South Carolina is Missing Out on Football Betting and Data Backs That Up

Peter Lewisby Peter Lewis
Updated: September 14, 2023
South Carolina is Missing Out on Football Betting and Data Backs That Up

We may have to wait another two years for positive South Carolina sports betting news to arrive. The most recent bill that was presented didn’t make it far in the process, which was disappointing to see. With North Carolina launching things this upcoming January, it only adds to the fury for people in SC. With that said, South Carolina is missing out on football betting and data backs that up right now.

According to a report, data was gathered over the opening week of the NFL season to see where there’s a need among states where betting is yet to be legalized. In that report, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri and Mississippi were all named. Interestingly enough, these states have bills on the table that people are hoping can go through. South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi are located in the south, while Minnesota and Missouri are more in the midwest.

While more than 30 states have legalized sports betting, plenty are missing out on potential revenue for their local governments. South Carolina is on the list and this is something that has people upset. South Carolina has tried multiple times in recent years to get things across the board, but bills have failed in legislation. Moving forward, there’s some hope that 2024 will be the year where success is found, but no one knows what will happen.

The fact of the matter, though, is that people in the state have been calling for legal sports betting to arrive as soon as possible. they’re sick of having to travel to outside states to be able to take advantage of both in-person sportsbooks and online betting options. There’s a demand for sports betting in the state, but it will be up to lawmakers and officials to find a way to get it figured out soon.

Illegal bets are flying in for the upcoming Georgia and South Carolina game

With Week 3 of the NCAA football season here, illegal bets are flying in for the upcoming Georgia and South Carolina game. This is an issue for both states, as those illegal wagers are taking place in both places. This is going to be a massive SEC game, which will have people all over the country putting money down for it. Georgia is the No. 1 team in the country and they are heavy favorites to come away with a victory.

What Kirby Smart has been able to do with the program in recent years has been amazing to see, as UGA has won the National Championship Game in back-to-back seasons. With them currently being the No. 1 team in the land too, a lot of people think they’ll be able to do the unthinkable and three-peat in winning the natty – they hold the top NCAAF betting odds to do so. However, plenty of teams will hope to record an upset against them this season, with South Carolina hoping to get that done.

With this game being a big-time conference one, the wagers are already flowing in. People in South Carolina are forced to either place their bets through an illegal bookie, or use an off-shore account. Just like the other states where sports betting is illegal, this has become a massive problem. It’s also furthering the proof that there is a huge sports betting market in the state and legal options should be made available.

Georgia officials are experiencing the same kinds of issues, as they’re doing their best to try and shut down as many sports betting rings as possible. The concerning thing is that we’re also seeing these sports betting rings make their way to college campuses as well. Only time will tell if Georgia and South Carolina can get their betting laws flipped within the next few years, but there’s no question that they’re having issues with illegal activity with the NCAAF betting season here.

South Carolina will lose out on money thanks to North Carolina betting too

In the coming months, you have to remember that South Carolina will lose out on money thanks to North Carolina betting too. As of now, it’s looking like NC will launch things on Jan. 9, right in time for the end of the NFL regular season and the NFL postseason right around the corner. This is going to lead to plenty of people traveling to North Carolina for tourist purposes. More than likely, this will lead to people crossing state lines from SC to NC, which no one in the state wants to see happen.

This will result in local businesses seeing some of their clients spend their money outside of the state because they want to place some in-person and online sports bets. Do you see the issue here? Sports betting would provide the South Carolina economy with a needed boost. Some of that money from the revenue could go to needed resources too. All in all, the longer SC waits to get the green light for betting, the more dough they’ll be missing out on. It shouldn’t be this hard to figure out.

Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis Jr. comes from Mississippi where he and his family spend their days discussing college football, baseball and basketball. He's written sports journalism for years after studying journalism at a local university. Over time, Peter has cultivated extensive knowledge covering sports betting legislation across the country. He closely tracks the latest regulatory developments and provides key insights into their impacts. Peter also offers sharp MLB betting analysis, leveraging stats and trends to identify value on matchups.

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