Best Online Sports Betting Sites in Texas

Author Image Reviewer Image

In Texas, there aren’t any licensed retail or online sportsbooks operating in the state. Fortunately, bettors still have some options thanks to online sportsbooks that operate outside of the US and accept Texas residents looking to bet on popular sports.

This page will cover everything you need to know about the legality of sports betting in the Lone Star State including the top sports betting sites for Texans.

Our Top Sportsbooks

Welcome Bonus 100% up to $1,000 Visit Site Read Review
Welcome Bonus 125% up to $2,625 Visit Site Read Review
Welcome Bonus 100% up to $1,000 Visit Site Read Review
Welcome Bonus 100% up to $1000 Visit Site Read Review
Welcome Bonus 125% up to $1,250 Visit Site Read Review
Sports Betting In Texas Overview

Sports Betting in Texas Overview

Texas is one of the strictest states when it comes to sports betting. In 2023, a sports betting bill made it to the Texas Senate, but Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick struck the bill down before it could be put to a vote. Because the government in TX convenes every two years, legalized sports betting won’t be on the ballot again until 2025.

However, gamblers in Texas can use offshore online sportsbooks to wager on all kinds of popular sports.

Type of GamblingAvailabilityReason
Online Sports BettingOffshore OnlyOnline sports betting is only available
through offshore operators
Retail Sports BettingNot AvailablePrevious attempts to legalize retail sports betting have
been struck down and it is still illegal.
Daily Fantasy SportsAvailableDFS has survived legislators attempts to ban it
Horse RacingAvailableHorse racing is legal at select racetrack locations
shield-with-check

How old do I have to be to wager on sports in Texas?

To wager on sports in Texas, you must use an offshore sportsbook, where the minimum age is 18.

To wager on pari-mutuel horse races at racetracks in Texas, you must be 21.

Best Online Sportsbooks Available in Texas

Best Online Sportsbooks Available in Texas

Our team has identified a few of the best online sportsbooks available to Texas residents. Each betting site has its own specialty, and we’ve ranked them in detail below.

Affiliate Disclosure:
close
At GamblingSites.org, we want to help you pick the best casino or sportsbook by providing you with quality and trustworthy information. If you choose one of our recommendations, we may earn a commission from them at no cost to you.

BetUS – Best For Texas Residents

BetUS Casino
125% up to $2,625 Welcome Bonus
betus screenshot
Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +3 more Baccarat, Craps, Live dealer.
Live Dealer: Yes
Payment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +5 more Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Bank Transfer, Check.

BetUS has stood the test of time in Texas, offering sports betting in the state since 1994. It’s difficult to find any flaws in BetUS’s robust online sportsbook.

Whether you are looking to bet on Texas’ home teams like the Dallas Cowboys and San Antonio Spurs, or you want to bet on niche sports like darts and snooker, BetUS has excellent odds for them all.

BetUS has developed a user-friendly interface with a wide range of standard and live betting lines to choose from. When you click or tap on a sport, you can immediately see not only the current lines for today’s games, but also any future bets or prop bets available for that sport.

No sportsbook accepting Texas-based customers has a more generous welcome offer than BetUS. Texans making their first deposit of up to $2,500 with a minimum of $100 will receive a 100% match bonus in sports betting credits plus an additional 25% in casino bonus credits. The welcome offer for cryptocurrency deposits is even larger at 150% match.

  • Several different welcome bonus options including a 200% crypto bonus
  • 300+ casino games, including slots and live-dealer
  • Sports Betting options include: pro football, college football, live betting and more
  • Same-day payouts up to $5000
  • Limited time (14 days) to clear bonus playthrough requirements
  • Money you wager on casino games does not count towards the loyalty program
  • BetUS is not available in Washington state

Bovada – Best sportsbook for variety of betting options

Bovada
100% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus
bovada screenshot
Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +5 more Craps, Baccarat, Roulette, Keno, Live dealer.
Live Dealer: No
Payment Options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoins +6 more Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Secure Voucher, Bank Transfer, Check.

