2022 Tennessee Sportsbook Reviews
1. Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars is known around the world as a reputable and trustworthy titan of the gambling industry. The company has over 55 retail locations across the globe and has a growing presence in the United States in the world of sports betting after taking over William Hill.
Caesars offers one of the largest Risk Free First Bets in the industry for new users and also pushes fair odds and one of the best daily odds boosts for all its players.
2. BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM Sportsbook was one of three sportsbooks to launch right away in Tennessee. BetMGM is a global leader in gaming with resort and casino properties throughout the world. Certainly they have a major focus in the United States and they are one of the elder statesmen in the sports betting space in this country.
BetMGM offers extremely fair odds. Unlike some of the other operators that derive all of their money from sports betting, MGM is part of a global gaming company that makes money from lots of other sources, like table games, slot machines, accommodations and dining, and more. As a result, their odds are some of the best in the industry.
3. Draftkings Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook also launched on Day 1 in Tennessee. Obviously DraftKings was known first for being a daily fantasy sports operator, but it has become so much more than that in the post-PASPA world. DraftKings offers extensive catalogs of betting odds for all sports and events and is one of the best for prop bettors and those that wager on futures like the Super Bowl, World Series, and NCAA Tournament.
DraftKings has a “dark mode” look with a lot of green and white text against a dark grey background. That might appeal a lot to a younger demographic of user. It matters that you are comfortable wherever you decide to bet and DraftKings definitely has a look and feel to appease a certain bettor.
4. FanDuel Sportsbook
The other one of the Big Three in Tennessee is FanDuel. This operator is the nation’s leader in market share and is another sportsbook brand that derived from the daily fantasy sports world. FanDuel offers a really bright interface and a very welcoming place to bet on sports. The look of FanDuel is very professional, yet doesn’t feel as intimidating as some of the other sports betting apps.
FanDuel, like BetMGM and DraftKings, launched right away on November 1. Additional operators will be coming, but FanDuel’s brand loyalty has been visible in states across the country. All of those people can’t be wrong, right? FanDuel’s extraordinary popularity is a sign that they do things the right way and you can bet with supreme confidence with their mobile app or website.
Additional options will come as sports betting in Tennessee continues to grow and the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation grants more licenses, but these are three extremely solid choices for the best Tennessee sportsbooks and will remain that way no matter how many operators embrace legal sports wagering in the Volunteer State.
How To Bet On Sports In Tennessee
With no retail casinos or gaming facilities anywhere in the state, online sports betting in Tennessee can be done from anywhere inside the state borders, ranging from the comforts of home to the stands of a sporting event, to the grocery store bread aisle to the bars down on Broadway.
Because most forms of gambling are not native to Tennessee, there will be a learning curve for a lot of people that want to bet on sports. It makes sense to start easy and to not overextend yourself as you learn the lingo and the lay of the land. A lot of people are probably familiar with point spreads in football and basketball and there will be a lot of interest in Nashville Predators games and the NHL betting markets.
One thing to keep in mind is that there is a stipulation in the legislation for Tennessee that the sportsbooks must hold 10% of the online sports betting handle or face fines and other penalties. Generally speaking, a good hold percentage is 5-6% for the sportsbooks. In Tennessee, operators will pass that burden onto customers, so you are likely to see higher vig on odds and lower odds on futures. Line shopping will be essential.
Step by Step Guide:
Step 1: Sign Up at a Sportsbook or On A Sports Betting App
We’ll expand on the available sportsbooks in Tennessee in a second, but the first step is to sign up and get registered. When you submit your personal information to sign up, state-of-the-art encryption technology and cybersecurity will validate your identity and also instantly protect your sensitive information. Everything will be done from the sports wagering website on your computer or from your mobile device, whether you access the mobile site or download the online sports betting app.
Step 2: Make a Deposit
Numerous deposit methods are available for the Tennessee sports betting market, including credit and debit card, electronic bank transfers, and some sportsbooks even accept third-party payment processors like PayPal to really streamline the process.
When you make a deposit, make sure that you either click our sign-up link here at ATS or take note of the ATS promo codes that we have set up with our affiliates. A sign-up bonus is a really important part of the equation. Don’t cheat yourself out of free money to get started.
Step 3: Start Sports Betting
Like we said, it’s a very simple process. These online sportsbook apps and websites are designed in a way that starts with the sign-up process, leads to the banking area, and then the odds appear front-and-center. Traffic is funneled to those three areas in that order and it allows you to get started very quickly.
You’ll find helpful betting tips and breakdowns here at ATS. Most online sportsbooks also have helpful articles to help you understand the terminology and the different bet types. There are a lot of resources at your disposal. Use them.
How do I sign up for sports betting in Tennessee?
As mentioned, Tennessee has no retail gaming facilities. The only way to get signed up for the online sportsbooks is through their online sports betting websites or their mobile apps. If you use an Apple device, you can download the mobile apps right from the Apple Store. If you use an Android device, the Google Play Store prohibits the listing of apps that take bets. You’ll have to download the Android apps straight from the source on the website of the sportsbook you are signing up for, but there will be step-by-step instructions on how to do that.
