Not only is sports betting legal in Tennessee, but this is an online-only betting state. This has been the case ever since the first online sportsbooks went live back in November 2020. Of course, this is a little late compared to other states. Then again, that’s what makes Tennessee sports betting such a fresh and exciting activity for many. And late to the party doesn’t necessarily mean a subpar experience - far from it. From the 8 sportsbooks that Tennessee currently has, you are assured of some pretty spectacular betting.
When punters see names like DraftKings, Barstool, Caesars, and FanDuel, it’s perfectly normal to feel the butterflies begin. Not only are these some of the biggest and best sports betting brands in Tennessee, but they are also some of the biggest sports betting brands in the nation. And while we’ve shortlisted some of the top sportsbooks here, there are 8 in total, so you've got an adequate choice in Tennessee. In order to register and make an eligible wager with any of them, however, you must be 21+ and a Tennessee resident.
More Tennessee sports betting apps are on the horizon too, so strap on your seatbelts for what’s to come in !
Best TN online sports betting sites for
- Action 24/7 Sportsbook
- BetMGM
- Barstool Sportsbook
- WynnBet
- Twinspires
Latest Tennessee sports betting news
Tennessee Sportsbooks Launch Into 2022 With Record Wagering Activity
Tennessee sportsbooks followed up a record-breaking January with another $23 million in Super Bowl betting, much of which came in February. The flurry of action in January and early February was a strong start to what should be another year of growth for sports betting.
Tennessee’s eight active sportsbooks accepted $386.1 million in wagers in January, up 83% from $211.3 million in January 2021, according to data released Wednesday night by the Tennessee Sports Wagering Advisory Council. January’s total topped the record $375.3 million that was collected in October.
Date: March 9, 2022
If we look back through Tennessee’s relatively short sports betting history, there are some pretty important milestones to cover. Naturally, the launch of the first sportsbooks in November 2020 takes precedence over the rest. This was a huge moment for Tennessee concerning this industry, and it’s fair to say that Volunteer State hasn’t looked back since. And over the last 12 or so months, things have picked up quite drastically. Four sportsbooks went live in 2020, and a further four have joined them in 2021.
Of course, more accessibility for punters in Tennessee has paved the way for more betting activity in general. And in October 2021, the handle in Tennessee surpassed all-time highs when punters wagered a grand total of $375.3 million. This displayed a 46% increase from the previous month, showing that punters really are going all-out in this state. And in terms of the growth from November 2020 to 2021, the figures show an increase of over 185% in terms of the total money staked.
Is sports betting legal in Tennessee for online bets?
100% yes. As it happens, you can only place bets online in Tennessee - no form of retail sports betting has actually been approved. This means that if you want to bet on any professional sporting events, you must do so through one of the approved Tennessee sports betting apps or desktop sites. Then again, many punters prefer this to in-person sports betting. It’s quicker, more convenient, and the variety of betting options is usually much better too. You can already engage in this activity through 8 different sportsbooks, with FanDuel and DraftKings arguably taking the top spot.
From within Tennessee, you can bet on pretty much anything you like. This includes all top-flight US leagues such as the NBA, NFL, NHL, and others. But it also includes horse racing, tennis, golf, boxing, and many other sports that tend to be more popular overseas. This creates a nice blend of domestic and international events for TN sports betting. And while yes, sports betting has only been allowed since November 2020, the market is already hotting up.
That’s why we firmly expect that more sites will launch over the next 12-24 months!
Where to bet on sports in Tennessee?
At the time of writing, you have just one option when it comes to sports betting in Tennessee. This might seem restrictive, but the option you do have is the most convenient, flexible, and accessible across the board. So, here you are:
Online sportsbooks
The one and only choice you have for Tennessee sports betting are online betting platforms. There are 8 currently in existence in the state, and you can sign up at any of them you like. All online platforms are required to have a mobile app in Tennessee, which you can also download and wager from at will. Most online sites have attractive welcome offers, special features such as streaming and cashouts, and the selection of markets is usually far better than it would normally be for in-person betting (not that this is allowed in Tennessee anyway!).
