Sports betting has taken over the nation to the point it’s being promoted on TV. ESPN has even gotten into it by launching ESPNBet. Unfortunately, if you live in Georgia sports betting isn’t legal here. In December of 2023, Senator Brandon Beach planned to introduce legislation in 2024. Senator Bill Cowsert advanced a sports betting bill SB 172. After the bill was introduced, there was a belief that it’s a long shot from happening. The Senate advanced the bill at the end of January of 2024. On February 1st, the Georgia Senate approved sports betting bill SB 386. There was an amendment that now requires a constitutional amendment approved by voters in November. The bill must also first pass through the House. There has been strong support from Atlanta sports teams like the Atlanta Hawks. The question is, will sports betting become legal in the state of Georgia?
Georgia is one of the few states that doesn’t have any casinos. Being from Georgia and having lived here my entire life it feels like we’re behind the times. There are other states that have accepted the new way of thinking, but not with Georgia. We are still one of the states that hasn’t legalized marijuana amongst other things. Online sports betting would launch in Georgia no earlier than late 2024 or 2025 if approved during this year’s legislative session. Unfortunately, we are a way away from any type of sports betting in Georgia. Can people in Georgia still place bets? Yes, there are several sites or apps that allow Georgians to still place bets. There are other sites where you can’t bet on sports while living in Georgia.
Sportsbook Apps That Would Love to Launch in Georgia
FanDuel
FanDuel is one of the original sites to place bets on sports. The closest location is Tennessee if you live in the Atlanta area. FanDuel would love to be in such a huge market like Atlanta in the foreseeable future.
DraftKings
DraftKings is the other original betting site that’s been around for many years now. They send reminders periodically to urge us fellow Georgians to get in contact with our lawmakers. Sports betting is a lucrative business, and they too would love to set up shop in Georgia.
BetMGM
BetMGM is like the new kid on the block, and you’ve probably seen their commercial several times. BetMGM Sportsbook is usually among early adopters in new markets, which makes it an odds-on favorite to show up in Georgia. This is one that I’m eager to try in the future if Georgia allows it.
Caesars
Caesars Sportsbook is one of the largest sportsbook operations in the country. Its properties in North Carolina are the nearest full-service casinos to those living in northern Georgia. Caesars is another one that I’m eager to try and will do when in North Carolina again.
BetRivers
BetRivers is one that I’m not too familiar with and not many in the South know about it. The more options we would get, the better and this is another one that could be successful in Georgia.
Sports Betting Alternatives in Georgia
PrizePicks
PrizePicks is one that I’ve been playing for a while now. To get you started, click this link and they will match your deposit up to $100. You can win up to 25X the amount you put in. It’s the largest squad in daily fantasy sports. I’ve won quite a few times on PrizePicks, so if you know your sports then give it a try.
Underdog Fantasy
I’ve seen Underdog Fantasy advertised on social media quite a few times lately. I’ve never played it before, but this is one I’ll look more into. They also match your first deposit up to $100. They have a free Pick ‘Em special and you can win up to 100X your entry in a single night.
Sleeper
This is a new one to me, but I’m intrigued by Sleeper. With Sleeper, they match your first deposit all the way up to $500. You can also win up to 100X payouts, which is some serious money.
Betr
Last, but not least, we have Betr, which is another one I’ve yet to try out for myself. Betr matches 100% of your deposit up to $500. They promote higher payouts, which is something I’ll try out myself also. Betr Picks is a new way to enjoy fantasy sports where you can pick your favorite players’ stats to win up to 100x your entry! You can select up to 8 picks for the opportunity to win up to 100X your entry.
