Is Sports Betting Legal In Louisiana (LA)?

Louisiana has many online sportsbooks for bettors to choose from:

• DraftKings Sportsbook: DraftKings is a premier sportsbook with a seemingly endless array of prop bets and futures. It also has a Parlay Builder tool that makes combining your wagers easy.
• FanDuel Sportsbook: A top rival of DraftKings, FanDuel is one of the most popular online sportsbooks in the country. Bettors love its intuitive interface that makes finding and placing bets easy.
• BetMGM Sportsbook: BetMGM markets itself as “The King of Sportsbooks” and lives up to the hype. With its odds boosts, easy-to-build parlays and extensive betting markets, it has something for everyone.
• Caesars Sportsbook: The namesake of Caesars Superdome, Caesars stands out with its extensive odds boosts, offering dozens daily across various sports. It also makes live betting easy with its “FireBets” feature.
• ESPN BET: A new sportsbook that debuted in 2023, ESPN BET features partnerships with many ESPN personalities. It features exclusive daily odds boosts and often rewards existing customers with deposit matches and other bonuses.
• Bet365 Sportsbook: Bet365 is based in the U.K. and is considered one of the top sportsbooks in the world. It launched in Louisiana in November 2023 and stands out with its two welcome offers.
• BetRivers Sportsbook: BetRivers launched its mobile sportsbook in Louisiana in January 2022. Its simplicity and ease of use make it a good option for new bettors.
• Fanatics Sportsbook: An offshoot of Fanatics the clothing and apparel company, the sportsbook launched in the Pelican State in August 2024, making it the newest betting site for residents.

Like most states, Louisiana prohibits minors from betting on sports. You must be at least 21 years old to legally wager on sports in the state.

If you are under 21, you won’t be able to place legal sports bets at any of the state’s online sportsbooks or retail locations.

Louisiana is home to two major league professional sports teams, both of which play in New Orleans.

• New Orleans Saints

The Saints joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1967 and have played at the Superdome since 1975. The franchise didn’t have much success until 2006 when Sean Payton arrived as head coach and the team traded for quarterback Drew Brees.

Together, Brees and Payton helped the Saints win their lone Super Bowl appearance in 2010, upsetting Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

• New Orleans Pelicans

Named after Louisiana’s state bird, the Pelicans were founded in 2002 as an NBA expansion franchise. Originally called the Hornets, they changed their name to the Pelicans in 2013.

The Pelicans play at Smoothie King Center but briefly relocated to Oklahoma City for two seasons after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Pelicans have yet to win an NBA championship despite featuring several elite players over the last two decades, including Chris Paul, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson.

Louisiana has several nationally ranked college teams as well that sports bettors are free to wager on.

• Louisiana State University Tigers

The Tigers are a Division I team in the SEC that plays at LSU in Baton Rouge. Their mascot is Mike the Tiger and their colors are purple and gold.

The Tigers have one of the most successful college football programs in the country. They’ve won over 800 games since their first season in 1893 and have won four national championships, most recently with Joe Burrow in 2020. Burrow is one of three Heisman winners in school history.

While the Tigers aren’t as strong in basketball, they excel in baseball, winning seven national titles on the diamond since 1991. Overall, LSU has won 47 NCAA national championships combined between its men’s and women’s programs, ranking ninth overall.

• Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns

The Ragin’ Cajuns are a Division I team in the Sun Belt Conference that plays at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. Their colors are vermilion and white.

The Ragin’ Cajuns have been playing football since 1901. They’ve enjoyed a fair amount of success, going 5-4 in bowl games and winning 10 conference titles.

On the hardwood, Louisiana hasn’t had much success in the NCAA Tournament with only a few scattered appearances and no championships. The school hasn’t advanced past the first round since 1992.

• Tulane Green Wave

The Green Wave are a Division I team in the AAC that plays at Tulane in New Orleans. Their colors are olive green and sky blue and their mascot is Riptide.

Tulane’s football team has been around since 1893 but has had mixed results, losing more games than it’s won and going 7-9 in bowl games. The Green Wave have won 10 conference titles, however, including the AAC in 2022.

The men’s basketball team plays in Devlin Fieldhouse, the ninth-oldest active basketball venue in the country. The Green Wave have only made three NCAA Tournament appearances (all in the 1990s) and have never advanced past the Round of 32.

Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images