Sports bettors who play at Bovada have access to dozens of props for every game. This means you could bet on how many points Luka Doncic will score or how many strikeouts Jacob deGrom will have along with the outcome of the game. And as a market-setter, updated betting lines are often found on Bovada faster than on any other Texas sportsbook.

Bovada began offering sports betting to Texas residents in 2011 and has since become one of the most recognizable brands in the sports betting industry. Sports bettors in Texas making their first deposit on the site will receive a 50% match bonus of up to $250 on their first deposit using VISA or Mastercard. Cryptocurrency users can take advantage of a 75% match bonus up to $750 on their first crypto deposit.

  • Multiple welcome bonuses to choose from, including sports, casino, and poker
  • More than 300 slot machines from Rival Gaming
  • Extensive sportsbook with props builder and live betting
  • No fees for withdrawals
  • Dedicated racebook for horse race betting on worldwide races
  • Bitcoin Exclusive membership, regularly offering you more promotions such as 50% reload bonuses
  • Lacks multiple bitcoin withdrawal options

BetNow – Best for beginners with emphasis on low stakes

BetNow
100% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus
betnow screenshot
Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Roulette +4 more Baccarat, Craps, Video poker, Live dealer.
Live Dealer: Yes
Payment Options: MasterCard, Bitcoins, Visa +2 more American Express, Bitcoin Cash.

Launched in 2016, BetNow is one of the newest sportsbooks to start offering sports betting to Texas residents. BetNow offers all of the betting lines for all the popular US sports including NFL, MLB, NHL, and college football. With $1 minimum bets and free-to-enter contests all year-round, there is no need to have a big bankroll to get in on the action.

The same is true for BetNow’s welcome bonus, which caters to smaller initial deposits of as little as $20. Players making their first cryptocurrency deposit will earn a 200% match bonus up to $200. For all other methods, a 150% match bonus is available up to a maximum bonus of $225. This means you can get max-value on a small deposit.

  • Flexible welcome bonuses
  • Weekly NFL, MLB and NBA contests with $10,000 giveaways
  • Comprehensive sportsbook with great odds
  • Great live dealer casino
  • Variety of banking options including multiple cryptocurrencies
  • Lacking slots and table game variety
  • Payout fees and restrictions on some banking options
  • Outdated UI design

MyBookie – Best reload bonuses for Texas-based players

MyBookie
100% up to $1,000 Welcome Bonus
mybookie screenshot
Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +4 more Baccarat, Roulette, Keno, Scratch tickets.
Live Dealer: No
Payment Options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoins +10 more Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Cardano, Dogecoin, MoneyGram, Person2Person Transfers, eCheck, Bank Transfer.

Welcome bonuses benefit when you first sign up at a betting site. A reload bonus is when the online sportsbook rewards you for future deposits. MyBookie offers a 25% match bonus up to $1000 on all your future deposits. The betting site also offers a 200% bonus up to $200 for every friend you refer to the site.

MyBookie has been operating its sports betting services to Texans since 2014. There is no shortage of options here, from popular sports like football and baseball all the way to international sports such as rugby and Aussie rules football.

  • Casino and sports betting site offering the best of both worlds
  • Sports betting bonus of 100% up to $1,000
  • Wide range of cryptocurrency banking options including Bitcoin
  • 130+ slots from BetSoft, Nucleus Gaming, BGaming, and more
  • Impressive selection of table games including craps and rummy
  • High turnover requirements on casino bonuses
  • No live dealer poker games, just an online poker room

XBet – Best value on horse racing betting

XBet
100% up to $500 Welcome Bonus
xbet screenshot
Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Baccarat +4 more Roulette, Video poker, Live dealer, Keno.
Live Dealer: Yes
Payment Options: MasterCard, Bitcoins, Visa +7 more Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Cardano, Tether, Dogecoin, Bank Transfer.

