Timeline of sports betting in Tennessee
On July 1, 2019, the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act came into effect as Gov. Bill Lee agreed to allow the bill to become law without his signature. Gov. Lee vehemently opposed the idea of gambling but understood legal online sports betting was in his state’s best interest.
Review this timeline of Tennessee's sports gambling history for an overview of its milestones:
Jan. 24, 2022: Wagr became the first peer-to-peer betting platform to receive a license in the U.S. and is the ninth legally licensed sportsbook operator in Tennessee.
Jan. 4, 2022: Record revenues generated by Tennessee sportsbooks continue, with close to $40 million in November.
Jan. 1, 2022: The Sports Wagering Advisory Council takes over the regulation of sports betting from the Tennessee Education Lottery.
Dec. 17, 2021: SWAC will assume sports wagering regulatory duties in January following a handoff from TELC.
Nov. 17, 2021: Tennessee became the fifth-fastest state to surpass $2 billion in bets, registering $2.335 billion in sports betting handle during the first 12 months.
October 2021: The Volunteer State recorded its largest-ever monthly handle in September; Tennessee sits $40 million shy of hitting the $2 billion mark for 2021.
Sept. 8, 2021: Barstool Sportsbook launches in Tennessee.
September 2021: Barstool Sportsbook and Wagr, a social sports betting app, received sports betting operating licenses from the Tennessee Education Lottery.
August 2021: Caesars acquired William Hill and subsequently, the William Hill app was replaced by the Caesars Sportsbook app in Tennessee.
April 30, 2021: WynnBET launches online operations in Tennessee following its approval from the state's Education Lottery.
March 2021: William Hill went live in Tennessee with its mobile app.
Nov. 1, 2020: The first online Tennessee sportsbooks went live.
September 2020: TELC approves its first three sportsbook operators: DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM.
April 2020: After months of criticisms and revisions, the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation (TELC) approves finalized regulations, including a 10% hold mandate for all operators. All operators are subsequently permitted to begin applying for licenses.
Nov. 2019: The Sports Betting Advisory Council is assembled by Tennessee lawmakers. The council begins devising the first draft of sports betting regulations in the state.
July 2019: The Tennessee Sports Gaming Act officially becomes law.
May 2019: Gov. Bill Lee allows the bill to become a law, without his signature. Despite being morally opposed to gambling in Tennessee, Lee believes legalizing sports betting is in the state’s best interest.
Nov. 2018: Rep. Rick Staples introduces a bipartisan bill with the hope of legalizing sports betting in Tennessee.
Who can bet on sports in Tennessee?
If you are at least 21-years of age and physically present in the state of Tennessee, you may place a sports bet. With the absence of casinos or racinos, all sports wagers must be placed online in the Volunteer State.
Head on over to a sports betting website or download its accompanying app to get started. Here’s a rundown of the things you need to know before placing your first bet:
Legal age
You must be 21-years or older to partake in Tennessee sports betting.
Mobile betting
Sports bets must be placed with legal online sports betting websites or mobile apps in Tennessee. As of Jan. 1, 2022, the Sports Wagering Advisory Council regulates all online betting.
Remote registration
As there are no in-person options in Tennessee, those wanting to make a sports wager have the benefit of completing the entire registration process online. While some states require bettors to visit a casino or off-track betting site before getting started, Tennessee bettors can simply enter some personal information and get started online in minutes.
Within state borders
Users must have both feet within state lines to place a sports bet in Tennessee. Online sportsbooks are required to verify your exact whereabouts, so if geolocation services are blocked you will not be permitted to place a bet.
Retail sportsbooks
Of the states to have legalized sports betting, Tennessee is the only one not to offer an in-person gambling experience. As such, there are no brick-and-mortar retail sportsbooks in the Volunteer State — and no plans to add any in the near future.
Taxable winnings
Although all winnings from sports bets are taxed at the federal level, there is no personal state tax on these winnings in Tennessee.
Tennessee sportsbooks typically withhold 25% of all winnings, provided you share your SSN. If you decline to do so, 28% of your winnings will most likely be held.
The pros and cons of Tennessee sports betting
The ability to register and place bets remotely is a big plus for sports bettors in Tennessee. This ease of access is sure to encourage beginner and intermediate sports gamblers to try out the handful of online sportsbooks operating in the state.
