Tennessee became the first state to legalize online sports betting alone, and the absence of in-store betting has allowed the sports betting infrastructure to develop quickly in the Volunteer State.
With no retail betting operations in Tennessee, state governors are taking somewhat of a risk in their attempts to get more people betting on sports, but they have managed to attract a steady stream of online punters thus far.
Exorbitant tax legislation placed on Tennessee sports betting sites has made headlines, and their approach is certainly different.
However, having only been in operation since November 1st, 2020, sports betting in Tennessee is still in its primitive stages.
Legality of Sports Betting Apps in Tennessee
Tennessee has somewhat broken the mold in the sports betting app offering it offers in-state punters, and it could well have set the blueprint for other states moving forward.
In-store physical betting remains illegal across the state of Tennessee, so punters can only use online sports betting.
The aftermath of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, passed in the summer of 2020 by the US Supreme Court, presented the opportunity for Tennessee’s governors to implement an online-only sports betting platform, and it appears to have captured the imagination of Tennessee’s punters.
Online sports betting launched and became legal on November 1st, 2020, and has continued to grow in notoriety over the corresponding months.
Market experts have coined Tennessee the ‘fastest growing sports betting market in America’, and it is comfortably surpassing $200 million of sports betting revenue monthly.
Due to the nature of the online-only restrictions in place in the Volunteer State, new players have to adhere to the age and identity verification requirements. Like most states across America, punters have to be 21 years of age to place a bet on a sports betting app in Tennessee.
Tennessee Online Sports Betting
The online sports betting and betting app landscape is the only medium available to punters in Tennessee. Consequently, the sports betting apps offered within Tennessee are a movable feast.
In February 2021, Tennessee became only the seventh state in the US to surpass $200 million in revenue in one month. Considering that sports betting has only been legal in Tennessee since November 2020, the growth of the sports betting industry in Tennessee has been meteoric.
Whilst Tennessee has been shrewd in its decision to look to offer online-only sports betting markets, they have placed some restrictions on punters:
- Inside State Lines – Most states across the US look to protect themselves and punters by introducing the state lines rule. Geolocation technology is used to track the whereabouts of players when betting in Tennessee, and only those physically inside the state can place a bet through a sports betting app. All online betting companies/casinos will look to track the whereabouts of any given punter before accepting any funds or bets from them. There is no requirement to be a Tennessee resident; however, visitors to the Volunteer State can open an account and place a bet.
- Stringent Remote Registration – As Tennessee has become the first state to offer online sports betting, opponents have raised key questions about the safety and security of sports betting within the state. All of the significant sportsbooks operating in Tennessee possess state-of-the-art age and identity verification technology to ensure that players are gambling legally online.
The cost associated with becoming a sports betting app provider in Tennessee is one of the largest in the country, with companies expected to fork out over $100k to acquire an online sports betting license.
Consequently, only the major bookmakers in the US have ventured into the Tennessee sports betting market as yet. Still, with millions of dollars of revenue earned in just a few months, plenty of other sportsbooks are likely to want a piece of the pie in the Volunteer State.
Who Can Bet on Sports in Tennessee?
The rules associated with sports betting in America are interchangeable from state to state. The absence of a national framework for states to follow gives lawmakers in each state tremendous autonomy.
Tennessee has quickly established itself as one of the biggest sports betting states in the country, and its online-only approach appears to be paying dividends for punters and sportsbooks alike.
Like most states, punters must be at least 21 years of age to legally place a sports bet in Tennessee legally, and adhering to all of the relevant verification processes with each sportsbook is a prerequisite for every punter.
The geolocation technology used by betting companies in Tennessee makes it very easy to enforce the state boundary betting rules. To access the betting markets, punters must be situated in the Volunteer State.
However, punters do not need to be residents of Tennessee to bet there; the regulations work on the gambler’s physical location at the time a bet is placed.
Tennessee Online Betting Sites & Apps
Having changed the sports betting landscape with their decision to offer an online-only sports betting platform, Tennessee has some of the biggest sports betting apps in the world, providing betting markets in the state.
Presently, only three companies operate in Tennessee, and the astronomical licensing fees deter some bookmakers. However, with over $200 million yielded in February 2021 alone, there appears to be plenty of interest in the market.
The sites below are national/international operations and can work independently in Tennessee:
- Fan Duel
- BetMGM
- Draft Kings
Unlike many other states, there is no legal requirement for sportsbooks to affiliate with local casinos to operate in Tennessee, which appears to have loosened the shackles somewhat for the major bookmakers.
The three betting companies offering services in Tennessee are some of the biggest in America. They have all developed ‘Tennessee Only’ sports betting apps to allow people in the Volunteer State to enjoy the plethora of sports betting markets available.
Convenience is key for punters, and the essence of being able to be on the move appears to have been encapsulated in Tennessee, and consequently, the market is booming.
What Sports Can You Bet on in Tennessee?
As a historically conservative state, Tennessee has always enjoyed a strong relationship with sports in America.
With a population of 7 million across the state, Tennessee consistently punches above its weight in American sport, and its geographical position in the heart of the south is very much part of its appeal to sports fans.
Professionally, the Tennessee Titans play out of Nashville and continue to perform consistently in the NFL. Despite being famed primarily for its burgeoning country music scene, Nashville is embracing the sporting revolution, too. The Nashville Predators are a Stanley Cup-winning NHL team that plays its games in the heart of the city.
Nashville Soccer Club has also joined the MLS, adding to the growing number of soccer teams in the state. While 2020 was a tough opening year, they have a platform to build upon in 2021.
A few hundred kilometers away, the Memphis Grizzlies represent the Volunteer State in the NBA with distinction. Despite not having the wealth of sporting teams enjoyed by some other states, Tennessee continues to compete at the highest level.
Despite there being no horse-racing tracks in Tennessee, neighboring Kentucky is one of the biggest horse-racing states in America, and betting on horse racing in the Volunteer State has become a hugely popular vocation.
Betting staples such as tennis, golf, UFC, and horse racing can all be accessed through online sports betting operations in Tennessee, and emerging sports betting markets such as Esports can also be accessed through Tennessee’s sportsbooks.
What Types of Sports Bets Can You Place in Tennessee?
Tennessee offers an online-only sports betting platform, so punters can easily access a multitude of sports bets and markets.
Whilst political and entertainment betting isn’t allowed in Tennessee, all sports betting markets are available, allowing punters to make bespoke bets across their chosen sports.
Straight-win bets continue to be the most popular gambling medium in Tennessee, with packed fixture lists presenting the opportunity to win big.
Accumulator betting has become big business across America, and Tennessee has latched on to that growing trend, with long lists available to punters across a range of sports.
Tennessee prohibits high-school sports betting, but college sports can be bet on. Moneyline bets, parlays, and teasers remain popular.
Online-only betting also presents punters with a plethora of in-play sports betting opportunities, and the growth of the sports betting market in Tennessee is showing no signs of slowing.