XBet is a great site for horse racing bettors as losing wagers made at the racebook receive an automatic 7% rebate. There is no rollover required on these rebated funds.

You can expect a 50% first deposit match bonus up to $500 at XBet. This comes with a comparatively low 7x rollover requirement. Sports reloads for existing customers come with a 25% match bonus up to $250 with a 5x rollover requirement. This is a great sportsbook for all sports fans in Texas, but especially those who bet on horses.

  • Accepts different cryptos (BTC, ETH, BCH, etc.)
  • Large variety of sports to bet on
  • Great bonuses for both sports bettors and casino lovers
  • Racebook for horse and dog racing
  • Sign up process takes minutes
  • Confusing user interface
  • Small welcome bonuses
  • Limited payout options
How We Choose the Best Online Sportsbooks Available in TX

How We Choose the Best Online Sportsbooks Available in TX

When we review online sports books, we go off our review process guide. Among other factors, we consider deposit and withdrawal options, bonuses, and site security. For Texas betting sites, we also consider the following:

play

Availability in Texas

To be one of the best sites available to sports bettors in Texas, the sportsbook must of course accept customers who are located in the Lone Star State. All of the sportsbooks featured on this page operate outside of Texas, but do offer their services to players who live here.

three-cards

Texas Sports Coverage

From the Dallas Cowboys to the Texas Longhorns, most of the sports teams that play in Texas at both the pro and collegiate levels have loyal and passionate followings. It is important that any sportsbook on this list offers betting lines on all of the local teams that Texans love to bet.

three-arrows

Competitive Odds

The hold percentage or juice is not the same at every betting site or every game. Juice or hold percentage refers to the fee charged by a sportsbook to take the wager. The higher the hold percentage, the more difficult it is for sports bettors to win over time against their betting site.

headset

Customer Support

Customer support is crucial when choosing a site. You may need assistance with deposits, withdrawals, or technical issues. It is important to choose a sportsbook that offers reliable and responsive customer support via phone, email, or live chat. We also look for sites with US-facing customer service and language options in both English and Spanish.

Texas Online Sports Betting Laws

Texas Online Sports Betting Laws

As it stands, sports betting has not been regulated in Texas. There were three pieces of legislation introduced in 2023 that would pave the way for legalized sports betting. They included:

  • HB 1942, which would require sportsbooks in the state to obtain licenses and pay taxes.
  • HJR 102, which would legalize sports betting within the state of Texas.
  • SJR 17, which would create the Texas Gaming Commission to oversee sportsbook licenses and tax distribution.

However, these bills never made it to a vote in the Senate. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick dismissed the movements, stating in a Tweet that, “The Senate must focus on issues voters expect us to pass. We don’t waste time on bills without overwhelming GOP support. HB1942 won’t be referred.”

The Texas legislature meets every two years, with their next meeting scheduled for 2025. Until then, there won’t be any movement to legalized online sports betting. And even when the lawmakers reconvene in 2025, it’s unlikely that any sports betting bill will make it through without majority GOP support. In another Tweet about HJR102, Patrick said, “the House vote on sports betting was carried by a Dem majority. The Texas Senate doesn’t pass bills with GOP in the minority. The GOP majority guides our path.”

If Not Now, Then When Will Sports Betting Be Legalized in Texas?

It’s difficult to say whether sports betting will ever be legalized in Texas. There has been plenty of public support for the legalization, including from Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban and Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones.

A state as large as Texas would generate billions of dollars in sports bets every year, millions of dollars in tax revenue, and create thousands of jobs. It seems logical that sports betting will eventually be legalized in Texas, especially with so many of the state’s neighbors passing legislation in recent years.

However, it’s what they call in politics a “heavy lift.” Until a bill can gain traction, it’s hard to be optimistic about legal sports betting in Texas being available anytime soon.

How TX Sports Betting Compares to Other States

How TX Sports Betting Compares to Other States

Texas is behind the current trend in the United States when it comes to sports gambling. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled in May of 2018 that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which had previously prohibited states from legalizing sports betting, was unconstitutional.

