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Sports-Betting Boost Expected With Texas, Oklahoma In SEC

Published

2 years ago

July 12, 2024

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With the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners now in the Southeastern Conference, legal sports betting soon could jump by double digits in the region, says one bookmaker.

Starting this season, Texas and Oklahoma are in position to challenge for the SEC football championship — and championships across all SEC sports — in a collegiate conference loaded with rich traditions and annual national title contenders.

The Longhorns and Sooners joined the SEC in July. Both moved over from the Big 12.

“This new conference (alignment) leads to better games for the book and better opportunities for the player,” Casey Lewless, manager of two Louisiana sportsbooks, told Gambling.com.

Legal sportsbooks in Louisiana are popular with bettors from neighboring Texas and nearby Oklahoma. Sports wagering is illegal in Texas and Oklahoma.

Because of this, the Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana, expects to see a bump of about 30% in college wagering, Lewless said. That sportsbook already was anticipating more action because of its recent expansion.

The Margaritaville sportsbook is one of two in Northwest Louisiana that Lewless manages for Penn Entertainment. The other is at the nearby Boomtown Casino Hotel.

Lewless pointed to Texas’ rivalry years ago with the Arkansas Razorbacks in the former Southwest Conference as a matchup that will stir interest now that both are in the SEC. Sports betting is legal in Arkansas.

Also, every clash between the two Texas SEC schools — the Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies — will stir emotions and boost sports betting in close-by states like Louisiana where wagering is legal, Lewless said.

Sports Betting Illegal In Half Of SEC States

The addition of Oklahoma into the SEC means six of the 12 states with schools in the conference do not have legal sports betting. Texas already had a school in the SEC — Texas A&M.

Those six SEC states make up the largest geographic region in the U.S. without legal sports betting. Combined, the six states have a population of more than 62 million, representing about 19% of the U.S. population.

Nationwide, sports betting is legal in 38 states and Washington, D.C.

The SEC states without legal sports betting are:

Texas (Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies)
Oklahoma (Oklahoma Sooners)
Missouri (Missouri Tigers)
Alabama (Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers)
Georgia (Georgia Bulldogs)
South Carolina (South Carolina Gamecocks)
The other six SEC states have either in-person or mobile sports betting — or both. Tennessee is a mobile-only state, while Mississippi has in-person sports betting at casinos but not off-site mobile wagering.

The SEC states with legal sports betting are:

Arkansas (Arkansas Razorbacks)
Louisiana (LSU Tigers)
Kentucky (Kentucky Wildcats)
Tennessee (Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt Commodores)
Mississippi (Ole Miss Rebels, Mississippi State Bulldogs)
Florida (Florida Gators)

College Football Kicks Off In August

The overall college football schedule kicks off Aug. 24, including a matchup overseas between Florida State and Georgia Tech in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland.

In the SEC, the Oklahoma Sooners, led by head coach Brent Venables, begin their season on Aug. 30 against Temple at OU’s Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium.

The SEC schedule gets fully underway over the Labor Day weekend, highlighted by an Aug. 31 contest between Clemson and Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

On that same day, the Steve Sarkisian-coached Texas Longhorns host Colorado State in Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.

The next day’s schedule, on Sept. 1, features another SEC school, LSU, in a matchup against Southern California in the Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

SEC Divisions Abandoned

The addition of Texas and Oklahoma brings the number of teams in the SEC to 16. This season, the conference football championship will be decided between the top two teams. The 2024 SEC title game is set for Dec. 7 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In previous years, the conference was split into two divisions, with the East and West winners battling it out for for the SEC title.

The 2024 arrangement with no divisions is a departure in the conference structure dating back more than three decades.

Source

Related Topics:latest-news norss Oklahoma SEC sports betting Texas

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Funky Fortunez

PG Soft releases Funky Fortunez slot with Prize symbol upgrades

Published

42 minutes ago

April 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

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New 4×4 slot includes free spins, locked positions and a stated max win of 2,000x the initial bet.

PG Soft has released a new slot, Funky Fortunez, adding another title to its mobile-focused catalogue.

The game uses a 4×4 symbols combination format and includes Prize symbols that the studio says can carry wins of up to 500x the bet amount per symbol, with a stated maximum win of 2,000x the initial bet.

PG Soft said the Prize Symbol mechanic is built around symbol position activation: winning symbols activate their positions, the first activation marks the position, and the second converts it into a Prize symbol. When no further winning combinations remain, each Prize symbol pays a prize ranging from 0.2x to 8x.

Before a Prize symbol pays, it can be upgraded to a Gold Prize symbol (10x to 50x) or a Platinum Prize symbol (100x to 500x), according to the company.

The slot also includes a Free Spins Feature. PG Soft said three Scatter symbols trigger 10 free spins, with each additional Scatter awarding two more. During free spins, any marked positions and Prize symbols remain locked for the duration of the feature, with the Prize Upgrade Feature able to trigger on every winning free spin. Free spins can be retriggered.

PG Soft’s spokesperson commented: “Funky Fortunez is a celebration of the hip-hop genre, which we expect to dominate the charts for a long time. The Prize Symbol mechanic is the beat that drives the game, as players look for big returns of up to 500x per symbol, with a maximum win of 2,000x the initial bet.”

The post PG Soft releases Funky Fortunez slot with Prize symbol upgrades appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Dr. Ralph Thomas

San Diego County Honors Quick Custom Intelligence for Innovation

Published

43 minutes ago

April 27, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

san-diego-county-honors-quick-custom-intelligence-for-innovation

Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a leading provider of AI-driven solutions for the gaming and hospitality industries, has been recognized by the County of San Diego with a prestigious Certificate of Recognition for Excellence Through Innovation.

The award, issued by the San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk’s Office under Jordan Z. Marks, honors QCI for outstanding service, innovation, and contributions to the community.

Quick Custom Intelligence was recognized for its organizational excellence and continued advancement of cutting-edge technologies that support data-driven decision-making across the gaming and hospitality sectors.

These honors reflect QCI’s ongoing commitment to innovation, excellence, and community impact. Through its powerful enterprise platform, QCI continues to help organizations unlock actionable insights, optimize operations, and deliver enhanced customer experiences.

“This recognition is a testament to the incredible work of our entire team and our shared mission to innovate with purpose. We are proud to contribute to a thriving San Diego community while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with data and technology,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, Co-Founder and CEO of QCI.

The post San Diego County Honors Quick Custom Intelligence for Innovation appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Caesars Entertainment

Caesars Entertainment Opens In-Person Caesars Sportsbook at Northfield Park Racino in Ohio

Published

43 minutes ago

April 27, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

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Caesars Entertainment Inc. announced the opening of a new in-person Caesars Sportsbook located inside Northfield Park Racino near Cleveland through a new partnership with Clairvest Group Inc. As an official sports betting partner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the launch expands Caesars’ presence in the Buckeye State and is an ideal complement to the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app.

Designed for today’s sports fan, Caesars Sportsbook at Northfield Park Racino delivers a premium in-person sports wagering and viewing experience powered by Caesars’ best-in-class technology. The new sportsbook features an expansive LED video wall, five staffed betting windows and a fleet of Caesars Sportsbook self-service betting kiosks, available for 24/7 wagering. Guests can access a diverse menu of sports wagering markets with convenient mobile app account deposits and withdrawals and earn Caesars Rewards with every wager.

“Northfield Park Racino gives us a strong new venue to connect with Northeast Ohio sports fans in a high-traffic entertainment destination. Its location just outside Cleveland, a market defined by some of the most passionate sports fans in the country, pairs our industry-leading technology with a lively atmosphere that enhances how fans watch and wager on sports throughout the year,” said Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital.

“We’re excited to partner with Caesars Sportsbook to bring even more energy and excitement to our guest experience. This collaboration is a strong addition to our Overtime Bar and Grill, enhancing the overall sports fan atmosphere and entertainment offering,” said Kevin Brady, GM at Northfield Park Racino.

Caesars Sportsbook users will enjoy unmatched rewards redeemable through their sports wagering activity via the industry-leading customer loyalty program, Caesars Rewards. Every wager placed in-person at Caesars Sportsbook at Northfield Park or via the Caesars Sportsbook mobile app earns Tier Credits for status and Reward Credits that are redeemable for a variety of extraordinary Caesars Rewards experiences. Those include discounted getaways at various Caesars destinations across North America, bonus cash in the Caesars Sportsbook app, world-class culinary or entertainment experiences, and more.

The post Caesars Entertainment Opens In-Person Caesars Sportsbook at Northfield Park Racino in Ohio appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.