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The Dallas Mavericks are back in the NBA Finals. They punched their return trip, the first since 2011, by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. Dallas meets Boston in Game 1 on Thursday, June 6.
However, in-state bettors remain barred from betting on the Mavs — unless that bettor goes offshore. But you get what we mean, no licensed Texas app is allowed to run inside the Texas border, despite the state’s obsessive ways with sports, particularly football.
Still, the Mavs’ success has brought Mark Cuban back into the spotlight. He sold a majority stake in the team earlier this year for reasons he never outright said. But we can read the tea leaves and it points one way: using that money to build an all-encompassing sports arena and casino.
Even if Texas lawmakers aren’t moving toward legalization, Cuban’s influence, and more importantly, his increased wealth, make him the key figure in getting things changed. Let’s quickly recap how Cuban got into this central position and how he can single-handedly get gambling of some sort legalized in the Lone Star State.
Cuban Cashes Out Of Mavericks
Cuban is perhaps the most recognizable NBA owner going thanks to a flamboyant personality, constant jabs at former President Donald Trump (more on that soon), and a bit reality TV show, Shark Tank. That’s why most, including us, were shocked to learn Cuban was selling the team — most of it, at least.
At the tail end of 2023, the NBA board of governors officially approved Cuban’s sale of the team to Miriam Adelson, the wife of casino tycoon, Sheldon. It’s believed Adelson bought $3.5 billion for a majority stake in the Mavericks. Cuban maintains a 27 percent stake in the franchise though.
Cuban bought the team for $285 million in 2000 so it’s a king’s ransom of a return. Despite losing majority ownership, Cuban negotiated a deal where he maintains control of team operations — such as coaching and roster moves. That move signals Cuban isn’t riding off into the sunset a few billion dollars richer. Rather, he’s building a war chest for something bigger.
That big move appears to be a casino property. See, the Adelson family specializes in this line of business. They run The Sands corporation, which houses casinos across the world, most famously the Venetian in Las Vegas. They are also mega-Trump political donors. Cuban has constantly attacked Trump and his supporters so he’s letting bygones be bygones in this deal. Why? Because there’s boatloads of money to be made, as we explain in the next section.
Cuban Sells Properties To Adelson Family
Cuban didn’t stop with just ownership equity. No, what flew under the radar was property sales to the new owners in January — weeks after the equity sale became official.
Cuban unloaded one piece of real estate too. This one property in downtown Dallas houses the team’s practice facility. The parcel stretches over a dozen acres in size and is valued at just under $43 million. Both Cuban and the Adelson family have been mum on plans for the newly-bought land.
However, the second sale might offer a bigger hint. The Sands bought a whopping 200 acres — not from Cuban, but from other land owners. The massive plot of land is located in the Dallas suburb, Irving. It’s not far from where the Dallas Cowboys’ former stadium was. This sale was valued at around $36 million.
So why do the Adelson’s need so much land — especially when they can’t legally own a casino there? Well, most likely for a new arena. The team’s lease with American Airlines Arena runs out in 2031. When it does, that’ll mark the 30th-year anniversary of when it started. In sports arena terms, that’s pretty ancient.
But Adelson’s plans are likely more ambitious than that. Not only do they want to own the arena, but the surrounding real estate that will includes bars, restaurants, and quite possibly, a whole casino. Many sports teams have profited big time by creating mini-downtowns around their sports venues and this could follow suit.
The casino is the golden goose though given how profitable they can be, especially in a Texas market that craves legalized betting so much. When this much money is on the line, don’t be surprised to see lawmakers suddenly shift their tone on passing betting regulation (whilst receiving donor money from the Adelson’s and Cuban in the background). For better or worse, this is just how American policy works.
Texans Bettors Go Offshore To Get Action On NBA Finals
As you just read, Texas probably will legalize gambling somewhere between now and 2031. That’s obviously a wide range and probably not comforting to Texas bettors who want action and want it now that the Mavericks are playing for an NBA championship again.
Here’s what you can do if you’re inside Texas reading this and want to get a bet in — hit the offshore online sportsbook market. There’s a litany of offshore betting sites that’ll take your bets. The best part? There’s no geo-blocking of users because you’re in Texas. The offshore sites work, no matter where you’re at.
On the verge of Game 1, Dallas is currently +180 underdogs to win the NBA Finals. That’s one of literally hundreds of bets related to the championship matchup. Visiting an offshore betting site right now will give you a full look at the betting options available.
