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To the surprise of many, legislators were successful in pushing Tennessee sports betting forward in 2019. Sports betting in Tennessee is now live, with all legal betting in TN taking place at online sports betting sites.

Tennessee Online Sports Betting Promotions

As of November 2020, online sports betting is legal in the state of Tennessee. This page will serve as your all-encompassing guide to TN mobile sports betting, including where and how to get the best Tennessee sports betting promo codes and bonus offers.

Tennessee Online Sportsbooks

There is no limit to the number of mobile sports betting sites that can become licensed in Tennessee. Hopefuls are required to pay a non-refundable $50K application fee, submit a collection of documents, and be ready to fork over the annual $750K licensing fee.

BetMGM

A titan of online and brick-and-mortar gaming alike, MGM is all systems go for Tennessee. BetMGM, the online extension of the globally recognizable brand, is live and online in Tennessee as of November 1, 2020.

In the time since PASPA was overturned, BetMGM has been one of the most active legal sports betting operators in the United States with books already open in numerous states including New Jersey, Indiana, Michigan, and Colorado. A clean website, easy to use mobile app, great promotional offers, and quality pricing awaits TN users.

BetMGM is the primary iGaming brand for ROAR Digital, which is a hybrid venture of GVC Holdings and MGM Resorts. The site benefits from the experience and strong financial backing of both established companies.

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings Sportsbook is live in yet another iGaming market as of November 1, 2020.

The popular DFS site turned sportsbook and casino is primed for success in the Volunteer State. As the nation’s first online-only betting market, DraftKings won’t have to contend with brick-and-mortar opponents – and can capitalize on its already impressive name recognition.

The site is already available in virtually every legal market in the United States and brings TN bettors access to excellent promotions, prices, and a leading mobile betting product.

FanDuel Sportsbook

Like its DFS brethren, FanDuel is also live with online sports wagering in Tennessee as of November 1, 2020.

FanDuel is a part of Flutter Entertainment, one of the world’s largest gaming entities, and has used that backing to cement itself as a top sports betting operator throughout the U.S. The site offers a healthy lineup of promotions, including bonus bets and odds boosts that set it apart from the competition.

Tennessee Action 24/7

Tennessee Action 24/7 has tossed its hat in the ring as a surprise addition to the TN sports betting scene. Owned and operated by native Tennesseans, the site has overcome some early struggles to become a local favorite. Action 24/7 offers mobile sports betting through its own self-powered app, meaning it has not yet partnered with a larger sportsbook company.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Sportsbook is live in Tennessee. Originally launched as William Hill, Caesars purchased William Hill, but axed the brand in the US market in August 2021 to make way for the newly redesigned Caesars Sportsbook, which combines the brand recognition of Caesars with the technology of William Hill.

Now active as Caesars Sportsbook in a plentiful number of U.S. states, Caesars is a force to be reckoned with. Operations in Tennessee began on March 11, 2021 and became Caesars Sportsbook in August of 2021.

Wagr

Wagr is not a traditional sportsbook, where bettors wager against the house. The company decided to go a different route, allowing bettors to use Wagr as a platform to wager against each other in a peer-to-peer format. Think you have a winning bet? Offer it on Wagr. Don’t like the odds offered by the big sportsbooks? Offer your own bet on Wagr and see if someone else wants to take the other side. It’s a creative idea, but there are questions about whether people actually want to bet against each other. We will soon find out the answer.

SuperBook Sports

SuperBook Sports recently launched in Tennessee, its fifth state of operation. Most experienced bettors are aware of the SuperBook brand because of its massive retail sportsbook at the Westgate in Las Vegas. SuperBook is a bit under the radar in the online sportsbook world, but it has created a niche by offering an unprecedented number of prop bets on high-profile sporting events and providing bettors with a quality user experience with competitive odds. SportsBook should do pretty well in Tennessee.

Betly Sportsbook

Betly Sportsbook was already operating in Arkansas, so it made sense for them to cross the Mississippi River and open up their mobile app to bettors in Tennessee. Betly isn’t the flashiest sportsbook, but it does offer competitive odds on all the major sports and is worth checking out for line shopping. We expect Betly to grow and improve, particularly in the areas of available sports and banking options as it enters additional states, so keep an eye on it.

