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Once again for Texas sports betting news, we’ve reached another Super Bowl week where things are not legal for the state. At this point last year, people were hopeful that 2023 would finally be the year where things get done, but it’s now looking like 2025 will be when things, at the earliest, will get done. This is disappointing for so many people out there, including owners of pro teams. With that said, once again, Jerry Jones is hoping legal Texas sports betting arrives soon.
In a recent interview with the media, Jones, for what feels like the 100th time, made it more than clear that he’s a proponent of the Texas sports betting push. Jones, along with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and others, is part of the Texas Sports Betting Alliance, which has been in place since 2021. The alliance is being used to try and get legal betting allowed as soon as possible, though plenty of roadblocks have shown up. Will that change soon for Jones and Co.?
Sports gaming is probably in half the states in the United States. It’s not in Texas, but it is in the United States,” Jones said not long ago. “Now, that’s different from location, gambling, casino, that kind of thing. But we have great relationships with that industry in Oklahoma. And so I’m very much a proponent of what that does for sports. But I’m more of a proponent of having it controlled, having it regulated, having it with accountability.”
Jones knows all too well that illegal betting in Texas has been a major issue for the state, which is another reason he’s all for things being made legal. In terms of NFL betting, things would be massive for Texas. Jones knows this and he would love nothing more than for people to be able to place bets on the Dallas Cowboys whenever they’re in action. Nothing will happen this year, but Jones is ready for this project to finally get done in 2025.
The Pick Six King 👑@DaRon_Bland’s top 10 plays of 2023 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/levWInj5nS
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) February 8, 2024
Illegal Super Bowl bets will be quite high in Texas this weekend
Unfortunately for Jones and others, illegal Super Bets will be quite high in Texas this weekend. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are all set to go to battle in Sin City with the Lombardi Trophy on the line. All week, people all over the world, including Texas, have been checking the NFL betting odds for this matchup. As things stand, the 49ers are considered small Super Bowl betting favorites to come out on top.
However, Patrick Mahomes has strong Super Bowl MVP odds and he’s hoping to win his third ring. Mahomes has been playing incredibly well this postseason and the same can be said for the rest of the team. While the Chiefs are known for their electric offense, there’s no question that KC’s defense is going to have to step up with San Francisco next up on the schedule. Brock Purdy is playing with a chip on his shoulder, while Christian McCaffrey is one of the best running backs out there.
WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!!
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 28, 2024
With all of that said, people in Texas are going to find ways to bet on the game on Sunday. It doesn’t matter if it’s through an illegal bookie or an off-shore account – people in Texas are excited for this game and they want to be part of the betting action. This is something that authorities are fully aware of, but trying to stop everything from happening is much easier said than done. This is why Jones is all for regulated betting to make its way to the state.
Throughout the season, countless illegal bets were placed on the Cowboys. Dallas ended up winning the NFC East this year, but a rough showing in the Wild Card Round against the Green Bay Packers resulted in an early exit. Although the Cowboys won’t be playing in the Super Bowl this winter, that doesn’t mean bets won’t be sky-high. Unfortunately, every single bet that’s placed within state lines will be an illegal one.
Texas is eyeing 2025 for legal sports betting
As we mentioned above, Texas is eyeing 2025 for legal sports betting to get done. A bill has been pre-filed already, but there are still a ton of loops to get through. The biggest issue here is that there are a ton of Republicans who don’t want to see legal betting arrive. Why? We wish we had an answer for you, but politicians are putting up a fight to move forward with this. From our chair, this doesn’t make an ounce of sense. Sports betting would bring in a ton of revenue for the state.
Despite people fighting the idea, there are plenty of people on board with legal sports betting. It surely helps that powerful people like Jones and Cuban are ready to do what’s needed to try and help Texas make history. If betting isn’t legalized in 2025, then we might have to wait until 2027 for betting to arrive. This is something sports fans are fearing and they don’t want that to happen.
