How To Bet on Your Favorite Sports Matches in Texas

Sports betting. For a long time, the only state in America that had it legalized was Nevada. 

Since 2018, more and more states are jumping on the bandwagon. At the time of writing, 30 states plus Washington D.C. have legalized sports betting. 

With a lot of states moving towards legislation at different paces, it can be tough to keep up with what is happening in your state. Fortunately, you can always check the best app here for free and never miss out on updates again.

So, what about betting on sports matches in Texas? Is it legal? How do you do it? What do you need to know? 

This is your guide. 

Is Sports Betting Legal in Texas? 

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, sports betting is still not legal in Texas. You have 20 states left to legalize it and the way it looks now, it does not look like it will happen anytime soon in the Lone Star State. 

There is no planned legislation for sports betting right now and the earliest outlook for it appears to be 2023. The last time there was a push for it was in 2021. 

With that said, this does not mean that sportsbooks are ignoring the state. Some appear to be betting on future legalization of sports betting in Texas. 

For example, BetMGM is one of the bigger sportsbooks out there. In May of 2022, they announced a partnership with the Houston Astros. That was the first time BetMGM has partnered with a professional sports team in Texas.

It could be a sign that the future of sports betting may have a more optimistic outlook in Texas. Back in 2021, Austin FC partnered with PointsBet, so now there is an additional partnership out there. 

Texas legislature meets every two years. That means that if the legalization of sports betting is not done at the next meeting, it is likely that we will not see another real push for legalizing sports betting until 2025 in Texas. 

Betting in Other States 

One thing that you can do if you are a Texan that wants to place some sports bets is to travel to another state to do so. Believe it or not, you do have options just across your state border. 

The best option that is close to Texas right now appears to be Louisiana. This is because it is the only state that borders Texas to have mobile sports betting. So, the moment you cross the state border to Louisiana, you can have access to sportsbooks on your cellphone. 

That is ideal from those in eastern Texas and the Houston area. If you are in western Texas or the El Paso area, your best bet could be going to New Mexico.

However, the only catch with this is that compared to Louisiana, you have fewer options. This is because New Mexico only permits sports betting at physical locations. That means that you have to go to a casino to place a bet on a game. 

For those in northern Texas that are willing to drive a little farther, your top options are Colorado and Kansas. The good thing about both of these states is that they both have mobile betting. 

So, you do not have to find a casino in those states to place a bet. You only need to be across their state border and have a cellphone. However, the bad thing with these states is that they are much further to travel.

Those of you in the Dallas and Fort Worth area may want to consider Arkansas as an option. Like New Mexico though, the catch with that state is that you have to find a physical location to place your bet. 

Betting Offshore 

The idea of driving to another state to bet on sports may not appeal to you. Considering that it can take 12 hours just to get out of Texas at times, we don’t blame you. 

So, with local sportsbooks not being allowed to operate in Texas, what can you do if you want to bet on sports without leaving your state? Well, the answer is to use offshore sportsbooks. 

These are sportsbooks that are less regulated and most of the time, they can even give you friendlier odds than those in the United States. Offshore sportsbooks operate outside of the United States. The regulation in the countries that they operate in tends to be a little more friendly for a sportsbook. 

However, with this option, you need to make sure that you do your research and go with a reputable sportsbook. There are much fewer regulations with offshore sportsbooks so technically, you are taking more of a risk by going with this approach. 

If you about it the right way though, this can be a fantastic option for you. To find some offshore sportsbooks that come highly recommended, check out this link: https://www.bookmakersreview.com/guides/texas/

So, what should you look for in one of these sportsbooks? 

The Best Odds 

Even with regulated sportsbooks, it is always recommended to shop around to find the best odds. The reason for this is that you want to give yourself the best advantage possible when it comes to your chances of winning a bet. 

This can be crucial for a situation like a point spread in a football game. Let’s say that the Baltimore Ravens are nine and a half point favorites against the New York Jets at the first sportsbook that you see. However, you see at the next sportsbook that the Ravens have a -10 point spread. 

If you think the Jets can stay in the game, you should use the second sportsbook and get the Jets at +10. This protects you if the Ravens win by exactly 10 points because then you would push the bet rather than lose it. 

Shop around and take note of sportsbooks that generally have friendlier odds than other ones that you are seeing. 

Quick and Secure Payments 

When it comes to offshore sportsbooks, this is something very important that you need to pay attention to. With regulated online betting, it is really not much of a concern of if you get your money or not. 

The risk becomes a little higher with offshore sportsbooks because they do not have regulation where you are betting from. For this reason, you need to carefully consider what sportsbooks are more reliable. 

Will they give you the money as soon as you win a bet? Is your money and account information safe with that sportsbook? How easy is it to take money out of your account at any time? 

These are things that you need to consider when you are selecting a sportsbook. Luckily, there are bettors and professional online sports betting companies out there that have already taken this into consideration.
 
So, read online reviews such as in the link above and figure out which sportsbook sounds the most reliable to you. 

Sports and Bets Available 

Next, you should consider what sports and what bets a sportsbook has available. 

Do they allow you to bet on live games? Do they have every sports league that you can think of available? What type of teasers do they allow you to do? 

These are things that you need to think about. Depending on your betting style, one sportsbook can significantly benefit you compared to others. 

Look closely at what is being presented to you and what is available. Outside of sports, some of these sportsbooks may even let you bet on politics and entertainment as a bonus. 

Take these factors into consideration and find out what is best for you. 

Will Texas Legalize Sports Betting? 

The issue seems to have had some debate across the state. There are politicians in the state that are participating in calling for action against offshore sportsbooks. 

It is hard to say if that means that they are opposed to sportsbooks in general or just ones that have no regulation. 

The University of Texas-Tyler conducted a survey on the manner of sports betting. In that survey, 43% of people seem to be in favor of legalizing sports betting. In comparison, 31% of people had no real opinion on the issue and only 26% outright rejected legalization. 

So, the opinion of sports betting by Texans seems to be slightly divided. 

Start Betting on Sports Matches 

Even if Texas fails to legalize sports betting in 2023, you do still have options if you want to bet on sports matches. You just have to be willing to travel to another state or start using offshore sportsbooks. 

For more relevant information on this subject, check out our Personal Finance section.