Hard Rock Sportsbook

Hard Rock Sportsbook is already live in several states and has made a name for itself in the sports betting industry. The sportsbook launched in Tennessee on September 6, 2022, just days before the kickoff of the 2022 NFL season.

Fanatics Sportsbook

Fanatics Sportsbook is one of the newest sportsbooks to launch in Tennessee. Backed by the behemoth Fanatics sports apparel brand, Fanatics Sportsbook is expected to make its way toward the top of the sportsbook rankings in Tennessee due to its sports marketing expertise and deep pockets.

ESPN BET

ESPN BET launched in November 2023 with betting available in Tennessee and several other states including Arizona, Michigan, and Illinois. Few brands in sports carry the name recognition of the ESPN brand, and expectations are high for the official sportsbook of the brand.

TN Online Sportsbooks On The Way

As mentioned, there is no cap on the number of sports betting sites in Tennessee. While the sites above have already confirmed their activity in the state, they certainly won’t be the last. While there is still a lot of speculation at this point, expect to see the following offer mobile sportsbooks in TN:

There will surely be some surprises along the way. Watch this space for updates once more information becomes available.

The Basics of Sports Betting in TN

Age

It’s pretty straightforward, you have to be at least 21 years old to wager on sports in Tennessee. No exceptions. 

Location

In order to participate in TN sports betting, well, you have to be located in Tennessee. Bettors using web browsers will be required to install a geo-tracking plugin to prove their location. Phones and other mobile devices are a little easier as they come with built-in GPS chips that can tick this box. 

It is worth noting that you don’t have to actually live in Tennessee to bet on sports in the state, you just need to be physically present within its borders.

Restrictions

Tennessee added a few specific restrictions to its sports wagering bill. If you fall into any of the following categories, Tennessee online sportsbooks can’t accept your action:

Essentially, anyone that has the ability to potentially affect the outcome of a sporting event is barred from betting. Offenders will be penalized with misdemeanors. Class C, B, and A for first, second, and third offenses.

Registration

Tennessee law requires licensed operators to use systems that will allow them to do all of the following:

The last 4 digits of your Social Security Number will be required as well, for both taxes and as a confirmation of identity. This isn’t just a Tennessee requirement, it is mandatory throughout the U.S.

You’ll only be allowed to have one account on each licensed sports betting site. In-person registration at kiosks around the state was initially proposed but thankfully removed from the bill before it became a law.

Deposits and Withdrawals at TN Sportsbooks

Deposit and withdrawal methods will vary depending on the legal sports betting site. Generally speaking, the more variety, the better. The current law specifically references:

Most U.S. states with online sports betting rely on the following:

Other states also typically allow bettors to deposit, and cash out in person at the casino cage that partners with its online sportsbook. Unfortunately, since the Tennessee bill only covers online betting and there are no casinos in the state to partner with, this won’t be possible. In its absence it is likely sites will provide access to numerous, easy, and safe mobile deposit/withdrawal options.

Tennessee Land-based Books

Long story short: There aren’t any, and there won’t be any without further legislation. All betting in Tennessee will be done over the internet. The Tennessee Gaming Act was the first of its kind, permitting online-only wagers and excluding retail sportsbooks. The lack of brick-and-mortar options isn’t expected to impede the popularity of sports wagering though. States like New Jersey, which supports both online and land-based sportsbooks, currently accepts more than 80% of its bets online.

The Rules

The decisive bill, HB 1, arrived on Gov. Bill Lee’s desk on May 24th, 2019. Despite a personal belief that gambling expansion wasn’t needed, he recognized its importance to other legislators and allowed it to become law without his signature.

In November 2019 the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation released a draft of potential rules and regulations for betting in Tennessee, and then opened them up to a period of public comment. They listened to feedback until early 2020, and then the Lottery and a nine-member advisory board took time to iron out the final details. A number of controversial terms had been proposed, including a disastrous 15% hold which would have served as a serious setback to Tennessee’s sports betting industry. After protest and review, the final terms are better, but still not the best.

In April 2020 the state released its official rules and regulations for sports betting.

10% Hold

Tennessee’s sports betting market will open with a 10% hold. While better than 15%, the final 10% number is still far from ideal. The term ‘Hold’ refers to the amount that a sportsbook keeps after paying out a winning bet. A 10% hold will cap payouts for bettors at just 90%.

