with all the bookies in Louisiana.

  1. Choose one of our Louisiana betting sites that meets your needs from our list: Remember that all our top choices tick all the boxes of what good sportsbooks should offer.
  2. Make your payment choice based on what works best for you: Before registering for an account with any bookie, go through the payment options it offers to see if it accepts your choice of making transactions. Luckily, our list of bookies accepts several convenient payment methods, including payment cards, e-wallets, online banking, PayNearMe, and checks, among others.
  3. Your personal information will be required: After confirming that your selection offers your preferred payment method, it’s time to sign-up. To begin the process, locate and tap on Sign-Up, Join Us, Create Account, or any related term. Next, follow the stepwise registration process. Here, you’ll need to enter your username, email, password, full name, date of birth, last four digits of your SSN, home address, and mobile number. Next, confirm your identity, verify your location, and submit your application. Once verified, you’ll get a confirmation email.
  4. Make a real-money deposit: Upon receiving the confirmation email, log in to your account and go to the deposit or cashier section. Next, select your payment method, enter an amount, and complete the payment via the payment provider’s gateway site.
  5. You can start betting online now: To do this, go to the bookie’s home page and scroll through the markets. Then choose an event, select a bet type, enter a bet amount, and confirm your bet.

The chief attraction for sportsbooks in Bayou State includes their many sports teams, sports athletes, and the huge sports fan base. Louisiana’s Sports lovers always fill up stadiums whenever any of their home teams have an event in or outside the state. Seeing this, the sportsbooks operating in the state offers markets for almost every event for betting.

Some of these popular sports to bet on any of our sportsbook choices include:

  • Rugby – As a fast-moving and technical game with a variety of variables, rugby offers a variety of options to wager on. For example, players can bet on the margin of victory, outright winner, MLR Championship winner, and the total number of touchdowns a game will have. The New Orleans Gold represents the state in the Major League Rugby and always gives the best betting odds whenever they take part in an event. Besides, there are many leagues and rugby championships worldwide, and the LA bookies have a great number of their markets for betting.
  • Football – This is America’s top sport with its sporting actions happening throughout the year. In fact, it has the highest number of leagues and championships in other sports. The leading league is the National Football League (NFL) in which 272 games are played yearly. Thus, it gives many betting markets throughout the year. New Orleans Saints play in the league and are one of the state’s favorite football teams to root for. Other leagues you can bet on include College Football, the World Football League, the American Football Conference, and the Alliance of American Football, among others.
  • Basketball – Coming second after football in terms of popularity, basketball has a massive following and offers good betting markets. As a superstar-driven sport, a lot of focus is given to player performance. So, you’ll always get a variety of prop bets tied to huge odds. Besides, there are many basketball leagues and championships with the National Basketball Association topping the list. The New Orleans Pelicans play in the league and fans always travel to watch them play and bet on them.
  • Baseball – Often seen through the lens of betting, baseball’s MLB league bets surpass NFL’s in terms of overall handles. This is because baseball markets are so many and their leagues run for a long. For instance, MLB alone offers 2,430 games to bet on in a single season. Besides, its spread, run lines, and Moneyline bets are easier to understand and bet on. So, it forms one of the favorite sports to wager on any online sportsbook in LA. However, there are no MLB teams in the state, but players can still wager on other teams, like Shreveport Tigers, Crowley Millers, and Thibodaux Pilots, among others.
  • Golf – This is another sport with straightforward bet types and many leagues and tournaments yearly. Louisiana players can place on Zozo Championship, Champions Tour, LET Tour, Challenge Tour, and Legends Tour, among others. Louisiana’s Stan Humphries, Collin Hovland, Victor Day, and Cameron Leishman are some teams and athletes you can root for.

Our Louisiana online gambling site selections offer the best bonuses for both new and existing bettors state-wide. As long as you are in one of the 55 parishes where betting is legal, you are eligible for all the bonus types. But remember to follow the bonus terms and conditions to the latter to enjoy using them.

