Texas Sports Betting

Texas promos and bonuses

The addition of mobile sports betting in Texas will mean plenty of bonuses and offers for anyone making wagers within state lines. We encourage everyone to maximize their bonus and offer exposure, since many of these first-time inducements result in real cash landing in sports bettors’ accounts, with little playthrough required (for the most part).

Texas sports betting quick facts

How to bet in Texas

Choose your sportsbook

When sports betting is legalized in TX, you can consult our top list for the best sports betting options available to you. Our interactive list will allow you to sort sportsbooks based on a number of criteria, including banking options, bonuses and quality of customer service.

If you’re looking for more information before making your choice, be sure to check out our detailed, unbiased reviews for each of the top sportsbooks in Texas once sports betting is legalized. This is especially important if you want to understand how each book’s bonus offers work.

Register online

Registration requirements will vary slightly by sportsbook, but most follow the same protocols. Be sure to have your personal information (name, address, phone number) and credit card details (number, expiry date, CVV) handy.

Deposit and claim your bonus

Once you’re comfortable with how your sportsbook’s new signup bonus works, it will be time to make your initial deposit and claim that sweet bonus. The majority of first-time offers for Texas residents should come in one of two forms:

• Risk-free bets: This offer guarantees you a refund on your first wager if it is graded as a loss. The sportsbook will refund your initial bet amount (up to a specific limit) either as cash or as site credit.
  
  
• Deposit match: This offer sees the sportsbook match your initial deposit dollar-for-dollar, though there are two caveats. The deposit match will come with a maximum limit, and in the majority of cases you will be required to “play through” your initial deposit by a certain multiple in order to earn the bonus.

Select and finalize your bet

Congratulations! You’re ready to place a wager. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the app interface before diving in. Most mobile operators make it easy for new sports bettors to navigate, but it’s still a good idea to know where everything is.

From there, you can place any type of wager you like; the most popular bet types are the moneyline, spread or total. You can also dive into team or player props, or even kick things off with a futures bet.

Once you have the desired wager(s) in your betting card, take one last look to ensure you’ve made the selections you want. If everything is good, simply click the “Bet” button – and you’re off!

Texas legal sports betting history

It’s far to say that most Texans’ idea of striking it rich is by finding oil – not via a slot machine or lottery ticket.

Proponents of legal sports betting (and really, any kind of expanded gaming option) have met staunch opposition from large swaths of the Texas population. Gov. Greg Abbott has long been opposed to gaming expansion; in fact, he vetoed a bill back in 2015 that was merely meant to green-light a further investigation of online gaming.

Here’s a deeper look at Texas’s sports betting history:

2019-20: Bill HJR61 Goes Nowhere

While several states rushed into legislation following the U.S. Supreme Court’s repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, it took nearly a year for Texas to see its first bill relating to legal sports betting.

Representative Eddie Lucio III brought forth HJR61, which proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow for legal sports wagering to come to Texas. It was read, referred to Licensing and Administrative Procedures – and then promptly disappeared.

No other bills were brought up before the end of the 2019 legislative window, leaving sports bettors out of luck in their hopes for legal wagering in the foreseeable future.

2021: Multiple Bills But No Progress

HB 1275 was resurrected at the start of the 2021 legislative period, and it wasn’t the only bill to be introduced. 

A half-dozen proposals were floated by a variety of Texas lawmakers in early 2021, with the hope that at least one would pass through the House and Senate in time. Meanwhile, Las Vegas Sands billionaire Sheldon Adelson oversaw a multi-million-dollar advertising campaign advocating for expanded gaming in Texas.

When all was said and done, however, none of the bills made it far enough to be considered prior to the end of the 2021 legislative session. Lawmakers said the sports betting discussion wouldn’t be rekindled until the start of the 2023 session.

2022: A Setback for Sports Betting in TX?