Placing a physical bet can be enjoyable as well, but unfortunately, that won’t be an option for Tennesseeans. Additionally, the mandated 10% hold on all wagers means sports bettors have access to less favorable odds compared to other states with legalized sports betting.
Remote registration and deposits
No cap on the number of operators
Only southern state to permit online betting
No in-person betting
Can't bet college player props
Mandatory 10% hold
How to start betting in Tennessee
Tennessee is one of just three states (Virginia, Wyoming) that feature online-only sports betting.
There’s only a single option if you’re looking to get started with Tennessee sports betting. In order to place your first bet, you must register with an online sportsbook via their website or mobile app.
1
Select a sportsbook
When perusing the offerings of the various online sportsbooks in Tennessee, be sure to consider not only promotional offerings but the odds and prices offered by each provider.
Tennessee’s 10% mandatory hold of sports wagers far exceeds the national average, so it’s important to find the most favorable betting opportunities.
After checking out some reviews and reading over the terms and conditions of each provider, you’ll be reading to move forward with the sportsbook that best meets your betting needs.
2
Register online
Tennessee’s fully online sports betting provides users with a streamlined registration process.
Tennesseans can either register on a sports betting website or a mobile app. After selecting a sportsbook, simply enter some personal information and verify your identity. It’s that easy.
3
Claim a bonus
Like other states, Tennessee sportsbooks regularly offer sign-up bonuses to reward users for choosing their betting platform. It’s especially important to sniff out the most lucrative offers in Tennessee, however, as online providers are required to withhold a larger portion of your winnings than sportsbooks in other states. Here are some of the more popular bonuses in the Volunteer State:
- Risk-free bets: This offer gives you the opportunity to place your first wager stress-free. Lose your bet? No problem. The sportsbook will refund the amount, usually in the form of site credit.
- Deposit match: Some Tennessee sportsbooks will match your initial deposit. Read the fine print to see if there is a maximum amount and/or playthrough requirements.
- No deposit bonus: This is essentially free money — a small bonus credited to your account just for signing up.
5
Deposit
Tennessee bettors will be able to deposit funds with ease. Online sportsbooks offer a variety of methods including debit & credit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, PayNearMe, and more.
6
Start betting
Line shopping is always a good idea — and this especially rings true in Tennessee. It’s crucial to identify the sportsbook(s) offering the best lines. Not every Tennessee online sportsbook will offer the same bets, so it’s up to players to make sure they’re not leaving any money on the table.
7
Withdraw
While deposits will be nearly instantaneous, players should expect withdrawals to take a bit longer to process. Be sure to familiarize yourself with each sportsbook’s terms and conditions and keep an eye on the fees associated with your institution or payment processor of choice.
Odds explained
Most sportsbooks use American Odds as the default option. Favorites are shown with a minus (-) sign and tell you the amount you have to wager in order to win $100. For example, -120 odds indicate $120 needs to be wagered in order to take home $100 in profit.
A plus (+) sign is used to determine the underdog. This line shows you the amount you’ll win when placing a $100 bet. For example, +180 odds indicate you’d take home $180 in profit when placing a wager of $100. When you bet on an underdog, you are less likely to win — but receive a more favorable betting line.
Moneyline odds are displayed for other types of bets as well. Some players prefer to view decimal odds, and some Tennessee sportsbooks may support that functionality. Check out our odds converter to switch from American to decimal or fractions.
Tennessee sports betting handle
Although sports betting — and gambling in general — is relatively new to Tennesseeans, the Volunteer State has become the quickest in the nation to reach $1 billion in sports bets. It’s taken Tennessee just six months to hit 10 figures.
Here’s a breakdown of Tennessee’s sports betting earnings thus far:
Yearly breakdown
| Year |
Total handle |
Revenue |
Hold percentage |
Tax revenue |
| 2022 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 2021 |
$2.6B |
$239.9M |
- |
$39.3M |
| 2020 |
$312M |
$27M |
8.8% |
$5.4M |
Monthly handle
| Year |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Total |
| 2022 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 2021 |
$211M |
$176M |
$206M |
$172M |
$160M |
$174.5M |
$144.5M |
$144.5M |
$257M |
$375.3M |
$365.7M |
$341.8M |
$2.6B |
| 2020 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
$131M |
$181M |
$312M |
What you can't bet on in Tennessee
There are very few limitations for Tennessee sports bettors, but there are a few types of college wagers that are not available. You won’t find any high school athletics to wager on either, as all amateur sports involving underage athletes are off-limits.
