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What will end up happening with the Oklahoma sports betting push this year? Things remain totally up in the air, but Governor Kevin Stitt is still doing everything he can to try and get things done down the road. While it would take a while to get things set up, the hope is that legalization will be finalized sooner rather than later. Having said that, the fact of the matter is that Oklahoma has strong odds to legalize sports betting this year.
Believe it or not, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas have given people the opportunity to bet on which state will legalize sports betting next. As things stand, Oklahoma has the best odds of the 12 states who are yet to legalize betting. Oklahoma has +300 betting odds to get the project done later this year. Behind them at +500 is Minnesota. Stitt has made it quite clear he wants to see this happen, but he also understands that there are some people trying to get in his way.
“I promised Oklahomans if we pursued sports betting, we would do it right – and this plan does just that,” Stitt said in a release on the new bill presented for legal sports betting to arrive in Oklahoma. “Thirty-five states have already legalized sports betting, and it’ll be a great revenue stream for the state.”
Since Stitt released his plan, three more states in the USA have managed to get things approved. He knows the betting potential is there, which is why he wants to try and get Oklahoma to join everyone else. It’s not going to be easy, as Stitt still needs to try and get on the same page as the local tribes. However, the good news here is that the belief is that Oklahoma could be close to making history happen for sports fans. It will be interesting to see what happens, but some people are confident here.
The news never ceases some days. Now we've got Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt unveiling his plan for legal sports betting in the state:https://t.co/EqX4zzOkkz pic.twitter.com/jgUFtQuPkc
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) November 2, 2023
Oklahoma is bracing for illegal NFL Draft activity
With things still a bit up in the air for the betting future, Oklahoma is bracing for illegal NFL Draft activity. This is a problem for the state every year, as is NFL betting during the regular season and postseason. The draft is so popular because players from both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State end up hearing their names called to go play at the professional level. This April will be no different, with plenty of top prospects in the mix.
Although he finished his career with the USC Trojans, Oklahoma Sooners fans are still keeping close tabs on quarterback Caleb Williams, who was a 5-star signee with OU out of high school. Williams is considered one of the best quarterback prospects of the past decade. With that said, he’s got the best NFL betting odds to hear his name called No. 1 overall. If that happens, he’d end up suiting up for the Chicago Bears next season.
Caleb Williams’ 2023 highlight tape is one of the best we’ve seen in awhile 🔥
— The Players' Lounge (@ThPlayersLounge) April 4, 2024
We know the Bears will use the first overall pick on a quarterback — they traded Justin Fields to the Steelers last month — and Williams is a safe bet to be the answer under center,” ESPN said of Williams in a new mock draft. “His dazzling playmaking ability will travel to the NFL, and he’d be set up for early success with an enviable wide receiver duo of DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. Chicago might even be able to further improve his supporting cast with its second top-10 selection at No. 9.
Regardless of whether Williams goes No. 1 or not, people in Oklahoma are going to be betting a lot of money on his future. Unfortunately for lawmakers and officials, any bet that gets posted on Williams or any other prospect will be an illegal one. This is something Stitt knows all about, which is why he’s working overtime to try and have the laws changed in the near future. The hope is that by the next NFL season, legal betting can be put in place and money will be exchanged in a regulated fashion.
Kevin Stitt thinks his sports betting plan will work in Oklahoma
While the tribes are against things, Kevin Stitt thinks this sports betting plan will work in Oklahoma. The main issue for him right now, however, is that the local tribes indeed are not ready to back him. They have felt insulted for a little while because Stitt did not reach out to them before he made his betting plan public. This was a shock for a lot of people, as Stitt had to know that this was not going to help improve his relations with the tribes.
However, Stitt has a ton of backing from officials in Oklahoma and there seems to be a lot of buzz around sports betting getting done either this summer or fall. A dream would be for legal betting to be put on the table by the time the football campaign arrives, but that’s unknown. Regardless, Stitt is ready to push forward with things. Soon enough, we’ll find out if this latest attempt for Oklahoma proves to be a successful one or not.