Those looking for a glimmer of hope in the sports betting conversation were dealt a major blow as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick won the GOP Primary in a landslide with 75 percent of the votes. Patrick, who is vehemently opposed to expanding gaming in Texas, is a hefty favorite to win the state’s midterm showdown later in the year.

Responsible Gaming in Texas

Like most states, Texas has put safeguards in place to ensure that gamblers have a way out of any potential trouble spots. 

The Texas Council on Problem Gaming offers instant access to programs that help with gambling addiction. Visitors can reach out to any number of resources from the site, including Gamblers Anonymous, Gam-Anon and mental health services.

Visit the Texas Council on Problem Gaming here.

Sports leagues to bet on

It will come as no surprise to see a rather extensive list of major professional and amateur sports available to Texas bettors when legal wagering becomes a reality – a list that includes (but is not limited to):

• NFL
• NCAA Football
• NBA
• NCAA Basketball
• MLB
• NHL
• Golf
• Auto Racing
• Tennis
• Soccer
• MMA

There are three betting markets that might not be part of the sports betting offering in the Lone Star State:

• Politics
• Entertainment (including major awards ceremonies)
• Esports

Texas teams to bet on

With any new casinos or other gaming venues likely to be built outside of Texas’s major metropolitan areas, how lawmakers incorporate the state’s iconic sports venues into the sports betting license process will be of great importance to most.

The state is home to one of the most passionate fan bases out there. And with a bevy of teams across all four major professional leagues, there are plenty of opportunities for sports bettors to satisfy all their live betting needs while actually sitting at the game.

Here’s a quick look at the eight major professional franchises that play their home games in Texas:

Dallas Cowboys Betting

AT&T Stadium is a mecca of North American sport – and sportsbooks will be lining up down the street to get a piece of the action at the home of the Cowboys. While the NFL prohibits teams from having sportsbooks within stadiums, it’s inevitable that the ‘Boys will have multiple partnerships resulting in plenty of signage and free-to-play games.  

Houston Texans Betting

It might not be as prestigious as where the Cowboys play, but NRG Stadium will see plenty of attention from sports betting operators regardless. The home of the Texans seats more than 70,000 fans, and is a popular year-round venue – giving sportsbooks plenty of reason to aim for a partnership agreement with the NFL franchise. 

Dallas Mavericks Betting

We don’t want to get people’s hopes up, but of any franchise based in Texas, the Mavericks probably have the best shot at lining up meaningful sportsbook deals. Franchise owner Mark Cuban is a big proponent of sports betting, and having a chance to align with him will be a significant carrot for prospective partners.

Houston Rockets Betting

In states with legal sports betting, NBA arenas are like gold mines for sportsbooks – and Toyota Center will have its share of suitors if Texas approves sports wagering at some point. Not only is it one of the newer arenas in the NBA (built in 2003), it has multiple lounges that would likely be available for a sportsbook-sponsored rebrand.  

San Antonio Spurs Betting

Pro sports partnerships will be plentiful in Dallas and Houston – but there’s a sizable market in San Antonio that sports betting brands would be wise to consider. It’s the second-largest city in the state with regard to population, and with the Spurs the only major pro sports team, AT&T Center branding and signage will be a huge asset. 

Houston Astros Betting

Sports betting might take several more years to become a reality in Texas, but at least one operator isn’t waiting until then to make an impact in the Lone Star State. BetMGM has become the exclusive sports betting partner of the Houston Astros, a deal that includes prominent signage at Minute Maid Park along with VIP experiences.

Texas Rangers Betting

There’s nothing to suggest that a deal similar to the one struck between BetMGM and the Astros is in the offing for the AL West-rival Rangers. But once sports betting is legalized within state lines, it will only be a matter of time before sportsbooks look at partnership opportunities at one of baseball’s newest parks.

Dallas Stars Betting

NHL teams lag behind their NBA brethren when it comes to establishing sports betting partnerships, but the Stars have the benefit of playing in the second-biggest state in America. It also doesn’t hurt to share a home with the Dallas Mavericks, who should see plenty of interest from sports betting operators.