Since then, over 30 states and the District of Columbia have legalized some form of sports betting. Included on this list are four of Texas’s neighboring states:

  • Colorado – Regulated by the Colorado Division of Gaming
  • Arkansas – Regulated by the Arkansas Racing Commission
  • New Mexico – Regulated by the New Mexico Gaming Control Board
  • Louisiana – Regulated by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board

There are currently no land-based retail sports betting options in the state of Texas. Three states that share a border with Texas do offer legal sports betting at retail locations: Louisiana (16 locations), New Mexico (4 locations), and Arkansas (3 locations).

Despite the lack of a regulated sports market, Texans can still access offshore betting sites, such as BetUS and XBet, which are licensed in jurisdictions outside the US, such as Curaçao, Panama, and. Comoros. These sites are available to residents throughout the state.

How Can I Bet Online in Texas?

There are lots of great sports betting options for Texans to choose from. Getting started is easy when you follow these steps:

1
Choose a Sportsbook
How To Image

Pick one of the sportsbooks mentioned on this page. If you aren’t sure where to start, Bovada and BetUS both great options.

2
Begin the Registration Process
How To Image

Click on one of the links on this page to open up the online sportsbook of your choice. You will see the current welcome bonus being offered to Texas residents and will be invited to join.

3
Fill Out the Forms
How To Image

Once you have clicked on “Join” or “Register”, you will be prompted to fill out a form with your personal details including your name, address, contact information, and sign-in data. Complete this form and agree to the terms and conditions.

4
Verify Your Account
How To Image

Depending on which sportsbook you chose, you may be asked to verify your account through text or email. Complete the registration process by verifying with the method required.

5
Log in to Your New Account
How To Image

Once the registration process is completed, you should be able to sign in to your account with the username and password that you selected.

6
Visit the Cashier
How To Image

After you are signed in on your computer or mobile device, you will be able to access the cashier. Do so by clicking on the “Banking” or “Cashier” page and select “Deposit”.

7
Make Your First Deposit
How To Image

Follow the deposit instructions to select how much you want to deposit and which banking method you would like to use. Keep in mind the amount you deposit might determine the amount you receive in welcome bonus funds.

8
Place Your Bets
How To Image

Once your account has been funded, you are all set. Check out the latest Dallas Mavericks or the San Antonio Spurs odds and place your first bet at your new favorite online sportsbook.

Texas Responsible Gambling Resources

Responsible gambling is an important issue for all sports bettors, and there are a number of resources available in Texas to help ensure gambling remains a fun and safe activity. Here are a few local responsible gambling resources:

  • Texas Health and Human Services – The Texas Health and Human Services Department offers a variety of resources for those who are dealing with substance abuse and addiction, including gambling addiction.
  • National Council on Problem Gambling – The National Council on Problem Gambling provides a range of resources and support for those who are struggling with problem gambling. The National Problem Gambling Hotline can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER.

Remember to always gamble responsibly and seek help if you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction.

Texas Sports Betting Sources

Sports Betting Is Not Dead in Texas…

Sports betting in Texas, both in-person and online, is not on the horizon. The efforts in 2023 were struck down, and there won’t be another chance until 2025. Hopefully, Texas legislators will start to feel pressure from neighboring states that have legalized and regulated sports betting.

However, gamblers in Texas can still enjoy offshore sports betting via sites like BetUS or BetOnline. These sports betting sites offer a range of competitive odds, bonuses, and flexible deposit and withdrawal methods. To learn more about which sports betting sites you have at your fingertips, check out our comprehensive list of online sportsbooks.

Author Avatar
About the Author

Isaac E. Payne is an experienced technical blogger, creative writer, and lead content manager at GamblingSites.org. As a published author, he enjoys finding interesting and exciting ways to cover any topic. In his four years on the team, he has covered online gambling and sports betting and excelled at reviewing casino sites. In his free time, he enjoys playing blackjack and reading science fiction.