The first six operators are live and offering legal online sports betting in the state of Louisiana. Included in the first batch of brands to launch are Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and Rush Street Interactive, through its BetRivers brand.
All six licenses were granted on Wednesday, January 26, by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB). The launch comes before a February 13 deadline set by LGCB Chairman Ronnie Johns and puts the state and sportsbook operators in a perfect spot to take wagers ahead of the upcoming Super Bowl.
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“Our goal was to have it available before the Super Bowl, so we were able to beat that target,” Johns told the USA TODAY Network. “It will be ready for this weekend’s NFL conference championship games.”
While the names of the six operators were not confirmed by the LGCB ahead of the launch, the brands spread the news of their launches themselves via social media. Caesars, BetMGM, and DraftKings, for example, used their global Twitter accounts to showcase their readiness.
Louisiana was one of the latest states to regulate online sports betting and it will be available in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes that gave their approval in November 2020.
The next step toward a thorough offering came shortly after the first four commercial sportsbooks successfully opened at brick-and-mortar locations within the state. Up to 20 licenses will be granted in the Bayou State and each of the commercial and tribal casinos can have two online skins.
DraftKings and FanDuel are among the operators in the first wave. They already have a foothold in Louisiana after entering the market with their Daily Fantasy Sports products. Both operators, as well as Caesars, also pre-launched their mobile betting apps in Louisiana to be ready in an instant.
Meanwhile, BetMGM made it clear they will launch in LA as well and has been offering $200 in Free Bets for players that pre-register since December 2021. Account pre-registration and deposit are also available on WynnBET, which has signed former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal as a brand ambassador.
“We’re proud that BetMGM will be in the first wave of operators to launch mobile sports betting in Louisiana this Friday,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “We thank both the LGCB and the Louisiana State Police and look forward to parlaying BetMGM’s success in neighboring regions into a long, successful, and responsible relationship with sports fans in the state.”
Plenty of risk-free bets can be expected across all brands ahead of the next major highlight in US sports. The NFL Conference Championships matchups await on Sunday, with duels between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals as well as the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.
Winners of both games will then meet two weeks later for Super Bowl LVI on February 13, which is arguably the most important event of the year for the sports betting industry. State authorities previously mentioned how important it was to be up and running ahead of this deadline, which they now managed two weeks ahead of time.
Signs for a successful launch appear widespread. More than 67 million wagers were made at Louisiana’s brick-and-mortar sportsbook locations within the first two months according to the reports released by the LGCB.
On top of that, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU) for two years, during which he won the Heisman Trophy and the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a senior to create further hype in the Pelican State.
