The Volunteer State is just about ready to go. Sports betting in Tennessee will launch before the end of 2020 and we could all use a little bit of good news for this calendar year.
It was announced on Wednesday that DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM have all gotten clearance from the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation to begin operations. Additional meetings are set for October 5 and October 16 to potentially clear additional operators to set up shop.
The expected date for the launch is November 1, but we could see an expedited timeline in order to get things up and running. A lot of states are facing severe budget deficits from the wrath of COVID-19 and there may be some extra-added pressure to get that tax revenue rolling in sooner rather than later. No matter what, we’ll see sports betting live and online in Tennessee before year’s end.
Tennessee is going to be a fascinating state as it pertains to sports betting. There are no retail casinos in the state, so everything is going to be done through online and mobile betting. As a result, there really was no question as to whether or not Tennessee would be a remote registration state. You will be able to sign up for a sports betting account from anywhere and will be able to access your real money account from anywhere inside the state borders.
This means that neighboring states like Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri will all see residents leak across the border to start betting. At present, North Carolina and Mississippi are the only ones that offer sports wagering, but they do not allow for online or mobile betting. Betting is only allowed on site with the approved sportsbooks.
As we all know, during a more traditional year, Nashville is a very popular destination for travelers, tourists, and sports fans. Vanderbilt games are heavily attended by opposing fans and Tennessee games draw a number of visitors. The SEC Tournament has been held in Nashville several times and the Nashville Predators and Tennessee Titans also see a lot of visiting spectators as a good excuse for a road trip or an away game. The same can be said for the city of Memphis and the Memphis Grizzlies!
Tennessee should be a very popular state for sports betting and DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM will get the first cookies from the cookie jar in the Volunteer State.
We’ll keep you posted on the official launch dates, but in the meantime, you can read our reviews of those sportsbooks and follow along with the promotions that they offer so that you will be ready to go when Tennessee goes live on or before November 1.
