If the first legal wagers placed online in Louisiana are any indication, it appears at least some of the state’s sports bettors still have fond memories of the 2019 LSU Tigers football team that won a national championship.
That’s because online sports betting officially began in the Pelican State on Friday morning, and several mobile bookmakers reported their first wagers involved the Cincinnati Bengals and Louisiana State University alums Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase.
The first mobile bet taken by Caesars Sportsbook in Louisiana was an $80 moneyline play on the Bengals beating the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend in the National Football League playoffs. At +285 odds, the wager would win the bettor $228.
BetRivers likewise said that its first mobile bet in Louisiana was on the Bengals, albeit as seven-and-a-half point underdogs against the Chiefs. The $100 wager at -114 odds would pay out a combined $188 if Cincinnati covers.
our first bet in the state of Louisiana is backing LSU product Joe Burrow and the Bengals on Sunday pic.twitter.com/CBgH4gCCBD
— BetRivers (@BetRivers) January 28, 2022
Other digital bookmakers said the Bengals were mixed into opening-day parlays.
The first official bet that was placed online at FanDuel Sportsbook in Louisiana was a $20 two-leg parlay that included the Bengals on the moneyline and the Los Angeles Rams as three-and-a-half point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers in their playoff battle this weekend.
Meanwhile, DraftKings said their first bet in Louisiana was a $10 four-leg parlay consisting of the Rams -3.5, Over 45.5 points scored in the L.A.-San Fran game, Bengals +7, and Under 54.5 points scored in the Cincy-K.C. matchup.
DraftKings is also offering a Louisiana special for Sunday's game: +100 odds on Burrow completing a pass, something the quarterback did 366 times during the regular season.
???? WE HAVE THE FIRST LOUISIANA BET ????
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) January 28, 2022
The first bet in Louisiana was a $10 4-leg parlay:
Rams (-3.5)
Over 45.5 (Rams/49ers)
Bengals +7
Under 54.5 (Bengals/Chiefs)
Payout = $136.27#LetsGeauxDraftKings
Barstool Sportsbook was also offering two Louisiana-themed specials right out of the gate, one of which was boosting the odds of a "Bayou Bengals" win over the Chiefs to +350 from +285.
But BetMGM proved the exception to the rule on Friday morning. The book said its first bet placed from the Pelican State was a $50 punt on the Buffalo Bulls -3.5 against the Ohio Bobcats in college basketball.
The first bet placed from Louisiana?
— BetMGM ???? (@BetMGM) January 28, 2022
$50 on the Buffalo Bulls at -3.5 vs Ohio at -110
Friday’s launch brings online one of the most closely-watched markets in the U.S. in recent history, dating back to when voters in 55 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes (similar to counties) voted in favor of legal sports betting back in November 2020.
Lawmakers then passed legislation last year permitting the state's gaming control board to issue up to 20 licenses for in-person and online sportsbooks, with preference given towards casinos and live horse-racing tracks. The Louisiana Lottery Corp. is allowed to take sports wagers via website, mobile app, and retail kiosks as well.
Wannabe bettors in Louisiana need to be 21 or older and be physically located in one of the 55 parishes that voted in favor of sports gambling in November 2020 to wager online. There is also in-person sports betting available at casinos in the state.
