The Gambler on the Road series is live! This time around, Michael’s on a trip in Texas, looking to find out where people bet on sports and learn more about the industry in general.
Everything is bigger in Texas? Burgers and steaks definitely. The sports betting industry? Not so much.
I was surprised by the fact that I could only bet on horses within state lines, but there I was, throwing my dollars on War Hero who definitely wasn’t a hero of any kind (at least not for my dollars).
So, besides spending the day at the Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie and watching horses race, I also talked to a few locals to learn how they go about betting on sports. And what do you know — besides taking a trip to Louisiana, Texans seem to bet online as well (at sportsbooks based overseas).
Too good of an opportunity for me to pass on, so I tried most of the sites that Texans use, and I will share my findings (along with details of my trip) with you today.
Sports betting sites popular among Texans
- BetUS – Almost everyone I talked to mentioned this one
- BetOnline – Texans seem to love betting on live sports here
- BetWhale – Newer site, most people signed up for the bonuses
- Bovada – Just like BetUS, they all know and use Bovada
- Everygame – Those who bet NBA do it here
I had many other recommendations but didn’t have the time (or money) to try them out. The most I could set aside was $700 to try all of these. Luckily, I had the same amount once I was done because I got lucky with the Nets winning against the Hornets with a point difference. Okay, enough about that, I could go on for the entire day – let’s see what I liked and hated about these Texas betting sites.
The most popular betting site in Texas: BetUS
Most of the people I talked to at the racetrack described BetUS as a bit different from the rest and more professional. Having done my fair share of betting at a lot of sportsbooks – both good and bad – I can say they weren’t far from the truth. BetUS indeed looks professional, making it easy to both sign up and place bets as well as dive into more complex parlays. The interface is packed with a lot of tools, like game overviews and even a separate tab with picks by professional athletes. For someone with a limited time to keep track of sports like myself, this really comes in handy.
Having no sports preference and just looking to lay down a bet, I opened the “Odds Boost” section to find some juicy lines (here you can find sports with odds guaranteed to be better than the competition). I placed a $200 bet on the Nets to win against the Hornets, and this was the wager that saved me from going down to zero with my budget. All in all, I can’t fault BetUS as a sportsbook in any way, but what I can do is criticise the bonuses they offer. First of all, they are all split between sports and casino and most of them are only for crypto players. Really? On top of that, the wagering requirements are 14x, so it was definitely a no-go for me.
“I could easily see why BetUS is the most popular Texas betting site. It’s truly a complete product with tons of markets to explore, features like same-game parlays, and a great reputation for easy payouts.”
Locals’ go-to live betting site: BetOnline
Most of the locals said BetOnline does live betting best, so that’s what I came here to do (while sitting in the stands and watching the races). Obviously, I had to do my live betting from mobile as I wasn’t in my hotel room, and it was great that BetOnline’s live betting section works great even without downloading an app. There’s a handy menu outlining all live sports and it is generally very easy to dive into the action. At the time, there were a few soccer events in Europe taking place, so I decided to bet on those. The number of markets was pretty astonishing for a non-domestic sport, and the $50 risk-free live bet made things even easier.
I took the over 2.5 for $50 on a Premier League match, but the match concluded with no goals. Thanks to the $50 bonus that BetOnline provides for all new customers’ first live bet, I was able to get my full stake back and place another bet the next day. Unlike BetUS, both the welcome offer of $250 and the live betting bonuses come with no wagering at BetOnline. Truly music to my ears as I’m a sucker for free stuff.
HOWEVER… BetOnline makes none of this cheap, as I had to pay a 6% fee for my credit card deposit, and similar fees are awaiting those who want to get paid out. Probably the main reason why a lot of Texans don’t feel like betting here.
“You can’t fault BetOnline’s live betting experience, especially if you do your betting from mobile. The bonuses come with fair terms, too, so it’s generally a good choice all-around (if you’re okay paying a 6% fee with each deposit, that is).”
Cool new sportsbooks with decent bonuses: BetWhale
Did I mention I love free stuff? While nothing was truly free at BetWhale, I was able to get started with a 125% extra on top of my $100 deposit. That’s $225 I was determined to bet smart, but I decided to back the Pistons against the Hornets and lost it all. As for the Texas sportsbook itself, everything is laid out neatly, without any bells and whistles to distract you from the action. Nothing fancy to talk about, just a straightforward sportsbook with odds for the most popular sports. It’s even too simple for my taste, but beginners should love it here.
Most of the betting markets were NFL and NBA, but there’s a decent number of other sports to explore like darts, MMA, boxing, etc. If you’re betting in the $100-$200 range, you should be good here, but I couldn’t help but notice the super tight betting limits this site has in place. With a name like BetWhale, you’d think they ought to have “whale” betting limits, but that’s not the case.
“BetWhale fits the bill for beginners with good bonuses and a straightforward experience, but it won’t be a good choice for high rollers who want to go big with their bets.”
Most popular runner-up sportsbook: Bovada
By the time I got to trying out Bovada, I was already in my hotel room at the Hilton Garden Inn (a really nice hotel and great breakfast, have to admit). This time, I used my laptop as it’s way easier for me to do anything on a bigger screen. The sign-up process was easy, and Bovada offers a seemingly never-ending lineup of sports you can bet on. Table Tennis in the Czech Republic? Damn right. Cricket in South Africa? Who am I to say no.
Seriously, you can bet on anything and everything here, and Bovada even offers the option to request your own wager if it’s not available. How cool is that? The bonuses are decent, too, though they do favor crypto bettors more, just like BetUS. If you have some crypto sitting around, you can grab up to $750 in bonus bets. As for me, I took the peasant way with the $250 bonus. Damn you digital world. This time, I wanted to bet on college sports, but there was a big BUT. Bovada had no odds for the college teams I wanted to bet on. How come? I did some research and it looks like Bovada has earned a reputation for late odds, especially for college sports. So, I either had to wait until the next day or find some other markets. I found them, but I’d rather not speak about the outcome.
“All in all, Bovada is a professional online sportsbook. Great interface, easy to use, and good bonuses are some of the things that will appear to beginners, while seasoned bettors will find features like custom wagers and an amazing prop builder tool that aren’t available elsewhere.”
Most Texans bet on NBA here: Everygame
Finally, it was time for me to try out Everygame (many remember it as Intertops). If you ask Texans, they’ll say NBA is the name of the game here, and based on Everygame’s bonuses on offer, they’re not far from the truth. I’m talking about the $5,000 Hot Hoops Chase, which awards the person with the highest number of qualifying NBA bets at the end of the season with a cash prize. Obviously, I had no intention of competing here, so I started out with the double-up bonus instead (I got $150 in bonus bets, but the maximum is $500). Similar to the rest, Everygame has a simple user interface. The sports are all listed on the left-hand side, and by choosing one, you will further access a menu with futures bets, specific leagues, cups, and so on.
While the list of futures was extensive for most sports that I checked, I can’t say the same for the prop bets. While Texas sportsbooks like BetUS and Bovada sometimes offer over 200 props for a single game, Everygame is nowhere near that number, with most props limited to the first scoring team and play, double result betting, and winning margin (talking about the NFL here for the novices among you).
“Everygame is a simple sportsbook and a pretty decent one at that when it comes to moneyline and spread bets. Those looking for more complex prop and player bets would be better off at Bovada or BetUS.”
What I do
My travel series “Gambler on the Road” pretty much sums up what I do – I travel across the US to get a taste of the gambling culture in each state. My goal is to visit at least one land-based casino or sportsbook in each state and test the online gambling market before my trip is done.
My budget for this adventure isn’t crazy, so I always try not to get carried away and get paid out when I get lucky (even if it’s just winning 50 bucks). I don’t visit the most luxurious casino hotels but instead stick to the ones in the middle, which is where I approach locals and ask how they feel about online gambling and where they play. Once I’ve tried a few slot machines or placed some sports bets in person, I start signing up with the online casinos or sportsbooks that the locals recommended to me. In my blog posts, I share my experiences and note what most of the people I talked to liked about these sites (including myself).
“My ultimate goal is to find out just how big gambling has become in the US and to learn more about the rising interest in online gambling and which sites are the biggest players, hoping to help some of my readers learn from hands-on testing and research.”
More about my Lone Star Park visit
Cowboy hats. So many people were wearing cowboy hats that I had to visit the gift shop and buy one for myself to blend in.