Online sportsbooks available now in Tennessee
Things haven’t exactly exploded concerning the emergence of Tennessee sports betting sites, but we have seen steady progress. And currently, punters have the choice of 8 online sportsbooks, with the first of these going live back in November 2020. So without further ado, let us share a snapshot of your options right here:
Action 24/7 Sportsbook
Action 24/7 is close to the hearts of Tennessee punters because this is a local sports betting brand. That’s right - you won’t find an Action 24/7 Sportsbook anywhere else, and it really is a homegrown speciality. New customers can bag an $800 deposit match by choosing this site, and you can enjoy daily odds boosts, free-to-play betting competitions, and more. Action 24/7 has even managed to combine the social aspect of betting with great odds and markets, which you will find out should you choose to register.
Barstool Sportsbook
Barstool is quickly becoming a household betting brand in North America. It has a presence in several states already, and it has been booming in Tennessee thanks to the $1,000 sign-up bonus open to all new customers. The site also has epic live betting options, parlay boosts, enhanced odds, weekly promotions for existing players, and so much more. Oh, and did we mention that the mobile app for these guys is absolutely fantastic?
BetMGM Sportsbook
When BetMGM gets their hands into something to do with betting, the final result usually turns to gold. After all, the MGM brand is one of the largest in the nation, which is probably why the BetMGM Sportsbook is so spectacular. Customers can kick off their BetMGM journey with a $1,000 risk-free wager, and beyond this, you’ve got access to live sport, daily odds boosts, epic NCAA markets, easy parlays, and so much more.
Caesars Sportsbook
Of all the Tennessee sports betting apps in the market today, we must confess that we like this one the best. As you may know, Caesars acquired William Hill to launch in several US states, and this partnership has turned out rather well. New players can hit the ground running with a special welcome bonus: Get Up To $1,250 On Caesars + 1000 Tier Credits + 1000 Reward Credits®, and the sportsbook itself is impressive, to say the least. Caesars covers all major leagues in a big way, with competitive odds, great market variety, and the overall quality of the betting experience here is right out of the top drawer.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings is one of the most powerful betting brands there is in the USA. All new customers can grab a $1,000 risk-free bet after registering, and once completed, the DraftKings Sportsbook certainly won’t disappoint. It is loaded with top-quality betting markets, as well as live betting, odds boosts, insurance incentives, cashouts, loyalty schemes, and impressive postseason options for multiple leagues. With all of this under one roof, it’s no wonder that DraftKings is one of the leaders of the pack in Tennessee.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel also has a $1000 No Sweat First Bet offer for new customers, only this is achieved through free bets matching the wager amount. And in all fairness, FanDuel is just as good as other top-draw sites like DraftKings and Caesars. The site has some of the best odds we’ve seen, and the iOS/Android apps are fantastic. Should you make use of the range of reload promotions open to existing customers, we have a feeling you won’t feel let down by the generosity of FanDuel!
Twinspires Sportsbook
Twinspires, formerly BetAmerica, has been doing rather well in Tennessee since launching. The Twinspires offer code at this site consists of a risk-free wager up to $1,000, and things only get better from there. Twinspires offers hundreds of markets for major events in the NFL, NBA, and in several top-flight European soccer leagues. This demonstrates some pretty extensive betting options, and Twinspires is one of the few sites to focus pretty heavily on horse racing. That part of the sportsbook operates as a standalone product, which tells you all you need to know really.
WynnBet Sportsbook
WynnBet has been on quite a launching spree across the US over the last 12 months, and Tennessee is another state that the brand has selected. New customers that register with WynnBet promo code can bag a $1,000 risk-free wager, and there are weekly free bets, odds boosts, profit boosts, and more. How about that for generous promotions? And on top of this, WynnBet has an excellent app that supports features like bet builders, cashouts, and there is even a loyalty scheme in place.
What about the legal online sports betting apps?
Just in case there was any confusion about the Tennessee sports betting environment right now, all betting sites come along with a mobile app. This is a requirement according to the legislature set out back in 2019/2020, which is why punters have quite convenient betting options in this state. But this exact area is pretty unique compared to other states. In other parts of the USA, in order for betting sites to launch with a mobile app, or launch at all for that matter, they have to partner with an in-state casino.
Now, if you live in Tennessee, you will know that there are zero physical casinos located within the state. So how does a betting brand actually receive approval to launch these apps? Well, they apply to the in-state lottery governing body, and each individual application is reviewed for eligibility. Of course, each of the 8 live sportsbooks right now has done this, but it does mean that online betting in Tennessee follows a slightly slower process from application to launch.
On the flip side, such a stringent process has led to a pretty consistent quality seen across the board with these apps. They all tend to work pretty efficiently, they support a ton of sports and markets, and bonuses are never far away.
Tennessee online sports betting sites that could be launching soon
Although Tennessee already has 8 live sportsbooks, we don’t believe for a second that the market will stop there. In fact, we would be amazed if more sportsbooks didn’t come to the Volunteer State in the near future. On that note, we have reason to believe that a few major brands are planning to launch in Tennessee over the next 12-18 months. Details of these potential betting sites are given here:
Unibet
Unibet might have come to the US from overseas, but these guys are making a huge push to expand into multiple states. Unibet already has a presence in several other states, so it’s clear that the infrastructure is already in place for this brand. This brand also has a bunch of betting features that will appeal to Tennessee punters, including streaming, cashouts, and plenty of bonuses. Of course, this is only available in other states right now, but we would not be surprised if Unibet popped up in Tennessee over the coming months.
PointsBet
Much like Unibet, PointsBet is a major name that operates in the US within other states. In fact, in most states where you see names like DraftKings and FanDuel, PointsBet is also present. Tennessee is clearly an exception, which is why we anticipate that PointsBet could be planning a launch in this state before long. And from what we’ve seen from PointsBet offerings in other states, there could be a huge welcome bonus for new customers once this site goes live.
PointsBet even offers a unique way of spread betting, which punters have already fallen in love with elsewhere.
Other things you should know about online sports betting sites in Tennessee
Opening a new sports betting account in Tennessee
It is a piece of cake to open a brand new betting account in Tennessee. Since this is an online-only betting state, you are forced to register via the most convenient channel possible. This means that registering for a new account can be done through any of the approved desktop sites or mobile apps listed earlier. You will need to establish your login details, including a username and password. In addition, you will need to provide personal details such as your full name, address, SSN, DOB, as well as a cell phone number and email.
According to Tennessee sports betting laws, you can open an online betting account as long as you are over the age of 12. You must also be a resident of Tennessee, which can be confirmed by sending through (by email) a recent utility bill or bank statement. Your date of birth must also be confirmed by emailing the team with proof of ID. Once verified, you can then continue to enjoy your chosen site with absolutely zero restrictions. Most of the time, you must verify your account before withdrawals are permitted too, which is another thing to think about.
What kind of welcome bonus can you get with a Tennessee sports betting operator?
Welcome bonuses are always an important consideration before you decide to join any betting site. These bonuses are the largest of all sports betting incentives, so you better make sure you choose a good one! Of course, betting sites provide these incentives because they want to ensure that you choose their site over a competitor. This works in your favor as you get a nice selection of fairly rewarding sign-up offers. The bigger the welcome offer, the better your start will be at your chosen sportsbook.
And since there are 8 online sportsbooks currently active in Tennessee, this means you've got 8 online sportsbooks with welcome bonuses to choose from. Our personal choice would be FanDuel since you can get started with a $1,000 risk-free wager. This bonus is also not as restricted as risk-free bets given at other sites, which makes the offer somewhat irresistible. But if you want to go ahead and grab sign-up offers with other platforms, you can.
There are no restrictions concerning how many online betting accounts you can hold in Tennessee. And the more accounts you have, the larger the pool gets for aspects like bonuses, betting markets, and special features. With all of this said, we’d like to take a moment to explain the most common sign up offers in Tennessee:
Free bet
If you see that a betting site is dishing out a free bet, this means that you can grab a free token to make a wager. Usually, you’ll need to first place a wager to unlock such a bonus. And these tokens can vary in value from $5 all the way up to $50 or more. Since these are free bet tokens, by definition, you don’t need to risk any cash to use them.
Risk-free bet
This type of sign-up offer is actually the most common of all when it comes to online betting in Tennessee. As you’ve already seen, sites will issue risk-free bets as high as $1,000 for new customers, which is fairly large! These are different from free bets mentioned above since they carry the promise of a refund if your bet loses - something that standard free bets don’t have.
Deposit match
In order to make a real money wager at any TN sports betting platform, you must deposit funds. That does without saying, but it’s worth considering what the deposit match is at your chosen site before you pull the trigger. This is a one-time-only deal where you can often double your money through a 100% deposit match. Of course, the more you deposit, the bigger the deposit bonus becomes.
Enhanced odds
From time to time, certain online sportsbooks will hand out a major odds boost for a preselected market. This is only open to new customers, and it can mean that the original odds are doubled if not tripled. Sure, some sites will have odds boost features that are separate from this, but the odds won’t be pumped to the same degree. By taking advantage of these sign-up bonuses, you immediately give yourself a chance to win more than usual - that’s if the bet actually wins!
Betting on the most popular Tennessee sports
NFL
Tennessee only has one professional NFL team - the Tennessee Titans. These guys compete in the AFC Division of the NFL, and they have been moderately successful in recent times. This included a Championship run back in 2019, and the team regularly sees impressive spectator numbers when they play at the Nissan Stadium. Of course, the Titans always play a decent number of games throughout the regular season, and you can make both moneyline and live bets on their games when they do. At the same time, you can combine bets on their games with other NFL games to create unique parlays.
Should they play against other major NFL teams, you can usually expect some top bonuses such as free bets or insurance incentives at TN sports betting sites.
NBA
Tennessee also has a single team that competes in the NBA - the Memphis Grizzlies. These guys are usually pretty solid in the NBA, but they have yet to win an NBA Championship. Then again, they regularly make the playoffs, as displayed with the 10 showings they have posted since the team came to Tennessee in 2001. And by nature, the NBA has a ton of matches during regular season play, which means that you have plenty of opportunities to bet on the Grizzlies if you wish to. You can even go and watch their home games at the FedEx Forum Stadium.
In terms of the markets, you can make futures bets on whether the Grizzlies will make the playoffs or not. You can also wager on games when they are live, or make pre-match wagers for handicaps, spreads, individual player points, and so much more.
MLB
Sadly, Tennessee does not actually have a professional MLB team. This means that you cannot go and watch any homegrown teams compete at local stadiums. However, there are rumors that an MLB team could be created in Tennessee in light of recent changes to sports betting legislation in the state. We won’t speculate too much on this issue, as things are very much up in the air right now. With that said, we’d still like to let you know that you can wager on a bunch of other MLB teams since this is a huge league in the US. You can bet on any other games and teams from other states, including both regular season and postseason games.
And thanks to the way in which baseball is played, you can pick and choose some pretty unique markets here. Of course, you can always take a swing at the moneyline market, but then you’ve got handicaps, number of runs, final score, pitcher outs, and so much more.
NHL
Unlike the MLB, Tennessee does have a professional NHL team, and they are pretty successful, we have to say. This team is the Nashville Predators, and they have actually won the conference back in 2017. They are always a force to be reckoned with in the NHL, and at their home games, the atmosphere has been described as one of the liveliest in the entire division. This makes the games a whole load of fun for spectators, but from a betting perspective, things are also pretty desirable. Top Tennessee sports betting sites support a huge number of markets for mainstream NHL games, and bonuses for larger games are pretty frequent.
You can even make futures bets on the Stanley Cup, months in advance, and this keeps the season spicy right the way through until the very end.
MMA
Naturally, there are no sports teams to speak of for MMA. However, individual fights in MMA, mainly through the UFC, do draw in plenty of attention from sports fans and punters. There are usually multiple headline fights held each and every month, mainly taking place in the US in locations such as Las Vegas. Since MMA events aren’t anywhere near as frequent as games involved in leagues like the NBA or NFL, online sportsbooks tend to be a little more generous for when they do happen.
This is true in terms of bonuses, the quality of the odds, and the selection of markets that you can bet on overall. Prestigious fight nights often have several undercard fights to check out too, so actually, the flexibility of what you can bet on is still fairly decent for MMA.
MLS
Until 2020, Tennessee did not have any local interest in the MLS league. But this all changed in 2020 when Nashville SC was established. This was a huge moment for soccer in Tennessee, and it was even better that the team was set to play home games at the Nissan Stadium. Sure, the crowds might not be as large as they are for other sporting events or leagues, but things are looking promising. In 2022, there are reports that Nashville SC might start playing at its very own stadium, but this remains to be seen. You needn’t worry at all about restricted betting options for games involving this team either.
Soccer has so many elements to it that the range of betting markets is usually massive, often boasting hundreds for top-level matches.
NCAA
Tennessee is home to a huge number of NCAA teams. In turn, this means that there is a ton of NCAA betting action to pay attention to. With that said, two sports tend to steal the show, and these sports are basketball and college football. But here’s the problem - you cannot bet on in-state collegiate teams. So while yes, there is a load of NCAA action to watch, you cannot bet on local teams. This doesn’t mean that you cannot bet on NCAA competitions in general, however. You absolutely can, it just needs to be done on teams that are based in other states.
Again, top Tennessee sports betting platforms cover a boatload of collegiate sport, and bonuses are usually whipped up regularly. This always puts a nice bit of excitement into regular and postseason college games!
History of Tennessee Sports Betting
Now that you are fully aware of how sports betting in Tennessee came to be, we’d like to stroll down memory lane. Specifically, we’d like to look at how the industry was birthed in this part of the USA, and believe us, it wasn’t quite as simple as many would lead you to think. Our journey begins in 2019 concerning the path that this law took to what we see today, so let’s start there:
2019 - where it all began
Before we jump in and detail what happened in 2019, it’s worth talking about Tennessee as a whole. With Tennessee being a southern state, attitudes towards certain things are fairly different from what you might get elsewhere. That’s why the state has no casinos that allow gambling, and for sports betting, initial plans included a ban on betting on Sundays for religious reasons. With that said, Tennessee has moved beyond these initial shortcomings, and the idea of sports betting was first entertained at the beginning of 2019.
It didn’t exactly get off to the best start, however, with some state officials putting sports betting in a similar category to slavery. Needless to say, obstacles popped up at every stage in the approval process. Then again, Rep. Rick Staples was relentless in his quest to change the industry in Tennessee, and he sponsored the H1 bill that would ultimately make it through the senate. Like all other bills, it had to be voted in, and fortunately, the bill received a narrow majority.
This was a major win for sports betting in Tennessee, although there was still another twist in the story. Gov. Bill Lee still refused to put his signature on the bill in order to sign it into law. However, according to the bylaws in Tennessee, a bill can be passed and approved without the signature of the Governor. And that’s why sports betting was technically permitted since it passed the vote in the house, which occurred in the summer of 2019.
2020 - sports betting officially launches in TN
Sports betting might have been given the nod of approval in the summer of 2019, but things would take a little longer for sports betting to go live. In fact, the very first sportsbook didn’t launch until more than 12 months later, in November 2020. Obvious economic events did slow down the natural progression, but still, this was one of the slowest starts following the approval of a bill that we’ve witnessed in the US. This would all turn on its head, however, as Tennessee posted the single largest debut month in terms of total bets wagered that any other state has managed to do. Not bad, right?
In total, four sportsbooks launched in the latter stages of 2020, and another four joined them in 2021. This does seem decent on the surface, but there is still a relatively slow ‘application to approval’ process in place in Tennessee. At the same time, things are a little held up because Tennessee is the only state that solely permits sports betting via online channels. And since there are no in-state casinos for brands to team up with, this creates a bit of a bottleneck when applying for a betting license in the state.
All the same, punters are clearly enjoying the betting experience so far. This was particularly evident in October 2021 when more than $350 million was wagered through all channels.
2021 - proof that legalization was the right move
Until the Tennessee sports betting bill was approved, there was a shared opinion among state officials that sports betting didn’t really have a strong interest among residents in Tennessee. However, the figures that this state has posted over the last few months certainly contradict that previously held opinion. Back in August, the state took in more than $140 million in bets, which jumped to more than $250 million in September, and finally - more than $350 million in October. This shows significant adoption and growth of sports betting in the state, and as more sports betting brands join the action, these figures could go much higher!