The most common types of bonuses you can claim include:

  • Sign-up bonus: This is the bonus offered only to newcomers. The sportsbooks always list the welcome offers that players can claim after signing up for an account with them.
  • Matched deposit bonus: Sportsbooks like DraftKings often welcome their new signees with a match deposit bonus. This is a bonus in which the bookie matches your first deposits with free bets to a certain maximum amount.
  • Risk-free bets: Often offered by FanDuel, BetRivers, PointsBet, Caesars, and BetMGM as a welcome offer, risk-free bets are bonuses offered as free bets to cater for losses when your qualifying bet loses. However, the bookies cancel your bonus if you win your first qualifying bet. So, you can place the most competitive odds on your first bet with the insurance.
  • No deposit bonus: As the name suggests, this is a bonus you get just by registering an account with a bookie offering it. But the bonus is very rare. Only DraftKings and FanDuel offer the bonus to their casino players in form of free bets.

Retail sports betting locations in Louisiana

Most people in Louisiana like entertainment and good food because of the French culture that is deeply rooted here. Likewise, sports betting enthusiasts love placing bets in serene environments. To cater to this, many sportsbooks have opened retail locations in the state, with FanDuel having the majority.

Here are brief descriptions of each of the retail sportsbooks.

  • Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City – This is an award-winning retail sportsbook that gives an island-style escape that allows players to get an exceptional retail betting experience. At 777 Margaritaville Way, Bossier City, LA 71111-7770, the sportsbook also features a hotel and is operated by Barstool.
  • Paragon Casino Resort Marksville – At 711 Paragon PI. Marksville, LA 71351, the Paragon Casino Resort is run by Betfred and offers a blissful retail betting experience. The wall TVs, comfortable seats, and betting kiosks make it one of the best choices for retail bookies.
  • Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino – This is one of the few retail locations offering free cocktail service, a snack bar, comfortable seating, and 60 big screens. It is run by FanDuel sportsbook and allows one to bet and watch the sports live on its massive screens.
  • Treasure Chest Casino – As a FanDuel sportsbook location, the Treasure Chest casino offers sports betting through its 3 betting windows, 16 self-service betting kiosks, and a large video wall with 20 TVs. It is at 5050 Williams Blvd, Kenner, LA 70065.
  • L’auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge – This is a new Barstool sportsbook retail location at 777 L’Auberge Ave, Baton Rouge, LA, 70820 that offers almost all the sports you can think of for betting.
  • L’auberge Casino & Hotel Lake Charles – Featuring a 24-foot video wall, 45 TVs, 16 betting kiosks, and daily dining and drink specials, the Barstool sportsbook’s L’auberge Casino & Hotel Lake Charles is one of your weekend’s best destinations. It is at 777 Ave L’Auberge, Lake Charles, LA 70601.
  • Boomtown Casino & Hotel New Orleans – This is also one of Barstool sportsbook’s retail locations at 4132 Peters Road, Harvey, LA, that runs on a 24/7 basis. The facilities to enjoy here include the 30 enormous TV screens and a great parking lot on the first floor.
  • Horseshoe Bossier City Hotel & Casino – This is Caesars retail sportsbook at 711 Horseshoe Blvd, Bossier City, LA 71111 that promises players one of the leading betting experiences. It features a6,900 square-foot space with 15 self-service kiosks, three betting windows, a massive bar, a VIP viewing section, a high-powered audio system, and over 94 TVs. So, sports betting here promises a notable betting experience.
  • Amelia Belle Casino – Run by FanDuel, the Amelia Belle Casino is at 500 Lake Plourde RD, Amelia, LA 70340. Here, you’ll find a large video wall with a sports ticker, many TV screens, and several self-service kiosks. The top sports to choose from include collegiate sports, soccer, boxing, golf, baseball, basketball, and football. Thus, you can make an appointment to place on any of these sports to enjoy the experience.
  • Boomtown Bossier City Casino – A visit to Boomtown Bossier City Casino; especially the Barstool sportsbooks allows you to place on sports in-person with any of its 10 betting kiosks. You can also do so on any of its three ticket-writing stations. Afterward, you can watch sports in real-time on any of its 30 large TVs. The bookie also offers an ample parking lot and comfortable seats.
  • Coushatta Casino Resort – Run by Rez sportsbook, Coushatta Casino Resort sportsbook is in the former Gumbeaux’s Oyster & Sports Bar. Here, Louisiana players can bet using the 18 kiosks and watch sports on the huge 40 TVs. Besides, they can place bets in hundreds of leagues and championships offered by the bookie.
  • Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino – Operated by DraftKings, the Golden Nugget Lake Charles sportsbook dubbed ‘Las Vegas’ offers over 1,100 luxury hotel rooms, an 18-hole championship golf course, luxurious booths, and enormous TV screens. You can visit the sportsbook at 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd, Lake Charles, LA 70601.
  • Harrah’s Casino New Orleans – This is a 5,700-square-foot sportsbook featuring a spectacular audio and video system, 12 self-service betting kiosks, and four betting windows. It is at 228 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130, and is run by Caesar’s sportsbook.
  • Delta Downs Racetrack – Built at 2717 Delta Downs Drive Vinton, LA 70668, the Delta Downs Racetrack operated by FanDuel offers retail sports betting on 26-self-service kiosks. Besides, players can watch many sports on its 3o TV sets and enjoy the comfortable 75 seats.
  • Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino – As FanDuel’s racebook retail locations, players can visit the retail shop and place bets on various thoroughbred races. Besides, they can watch various horse races in this 3,200squarefeet (ca.3a) retail shop with massive TV screens. It is located just 20 minutes north of Lafayette.

The history of sports betting in Louisiana

Sports betting is only months old in the Bayou State, but it is already writing its own history. Many activities have happened ever since the strike down of PASPA that restricted sports betting countrywide.

Here is a brief history and notable dates for sports betting that are worth noting.

The start of the revolution dates back to 2018 when 55 out of 64 parishes voted yes to sports betting. Afterward, the state’s legislators drafted bills that would see the people’s dreams come true. Then Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the sports betting bill SB 247 into law in June 2021 that legalizing sports betting in 55 out of the 64 parishes.

The first retail sportsbook (Betfred sportsbook at Paragon Casino) launched in October of that year. Several other retail sportsbooks went live and the first online sports betting sites and apps started accepting bets from Louisiana residents on Jan. 28, 2022. These included DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM sportsbooks. Other bookies soon joined the three, and the market exploded to accommodate the 20 legal sportsbooks operating here currently.

Notable dates in Louisiana sports betting include:

  • October 3, 2022: The LGCB chair Ronnie Johns mentions he expects to see a significant uptick in online sports betting in its first NFL season.
  • September 22, 2022: PointsBet goes live in Louisiana, making it the 8th bookie to go live.
  • August 30, 2022: DraftKings sportsbook opens a permanent retail location at Golden Nugget Lake Charles. The retail shop becomes the largest in Louisiana with over 300 seats and 3,200 square feet of TVs.

FAQ

How old do I need to be to bet on sports at Louisiana sports betting sites?

21 years. This is the age requirement across many states in the country and is a requirement by both the state and national governments. So, it's strictly enforced by sportsbooks because breaking it leads to hefty penalties. And players should make sure they are of age and provide the correct personal details during registration.

How many licenses are available for sports betting sites in LA?

20 sports betting licenses. These licenses allow the 20 bookies to operate both retail and online sports betting, including up to two mobile brands apiece. The state's legislators made this possible in 2020 by creating laws that provide a diverse and robust market for bookies in LA. Consequently, the state's bettors get a variety of sportsbooks to choose from.

Do online sports betting sites in LA offer welcome bonuses?

Yes, many of the bookies operating in the state welcome new players with above-standard welcome offers. For example, DraftKings gives a massive package having both the matched deposit bonus and free bets to their new players. Likewise, FanDuel, BetRivers, PointsBet, Caesars, and BetMGM sportsbooks offer attractive welcome offers as risk-free bets.

Is it legal to bet on Daily Fantasy Sports in Louisiana?

Yes, Louisiana became the first state to legalize DFS sites on a parish-level basis. Most parishes overwhelmingly approved it through voting in November 2018 and LGCB drafted regulations that saw it go live in 2021. Thereafter, DraftKings launched its DFS on July 2021, and FanDuel DFS on Jan. 27, 2022.

Who oversees online sports betting in LA?

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board regulates online sportsbooks' operations in Louisiana. Apart from licensing and overseeing online sportsbooks and betting apps in LA operations, LGCB also set betting rules for the 55 parishes where sports betting is legal. So, it's advisable that anyone who'll likes to bet on sports in any of these parishes does so with a licensed sportsbook.