The event was starting at 11 AM, and I arrived just a few minutes earlier, having bought a general admission ticket that provides access to level 1 (where everything is first come, first served). The facility itself is super organized, and the general admission ticket got me access to wagering, food and drinks, a gift shop, and an outdoor area where you can see the horses up close before and after the race. The so-called “courtyard of champions” is where the main event (besides the horse racing) takes place, and the place was filled with so many food trucks that I could taste the smell of the burgers they make. Of course, I went ahead and got one, and it was amazing.
After that, I started exploring the facility (bought myself a hat from the gift shop), approached a handful of locals to talk about sports betting, and the thing I came here for – to place some wagers on a horse named… War Hero, who turned about to be the hero of losing bets. The people I met were really friendly and easygoing, and the whole event was one big positive energy. The warm weather (even though cloudy) didn’t make things worse, either.
As the main event was approaching, I managed to find a seat (and actually placed a few bets at some Texas online sportsbooks that the locals recommended to me). If I ever find myself visiting Lone Star Park again, I’d definitely go with a reservation at the Silks Dining at the top of the facility, which provides a panoramic view of the entire race and (most likely) offers a really luxurious feel.
“If you plan on visiting Lone Star Park, make sure to arrive early to be able to get some seats at the level 1 area. And do not, I repeat, do not bring your own food – there’s so much to choose from!”
The sports betting status in Texas
On my last day staying in Grand Prairie, I decided to dedicate a few hours to researching the current status of Texas sports betting, and why residents don’t have access to a lot of casinos and land-based sportsbooks.
What I found was obvious: Sports betting and casinos are not yet legalized in Texas, which is why so many people from the state travel to Louisiana to gamble or join online sportsbooks based offshore. As it stands, legal gambling may become an option in 2025 in Texas, as various sources point out the benefits that would come along with it, such as $360 million in tax revenue, over 8,000 new jobs, and a safer and regulated betting market that would protect the community.
This got me to wonder: How much exactly are Texans gambling from states where gambling is legal? According to a report by Eilers & Krejcik, Texas residents bet around 8 billion US dollars on legal betting sites (outside of state borders, where sports betting is legal). I went ahead and created a graph to easily present this information to you, where I compare Texas’ betting handle to that of other states with similar numbers.
Most of these bets are placed from Louisiana at sportsbooks like DraftKings, which is legal in the state. Based on this, Texas is the 16th largest state in terms of sports betting handle, and it could very well end up among the top 3 if sports betting became legal. On the other hand, the revenue generated by the three tribal casinos and racecourses is on a steady rise. Check it out in my graph below.
Land-based casinos and racetracks in Texas
Even though Texas has three casinos, each operated by a federally recognized tribe, there are still no brick-and-mortar sportsbooks available. So, the only option for Texans when it comes to legal betting is placing bets on horses, which is why I was practically forced to visit the Lone Star Park (can’t say I didn’t enjoy it). Here are all the legal gambling establishments currently operating in Texas:
| Racetrack | City | Address |
| Lone Star Park | Grand Prairie | 1000 Lone Star Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX 75050, USA |
| Texas Rose Horse Park | Tyler | 14078 TX-110, Tyler, TX 75704, USA |
| Sam Houston Race Park | Houston | 7575 North Sam Houston Pkwy W Gate 3, Houston, TX 77064, USA |
| Retama Park | Selma | 1 Retama Pkwy, Selma, TX 78154, USA |
| Great Southwest Equestrian Center | Katy | 2501 Mason Rd #100, Katy, TX 77450, USA |
| Gillespie County Fair Grounds | Fredericksburg | 530 Fair Dr, Fredericksburg, TX 78624, USA |
The end of my trip to Texas trying to find good betting sites
Even though I was slightly disappointed with the almost non-existent choice for sports betting in Texas, I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy my stay here. The Hilton Garden Inn was an absolute value for money and betting on horses at the Lone Star Park was a refreshing change from what I usually do when I visit other states. As far as betting on sports goes, the only options for locals from within state lines – as stated by locals – are online betting sites based out of the country, which have no problem accepting bets from Texans.
However, it seems that legal sports betting is really close to becoming a reality, based on the research that I did. Once it does happen, I might just revisit the Lone Star State to try out some of the legal betting options that open up and share my findings on this page.
Which state should I visit next? Send me an email at [email protected]!
DISCLAIMER: 21+. Gamble responsibly. Facing a gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Free gambling addiction resources available at gamblersanonymous.org and gamblingtherapy.com.