Remote registration means that you can sign up from anywhere in the state. You don’t even have to be a Tennessee resident to sign up. You just have to be physically located in the state of Tennessee to access your real money account. You will be able to see the odds if you are not in Tennessee, but you will not be able to place any bets unless you are in Tennessee.
All Tennessee online sportsbooks will require basic personal information that allows them to validate your identity and ensure that you are of legal gambling age. That age is 21.
Tennessee is the first online-only state in the country for sports betting. Virginia will become the second in early 2021.
How do I deposit money in a sports betting account?
Once you are signed up and have registered and verified your account, the next step is to make a deposit into your sports betting account. Follow the prompts or find the Cashier button on the app or the website to get started.
Most TN sportsbooks are going to take the same deposit methods, such as PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, bank transfer, bank wire, ACH/e-check, or a Prepaid Plus card, which is a method that a lot of states have employed.
Withdrawals are likely to be done via cashier’s check or bank account transfer. There are no casinos to pick up your money from or deposit money at like there are in other states.
Where can I bet on sports in Tennessee?
Everywhere. Tennessee has no physical gaming facilities, so every place inside the borders of the state is fair game for placing a wager. Geolocation technology will confirm your location and give you access to your real money account. You’ll have to have Location Services on if you are using a mobile device or your IP address and other information will be plucked from your computer to make sure that you are where you need to be.
Remember, you don’t have to be a resident of Tennessee to sign up for the sports betting app or online sportsbook, but you will have to be inside the state borders in order to use the apps to place bets. Virginia will be adding sports betting early in 2021, but Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri all share a border with Tennessee. Most states in the south either do not have sports betting or only have in-person wagering. If you live close enough to Tennessee or wind up traveling there for business or pleasure, you will be able to bet on sports, so long as you sign up and fund an account.
Teams to Bet On in Tennessee
Tennessee sports betting market is one of the friendliest, as well as one of the largest online-based sports betting portfolios, in the country. It is also home to some of the most notable major and minor league sports teams in the country. The most popular sports teams to bet on here include:
● Tennessee Titans (NFL)
The Tennessee Titans are popular worldwide for their prowess in the National Football League. The team had taken a back seat for some time, but it now seems to have regained its glory. Most notably, the team won the Wild Card playoffs and Divisional playoffs against the Patriots and Ravens respectively during the 2019 season. Eventually, they would lose in the AFC Championship game to the Chiefs.
● Nashville Predators (NHL)
The Nashville Predators proudly represent Tennessee in the National Hockey League scene, and are one of the teams to look out for nationally. The Predators have been raising their stock in the competition with their latest advances. Most notably, the team made it to the Stanley Cup finals in 2017, but failed to secure the trophy as the Pittsburg Penguins won the game with a 4-2 final score. The team also finished first place in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Central divisions. It has also advanced to the playoffs for all of the last five consecutive seasons.
● Memphis Grizzlies (NBA)
The Grizzlies are the only NBA team in the city of Memphis. Originally established as the Vancouver Grizzlies back in 1995-96, the franchise moved to the city of Memphis after the 2000-01 season. The team has had some fruitful seasons in its history, even making it to the Western Conference finals back in 2012-13 in which they were swept by the San Antonio Spurs. However, over the recent years, the Grizzlies have been going through a rebuild process, failing to make it to the playoffs since the 2016-17 season.
Other Sports to Bet On In Tennessee
The Tennessee Titans, Memphis Grizzlies and Nashville Predators are the only professional teams in Tennessee, but there are more teams that you can bet on. These include the state’s three impressive college teams:
- Memphis Tigers (College Football)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (College Football)
- Tennessee Volunteers (College Football)
Granted: the Volunteer State has a clear preference for football and hockey. However, there are more college sports teams in other sports sectors, including basketball and baseball. The state’s regulations on collegiate sports betting are quite relaxed, but there is a strict ban on live or in-play betting as well as player props.
Nashville Sports Betting
Nashville is one of the best cities in America. The two pro sports teams get fervent support and the minor league baseball fan base for the Nashville Sounds is strong enough to have the city talked about for potential MLB expansion. Then there is the music. And the food. And everything that makes Nashville special for those that live there and those that go there to have fun.
For our purposes, another element of fun was added to Nashville on November 1, 2020 when sports betting officially went live. Tennessee is one of just 10 states without a casino and that number will fall to nine when Virginia’s first casino is completed. With no brick-and-mortar gaming facilities, Tennessee became the first state to adopt an all-online, all-mobile sports betting infrastructure.
Mobile TN sports betting is essential for any state that is hoping to raise a lot of tax revenue and have success in the post-PASPA world. You can bet on sports from anywhere in the state of Tennessee and from anywhere in Nashville. Home, church, work, a Broadway bar, a lecture hall at Belmont, the rec at Vanderbilt, BNA Airport, any surrounding suburb, any other bar. Anywhere. Literally anywhere.
And it doesn’t even matter if you are a resident of Tennessee, a music lover on a weekend trip, or in town on business. As long as you are within the state borders, you can sign up and legally bet on sports.
