Daily Fantasy Sports, DraftKings Launch in Louisiana Ahead of 2021 Football Season
Daily fantasy sports are live in Louisiana, and just in time for the Saints football season. Sign up at DraftKings below to claim a 20% bonus up to $500!
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DraftKings wasn’t born in the Bayou, but after a long wait, the daily fantasy-turned sports betting hegemon is ready to introduce itself to the state of Louisiana.
On July 15, The LA Gaming Control Board approved DraftKings as Louisiana’s first DFS operator, giving DraftKings a leg up on their main competitor, FanDuel.
For now, those inside Louisiana will only have access to DFS which, with the conclusion of the NBA Finals, leaves PGA and MLB contests for customers to become acquainted with the daily fantasy sports space ahead of the 2021 NFL season.
The sound of helmets clashing will be here soon enough, and there’s no doubt Louisianans will be champing at the bit for some daily fantasy football, both CFB and NFL.
However, the arrival of DraftKings as the first DFS operator will have implications that go far beyond fantasy sports in Louisiana.
Louisiana DFS History
DraftKings’ launch in Louisiana parishes comes nearly three years after voters approved daily fantasy sports in November 2018. Since then, state politics and regulatory barriers have kept DFS out of the bayou. In 2020, the LA Legislature agreed on a DFS tax bill.
Fast forward, and here we are, with Louisianans finally ready to play all things DFS, nine years after DraftKings was founded by CEO Jason Robins and CFO Matt Kalish.
“As DraftKings continues our nationwide expansion, we welcome Louisiana to the DraftKings family, an area rich with culture, heritage, and diehard fanbases in both college and professional sports,” said Kalish in a press release. “The Bayou will now have access to our world-leading daily fantasy sports product as we ramp up toward the kickoff of football season.”
Where’s FanDuel?
According to Sports Handle, FanDuel has not yet been approved “due to ‘complications’ created by COVID-19 shutdowns.”
Next to DraftKings, FanDuel is the other major player in the daily fantasy sports industry. While FanDuel has not received a DFS operating license as of July 22, 2021, there’s little doubt that they’ll be live in the state by the time NFL Week 1 rolls around.
Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees made multiple people DraftKings millionaires during his time in New Orleans. Brees rode off into retirement but don’t doubt Jameis Winston’s ability to deliver major DFS paychecks too.
DFS Tips for Louisianans
The DraftKings lobby might be daunting for those new to DFS, but that’s why RotoGrinders is here.
RotoGrinders has DFS tools, projections, a community forum, and in-depth articles breaking down strategies for all sports. Some of our experts have been playing DFS for as far back as 2011.
Long story short: After you claim this 20% bonus up to $500 by signing up at DraftKings, catch up to speed with everything you need to know to become a profitable DFS player by becoming a RotoGrinders Premium member!
What’s Next? Sports Betting
Louisiana has long been home to riverboat gambling, and there’s even a land-based casino sitting in the heart of New Orleans. Soon, though, there will be online sports betting in Louisiana.
Voters passed a referendum to legalize sports betting in 2020. Like DFS, however, there have been delays. How long until you can wager on sports in Louisiana? There are conflicting reports but lawmakers are optimistic that people will be able to bet on Packers vs. Saints in Week 1. The Saints are currently 1- to 3-point favorites depending on the sportsbook.
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