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Unfortunately for South Carolina sports betting proponents, there’s nothing new in terms of the state trying to join the other nearly 40 ones in the USA that have legalized things. Come March 11, you can go ahead and add another state to the list of finalizing things: North Carolina. That’s right, things have just gotten locked in for the Tar Heel State and there’s no question that North Carolina setting its betting launch puts pressure on South Carolina.
These two states are neighbors and there’s definitely a bit of a rivalry there. However, North Carolina has been the one to move forward with things and South Carolina can’t seem to get out of its own way. Any recent attempt by South Carolina to move forward with sports betting has been a total waste of time. Politicians are split on things and no one can seem to get on the same page. So, how will things change moving forward?
It’s hard to say. The big news here is that South Carolina is putting the final touches on getting things all set for their launch. Once March 11 gets here, people all over the state will race to get their online bets in. However, it’s important to remember that North Carolina’s local businesses will surely be affected as well. That’s because people in SC will 100 percent be making their way over to NC to take advantage of the new sports betting laws.
Imagine all of the money that will be used across the border that could have been spent inside of South Carolina. This is something that the state’s governor and people in his office have to think about. Sports betting would be huge from a revenue standpoint, but no one knows when that day will come. People all over the state want to see it get done as soon as possible, but there’s not a lot of optimism there. However, the same can’t be said for folks in North Carolina.
NEW: Sterl Carpenter of the North Carolina Lottery says eight sports betting operators are working toward licensure for March 11, the first day of online wagering in the state
— Steve Bittenbender (@BittGDCG) February 19, 2024
No March Madness betting in South Carolina will be brutal
As we get ready for the spring to get here, it’s unfortunate that no March Madness betting in South Carolina will be brutal. There are no pro teams in the state, which means extra attention goes to the college game. As big as college football is, don’t forget that NCAAB betting would also be unreal for SC, but no bets in the state will be recorded. This makes the fact of the SEC Tournament being right around the corner also being brutal.
South Carolina is an SEC team and people love seeing them once the conference tournament arrives. There are plenty of eyes on the men’s team, but the women’s team is in the middle of an unreal season. The USC women are currently the No. 1 team in the country and they’re the favorites to win the SEC Tournament. Then once the Big Dance gets here, people are going to be fired up to see if they’ll be able to win the National Championship.
Back to the men, they’re the No. 20 team in the country and they just posted a strong win over Ole Miss on Saturday afternoon. This team’s confidence is riding high right now and they’re showing no signs of slowing down. This is going to be major for them once March gets here. There’s still a handful of games left in the regular season, but fans across the state can’t wait to see what they’ll be able to get done in the postseason.
As a whole, there’s tons of excitement surrounding the men’s and women’s teams for South Carolina, which is why plenty of illegal wagers are expected for March Madness. Now, though, people will definitely be ready to travel to North Carolina to get their bets in that way. That’s a big-time loss for the state and the anger keeps on growing for people in the state. South Carolina will hope to get things done by 2025, but honestly, we have no clue what will happen here.
Those South Carolina boys. 🤙#Gamecocks🐔🏀 // #ForeverToThee pic.twitter.com/VCHTWjThNR
— Gamecock Men's Basketball (@GamecockMBB) February 24, 2024
Illegal NFL betting was an issue for South Carolina this year
In more disappointing news, illegal NFL betting was an issue for South Carolina this year. That’s not a total shock, as football is a giant from the late summer to the early winter. While yes there’s no pro NFL team in the state, people still pay close attention to the Carolina Panthers over in Charlotte. It was a down year for the Panthers, as former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young didn’t live up to the hype at all and he looked pretty darn rough during his rookie campaign.
However, countless players from USC have gone on to play in the NFL and people in South Carolina will always keep a close eye on them. With the NFL Draft around the corner in April too, people would have loved the chance to check the NFL betting odds for where some local players might end up. As you know by now, that’s not going to be on the table. Hopefully that’ll change by next year, but again, no one knows how things will shape out.
