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Here we are in April of 2024 and no positive Texas sports betting news has come in. It’s been a major disappointment for a lot of folks, as there was hope that the project would be given the green light by now. However, that’s not the case and it’s totally up in the air if things will get done by 2025 or not. Unfortunately for a lot of proponents, they’re not feeling good about things, especially with the fact that Texas Millionaire Mattress Mack isn’t optimistic at all for legal sports betting.
Mack is one of the most popular betting figures in the state, as he has joined Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban as a major supporter of getting the laws changed in Texas. However, in a recent interview, Mack said that he doesn’t think that sports betting will become legal in Texas in 2025. Should that be the case, then people in Texas would likely have to wait until 2027 at the earliest for things to get done. That’s something that everyone is hoping to avoid.
A sports betting bill has already been pre-filed in Texas, but plenty of obstacles are in the way of things getting done. Mack didn’t seem too bummed about his predictions, as he has been known for traveling to different states to get his bets in. Mack has been seen in Las Vegas and Louisiana quite a bit in recent years for his sports betting needs. He’s a massive Houston Astros fan, which leads to him checking the MLB betting odds consistently for his favorite team.
Mack is one of many people who leave Texas to place sports bets. With Louisiana being right across the border, it has resulted in a lot of people leaving the state to head there to put money down for sports action. There are a lot of sports fans who are pushing to get things done in Texas, with the long list of course including Mack. However, the belief has potentially never been lower that lawmakers and officials will be able to get things done by next year. It’s a major bummer, no doubt.
The relentless pursuit of baseball’s biggest prize. #Relentless pic.twitter.com/EyO1av3gaE
— Houston Astros (@astros) February 8, 2024
Illegal Rangers and Astros bets will be flowing this spring and summer
One major issue that Texas officials need to keep in mind is that illegal Rangers and Astros bets will be flowing this spring and summer. Opening Day officially arrived last week and the excitement for the season has been through the roof ever since. This included a four-game series between the Astros and Yankees in Houston. We don’t have to tell you that this was easily one of the best matchups to open the season.
In a major stunner, New York posted a clean series sweep. In the four wins for the Yankees, lefty slugger Juan Soto was nothing short of brilliant, making plays both at the plate and with his strong right arm. Soto is one of the best players in the bigs and he proved how good he can be for the Bronx Bombers in Houston. Having said all of that, with the Yankees and Astros facing off, there’s no question that a ton of illegal bets were posted in the area on the action.
The same can be said for the Rangers, as Texas won the World Series last year. They may not currently have the best World Series betting odds, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that there’s going to be a ton of betting attention on this team throughout the season. The Rangers are hoping to win the AL West over the Astros, but that’s a task that is certainly easier said than done.
It will be interesting to see how the year goes for both teams, but there’s no doubt that a lot of illegal activity will be present in Texas for the MLB action. Mack will be taking his betting talents to different states, but that’s not what a lot of other people will decide to do. The need for regulated, legal betting is there for Texas. However, the more the state waits to move forward with things, the worse the illegal activity will get across the board.
Rangers fans, you're not dreaming!
The 2023 World Series ring is here. 💍 pic.twitter.com/nS5j6KOoMT
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) March 30, 2024
Texas sports betting must be a priority moving forward
With all of the latest updates that have come out, folks are adamant that Texas sports betting must be a priority moving forward. If you take a look across the USA, there are 38 states that have legalized sports betting. By the end of this year, that number is expected to increase to around 40. Despite that, Texas still hasn’t been able to move forward at all. If anything, people think another delay will be on the way.
That simply can’t be the case. From our chair, this indeed should be a priority for Texas. The state is one of the biggest in the country, with plenty of incredible professional and college teams. People have been begging for legal sports betting, but nothing has gotten done. If we have to wait until 2027, it would be a disaster from a potential revenue standpoint as well. This is something the state Senate needs to seriously think about.