Politics
Tennesseeans are not permitted to bet on politics, at any level, in the Volunteer State.
What about Tennessee college sports?
College sports are fair game in Tennessee, with the exception of live-betting and college player props. Aside from that, sports bettors are free to place wagers on both in and out-of-state collegiate teams.
What about the NFL Draft?
The hype around the league's signature offseason event is real, especially with regards to betting. Tennessee bettors can capitalize on this legal market for all seven rounds. Daily changes to the prop markets and the barrage of news updates fuel the betting action.
What about esports?
Tennessee is one of few states to include esports gambling in their sports betting laws. Sportsbooks in Tennessee are able to offer esports betting; however, The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation (TELC) does need to approve each event individually before online sportsbooks can offer any odds to interested bettors.
Legal sportsbooks in Tennessee
Online and mobile wagering remains the lone option for Tennessee sports bettors. There are no retail sportsbooks in Tennessee. There are currently nine active sportsbooks in the state, but with no limitations on the number of licenses allowed, we could see a continued influx of sportsbooks in the Tennessee market.
Tennessee's online and mobile sportsbooks
Home team advantage: Tennessee sports
While it’s legal to bet on hometown teams in Tennessee, it’s important to ensure all bets are well-researched and placed carefully. Always try to stay objective when assessing your team’s odds of coming out on top. Brush up on key terms and bet types with our how to bet guides.
Other types of gambling
Gov. Bill Lee has been openly and adamantly opposed to the idea of casinos — or any other retail operation — opening its doors in Tennessee. Consequently, it’s doubtful we’ll see any form of retail gambling in the state any time soon.
Tennesseans may not have a racetrack or off-track betting (OTB) outlet to visit in person, but pari-mutuel bets may be placed online. Daily fantasy sports have also been a popular choice in Tennessee since 2016.
Casino
Although you won’t find a single casino in the state, Tennesseeans do have some options if they’re willing to travel outside of state lines.
Neighboring states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and North Carolina are all home to a number of casinos. For those residing in Memphis, Tunica, Mississippi may be the best option for in-person casino gambling. Tunica is home to six large casinos — all boasting an impressive lineup of table games and slot machines.
Those looking for legal online casino alternatives in Tennessee can enjoy sweepstakes casinos like Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots. Here, you’ll find a variety of slots, blackjack, video poker, and more.
Poker
Unsurprisingly, there is no live poker in Tennessee. The only online option for Tennesseeans is Global Poker, which uses the sweepstakes model to remain legally compliant in the state.
Horse racing
Tennessee gamblers are free to place pari-mutuel bets online at TwinSpires. There is no horse racing in the state itself, but it is legal to wager on other races around the country.
There have been some attempts to bring horse racing back to the Volunteer State, but strict gambling laws have thwarted these recent efforts.
Daily fantasy sports
Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill to legalize daily fantasy sports back in 2016. It was somewhat surprising to see the historically conservative state become just the third to legalize and regulate DFS.
FanDuel and DraftKings were early to market in Tennessee and lead the way in terms of offerings and prizes. Other sites include Yahoo, Fantasy Draft, Draft Day, Monkey Knife Fight, and Daily Number.
Responsible gaming in Tennessee
With sports betting legalized in Tennessee, state regulators have introduced a variety of resources for individuals dealing with a gambling addiction. Helplines, educational services, counseling, and support groups are easily accessible for those looking for ways to tackle their gambling problems.
Additionally, 5% of all sportsbook revenue in Tennessee is donated to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse’s problem gambling resources.
Players can also set maximum bet and/or deposit limits for themselves when visiting a casino.
Visit the Tennessee Education Lottery
Legal U.S. sports betting markets
While Tennessee introduced online-only legal sports betting legislation, other states have adopted both in-person and online wagering. Currently, sports betting is legal in the following states:
