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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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Caesars Entertainment

Vanderpump Hotel reports $813,553 Pai Gow Poker jackpot weeks after opening

Published

13 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

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Caesars Rewards member Pam W. from Colorado hit a seven-card straight flush on the Las Vegas Strip property.

The Vanderpump Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip has reported an $813,553 jackpot win on Pai Gow Poker, just weeks after the property officially opened.

According to the company, Caesars Rewards member Pam W., visiting from Littleton, Colorado, won the payout after hitting a seven-card straight flush while playing Pai Gow Poker at The Vanderpump Hotel. The release said Pam was on a weeklong vacation with her husband and plans to use the winnings toward a European river cruise.

The Vanderpump Hotel is Lisa Vanderpump’s first hotel, developed in partnership with Caesars Entertainment. The property has 188 guest rooms, including 21 suites, and a 40,000-square-foot casino, the company said.

The venue’s food, beverage and nightlife lineup includes GIADA by Giada De Laurentiis, rooftop pool and event space Soleia, and Drai’s After Hours in its original location beneath the hotel. The property also hosts Caesars Sportsbook in a lounge-style format, alongside lounges including Gigolo and The Bar at The Vanderpump Hotel.

The post Vanderpump Hotel reports $813,553 Pai Gow Poker jackpot weeks after opening appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Caesars Rewards

Raise a Glass: The Vanderpump Hotel Celebrates $813,553 Jackpot Win

Published

13 minutes ago

July 3, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

raise-a-glass:-the-vanderpump-hotel-celebrates-$813,553-jackpot-win

The Vanderpump Hotel – Lisa Vanderpump’s first-ever hotel in partnership with Caesars Entertainment – is dealing out big wins on the Las Vegas Strip, celebrating a dazzling $813,553 payout just weeks after officially opening its doors.

Caesars Rewards® member Pam W., visiting from Littleton, Colorado, hit the jackpot with a seven-card straight flush on Pai Gow Poker at The Vanderpump Hotel. Pam, who is in town enjoying a weeklong vacation with her husband, is already planning her next adventure – turning her Vegas luck into a dream European river cruise.

Blending elevated design with a distinct sense of personality, The Vanderpump Hotel introduces a boutique, lifestyle-driven hospitality experience in the heart of one of the world’s most dynamic destinations. The hotel offers an intimate footprint with 188 guest rooms, including 21 suites.

The property also features a 40,000-square-foot casino; Gigolo, a sexy, sultry lounge and The Bar at The Vanderpump Hotel, an inviting destination in the center of the casino – all curated to deliver a sophisticated yet playful atmosphere.

Culinary and nightlife offerings are anchored by GIADA, the award-winning flagship restaurant from celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis; Soleia, a 65,000-square-foot rooftop pool and event space with open-air, panoramic views from 11 stories above the Las Vegas skyline; and Drai’s After Hours, located in its original home beneath the hotel. Caesars Sportsbook at The Vanderpump Hotel provides a boutique, lounge-style setting for sports fans and gaming enthusiasts alike. Guests can book stays at The Vanderpump Hotel via the Caesars Rewards app or online at caesars.com/thevanderpumphotel.

The post Raise a Glass: The Vanderpump Hotel Celebrates $813,553 Jackpot Win appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

b2b partnerships

Dynabit Gaming goes live on BetB2B aggregation platform

Published

2 hours ago

July 3, 2026

Wladimir P.

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The supplier says its cross-platform games are now rolling out to operators connected to BetB2B.

Dynabit Gaming has gone live on BetB2B, with the supplier saying its content is already rolling out to operators connected via the platform.

The announcement positions the integration as a distribution step for Dynabit Gaming’s cross-platform games, extending reach through BetB2B’s operator network.

Vika Prudnyk, Chief Commercial Officer at Dynabit Gaming, said: “We’re really happy to be partnering with BETB2B. They bring great energy, strong expertise, and a platform that fits perfectly with where we want to go next.”

No further commercial or technical details were disclosed, including which operators are first to launch, which titles are included, or timelines for broader rollout.

The post Dynabit Gaming goes live on BetB2B aggregation platform appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.