When it comes to available sportsbooks, Tennessee is still in its infancy to a degree, but three of the biggest and best in the business are in the Volunteer State.
Memphis Sports Betting
Known for Blues and BBQ, Memphis can add another B to the list these days. Betting.
How to bet on sports in Memphis has gotten a lot easier now that the state of Tennessee has approved statewide legal sports betting. It used to be that those in Memphis, deep in the southwest corner of the Volunteer State, had to go across the border to Arkansas or Mississippi, where retail-only wagering takes place.
On the plus side, sports betting wasn’t that hard to find. Southland Casino in West Memphis just across the border has a betly Sportsbook. Tunica was close enough, with BetMGM, William Hill, and FanDuel sportsbooks, plus a “house” sportsbook at Fitzgerald’s. There were a lot of options, but Southland was really the only close option in a pinch.
Now, though, betting on sports in Memphis is easier than ever.
Tennessee does not have any casinos, but does have sports betting. The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation is the governing body for the first all-mobile, all-online sports betting state in the country. Sports betting went live on November 1, 2020 and has attracted lots of customers and big betting handles from Day One.
Tennessee is what we call in the business a “Remote Registration” sports betting state. That means you can sign up for a TN sportsbook App from anywhere in Memphis or the great state of Tennessee.
You know, in a border town like West Memphis.
Memphis sits right on the Mississippi River and is a popular destination for things like Graceland, Beale Street, and sweet, delicious BBQ. Like we said, you can add a third B after Blues and BBQ with Betting because anybody in Memphis can legally place sports bets. Whether you are backing the Memphis Grizzlies, rolling with the Tigers, or simply playing on any other team in the country because you think you’ve predicted the outcome, you can make sports wagers.
How to bet on sports in Memphis is basically a question of signing up for a sportsbook account and knowing what is available. When it comes to the best sportsbooks in Tennessee, all of our sportsbooks are legal and accessible to Memphis area residents. Signing up for an account is extremely easy and so is getting a sign-up bonus when you make that first deposit.
About Sports Betting in Tennessee
TN sports betting became a reality in the fall of 2020. It took nearly a year and a half after legislation legalized sports betting in the Volunteer State, but better late than never has been a mantra for a lot of states as it pertains to this topic. Legislation passed in April 2019 and went through without the signature of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who said that he would allow the bill to go into law whether or not he signed off on it.
Tennessee is a state with no retail gaming facilities, so it is the first fully remote state to legalize sports betting. That means that all wagering will be done online or mobile. It also means that everybody in the state will have access to sign up for sports betting accounts and use them whenever physically located inside the borders of the state.
The epicenter of sports betting will undoubtedly be Nashville & to a lesser extent Memphis, where tourists and visiting fans regularly flock to enjoy good food, good music, and their teams in an away game setting. We’ll have to see how much of Tennessee’s handle comes from residents and how much comes from weekend warriors and weekday travelers taking in the sounds and sounds on Broadway.
At the outset, three sportsbooks were said to be first to go live in Tennessee. Those are BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Additional operators are sure to pay the licensing cost of $750,000 annually, so we are very likely to see Bet Rivers, PointsBet, Caesars, BetAmerica, Fox Bet, theScore Bet, and more in Tennessee sometime during 2021, if not earlier.
Remember, because this is an online-only state, licenses simply have to be granted by the Tennessee Lottery Corporation. There are no brick-and-mortar gaming facilities to partner with and that means an unlimited number of legalized sports betting licenses are available.
One issue for both bettors and online sportsbooks is that a 10% hold percentage is mandated by law, otherwise there will be fines and other penalties. That creates a tough environment for both bettors and the operators, as the operators will have to offer unsavory lines compared to other states and bettors will either have to bet with those or not bet in the state of Tennessee. Studies have shown, however, that most gamblers don’t really concern themselves too much with the vig, so we’ll have to wait and see how that affects the handle in the state.
The Tennessee Education Lottery Commission has oversight with regards to sports betting, even though daily fantasy sports fell under the purview of the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming back in 2016. That was with a 6% tax rate. Sports betting has a 20% tax rate and much stiffer legislation for the operators.
Tennessee has approved sports wagering on college sports that take place within the borders of the state, which is something that not all states have agreed to, including New Jersey. In essence, there is a lot of give and take for all sides here with sports betting in Tennessee. Remote registration and the ability to bet from anywhere, let alone just having legal sports betting in TN, are perks for the player. The high mandatory hold percentage for the sportsbooks will hurt the player.
What can ATS.io do for me when betting in Tennessee?
Like we said, one of our chief objectives is to make sure that you are informed about the different sportsbook choices that you have. We strive to provide comprehensive, honest, forthcoming reviews about the different sports betting operators. As affiliate marketers, we are also able to extend special promo codes and bonus offers for those sportsbooks, but that does not cloud our judgment about the ratings that we give to the sportsbooks.
Our staff has decades of experience in the sports betting space and we have made it a point to follow all of the industry happenings since sports betting became legal in the United States in the spring of 2018. Our website features sportsbook reviews and updates on special industry promotions from different operators, but we also have lots of picks, predictions, and other betting content to help you learn the ropes and become a better handicapper.