With the 10% hold, operators in Tennessee won’t be able to offer the best prices. It makes wagering in other states, offshore, or with illegal local bookies a little more appealing. For comparison, other U.S. markets average around 7.5%, while in Nevada the hold is typically just 5%.

Thankfully, the advisory board indicated that the 10% number could be revisited in a years time. Bettors in Tennessee should keep their fingers crossed that it is, and that common sense eventually prevails.

No College Props

Betting on college sports is allowed in Tennessee. However, you can’t bet on individual college props. So you won’t be able to bet on the Vols QB throwing for more than 250 yards, or a Vandy big man grabbing more than 7 rebounds in a basketball game, etc.

TN Sports Betting Legislative Landscape

Discussions about legal sports betting in the Volunteer state began in 2018 but really started picking up steam in early 2019.

Here is a brief snapshot of Tennessee’s legislative landscape as it pertains to sports wagering:

PASPA

Sports betting has exploded in the United States ever since PASPA, a 30-year-old law that essentially outlawed sports betting in all but a few states, was deemed unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. New Jersey led the way opening its doors to sports betting almost immediately after the May 2018 decision. Since then, many more states including West Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania have all started taking bets.

Tennessee Sports Gaming Act

Tennessee Sports Betting Outlook

In a historic move, Tennessee was the first state to pass a “mobile-only” sports betting bill. After Tennessee’s sports betting rules were officially finalized in April, online sportsbooks were allowed to begin operating on November 1, 2020.

History of Tennessee Sports Betting

There really is not much to say about gambling in the Volunteer State. For most of Tennessee’s history, they have managed to keep legal gambling outside of its borders. There are only three forms of gambling allowed, and compared to other states that already have or are looking into sports betting, these options are relatively tame.

The state lottery was approved by voters in 2002 and lottery games began in 2004. Revenue from the lottery never really took off like the legislators hoped it would, and the state’s top games rarely exceed $1 million. There are six different draw games to choose from and hundreds of scratch cards that can be purchased from retail shops and kiosks spread throughout the state.

Gambling in TN

The closest we get to retail gambling in TN are the several horse racing venues throughout the state. The popularity of the race tracks has steadily declined since the early 1990s and revenue has never broken $10 million. The state recently approved interstate simulcast racing and off-track betting.

There are also some charitable gambling options in Tennessee. Charity raffles and raffle-style games are legal as long as the money goes to a state-approved charity such as political, religious, or civil causes. The laws are very strict and do not allow other forms of gaming such as bingo, poker, or even casino nights for charity. Even the raffles are restricted; 50/50 raffles are expressly banned and with any raffle that is held, the funds must go 100% to the charitable organization.

Most states have an exemption for games of skill, but this is not true in Tennessee. They define gambling in the criminal code as:

“Wagering anything of value for a profit whose return is to any degree contingent on chance, or on any game of chance associated with casinos, not limited to slot machines, roulette wheels, and the like.”

All gambling devices are prohibited in TN. For example, a card shuffler could warrant a $50 fine.

The fact that a gambling-averse state like Tennessee, with a Governor who was opposed to gaming expansion, was able to get a bill across the line shows a need for revenue. The Tennessee Sports Gaming act was a massive breakthrough.

Tennessee Sports Betting FAQs

Is sports betting legal in Tennessee?

Yes! Effective July 1, 2019, Tennessee officially legalized sports betting. Gov. Bill Lee allowed the bill that legalized betting in Tennessee to become law without his signature. Four online sportsbooks began operating on November 1, 2020, with many more likely to come.

Where can I place a sports bet in Tennessee?

You can bet online with any licensed online sportsbook, from anywhere in the state of Tennessee.

Unfortunately, there are no retail sportsbooks, nor will there be any. Tennessee legalized online-only sports betting.

What sports can I bet on?

All professional and collegiate sports are present on Tennessee sports betting sheets. From the Super Bowl to March Madness – they have it all.

When did TN sports betting go live?

Tennessee’s sports betting rules were finalized in April 2020. Both Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Education Lottery have given the go-ahead.

The online sports betting industry launched in Tennessee on November 1, 2020.

What is the legal age to engage in Tennessee sports betting?

Those 21 years or older can bet on sports in Tennessee.

What types of bets can I make?

Bettors in Tennessee can wager on all of the following… and plenty more:

(Top Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports)