Texas, Alabama Bettors Frozen Out Of College Football Playoffs
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Sports bettors in most states will be able to wager legally on Monday’s College Football Playoff semifinals.
But bettors in two states with collegiate teams in the running for the national championship — Texas and Alabama — will be out in the cold. Sports betting is illegal in those states.
Betting Odds
On New Year’s Day, No. 4-seed Alabama (12-1) faces No. 1-ranked Michigan (13-0) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. ET. At FanDuel Sportsbook, Alabama is +1.5.
Also on Monday, No. 3-ranked Texas (12-1) faces No. 2-ranked Washington (13-0) at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Kickoff is at 8:45 p.m. ET. At Caesars Sportsbook, Texas is -4.
The winners of each semifinal game square off Jan. 8 in the national title game in Houston. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Bettors Cross State Lines To Wager
Nationwide, sports betting is legal and live in 37 states and Washington, D.C. Those 37 states do not include Texas and Alabama, where efforts to expand gaming have been unsuccessful and appear stalled for the near future.
In Texas, the nation’s second most populated state behind California, lawmakers won’t be able to address gaming measures until the next legislative session in 2025. Sports betting also is illegal in California.
Farther east along the Gulf Coast from Texas, legislators in Alabama are set to meet beginning Feb. 6 at the Capitol in Montgomery for a session that runs through May 20. However, recent news reports indicate some Alabama lawmakers could be reluctant to vote for any pro-gaming measures during the 2024 presidential election year because of concerns about a backlash from constituents.
Louisiana To Texas: ‘Thank You’
Currently, bettors in Texas and Alabama can wager legally only by crossing over into bordering states where sports betting is legal and regulated.
Three of Alabama’s neighbors have legal sports betting — Florida, Tennessee and Mississippi.
Texas also is bordered by states with legal sports betting, including Louisiana, which attracts bettors from large metropolitan areas such as Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.
Houston, the nation’s fourth most populated city, is 2 1/2 hours from Lake Charles in southwestern Louisiana. Gaming revenue from the Lake Charles market typically leads the state.
Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns, a former state senator whose district included Lake Charles, has told Gambling.com he appreciates the bettors who travel to Louisiana to gamble.
Houston furniture store owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale is among bettors who cross into Louisiana to wager on sporting events. McIngvale has told Gambling.com he doubts gaming expansion will occur any time soon in Texas, in part because of opposition from religious groups.
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