Tennessee Betting Sites
Tennessee betting sites are up and running, so we’re here to help you in your search for the best sportsbooks available. Whether you want the latest news on Tennessee’s online gambling status, details on the sports you can bet on, or recommendations for the top betting apps in the state, everything you need is right here.
Is Online Betting Legal in Tennessee?
Yes – online betting on various sports and competitions has been legal in Tennessee since 2019. Legalisation followed the repealing of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, judicially overturned in 2018 to allow individual states to set their own online gambling laws.
Although Tennessee sports betting is legal, there are some important rules to note before you get started:
- You must be 21 or older to bet on sports at a Tennessee sportsbook;
- Punters can only place bets from within the state – sportsbooks use geolocation technology to ensure this is the case;
- You do not have to be from Tennessee to place a bet with a Tennessee sportsbook;
- Punters can only have one sportsbook account at a TN-licensed operator;
- College betting is permitted, but live prop betting on these events is not available;
- Tennessee’s sports betting market is online-only – you cannot place bets anywhere other than at licensed sportsbooks.
Casino gambling in its entirety is illegal in Tennessee. You won’t find any brick-and-mortar casinos within the state, nor any online casinos licensed in Tennessee. There are currently no plans to change this.
Popular Sports to Bet on in Tennessee
Tennesseans have a wide range of sports and leagues available to bet on at Tennessee sportsbooks. Here are some of the biggest and most celebrated competitions here in Tennessee, and in the US more generally.
NFL
The National Football League’s main season runs from September to January, and sees each of the league’s 32 teams play 17 games over an 18-week period. The best teams from the league’s two conferences – the AFC and the NFC – qualify for the postseason playoffs at the end of the regular season. Football fever culminates in the Super Bowl in February, which crowns the best team in the NFL that season. In the NFL, Nashville is home to the Tennessee Titans, who play their home games at Nissan Park.
NBA
NBA betting is a popular option for Tennesseans from October all the way through to June, when the playoffs cap the league champs. There are 30 teams in the NBA, separated into eastern and western conferences; to reach the postseason playoffs, teams must finish in the top eight of their conference during the regular season. Tennesseans are represented in the NBA by the Memphis Grizzlies, who play their games at FedExForum. The Grizzlies are the only team based in Memphis currently competing in one of North America’s top leagues, and the only professional basketball team in the state.
MLB
Although Tennessee isn’t home to a team in MLB, baseball fans will still be treated to plenty of MLB betting markets at Tennessee sportsbooks. The season stretches from late March to the World Series in November, which crowns the league champions at the end of the playoffs. The closest teams to Tennessee in the MLB are the Atlanta Braves (Georgia) and the St Louis Cardinals (Missouri).
NHL
The National Hockey League’s main season begins in October and runs through to April, at which point eight teams qualify for the playoffs: the three highest-placed teams in each division, plus two wild card teams, awarded to the remaining two best-placed finishers, regardless of which division they compete in. Tennessee is home to the Nashville Predators, who play their home games at Bridgestone Arena.
Horse Racing
Since Tennessee operates as an online-only betting state, there are no racetracks in Tennessee where punters can place bets. But horse racing is one of the oldest forms of sports betting, and Tennesseans can legally place bets on any horse racing event through their TN sportsbook account.
Betting Markets Available in Tennessee
Sports betting has progressed to much more interesting stakes than simple win/lose propositions. You’ll be impressed by the number of different ways you can bet and the markets that are available to you at Tennessee betting sites. Here are some of the most common.
Moneyline
The moneyline is that simple win/lose wager, where punters select whether Team A or Team B will win the match. The moneyline itself refers to the mid-way point between the two sides going head-to-head, determining whether one has an inherent advantage over the other. Betting below the moneyline is the same as betting on the favorite to win, while betting above the moneyline means you’re betting on the underdog. For example, in week one of the 23/24 NFL season, the Cowboys were -170 to beat the Giants (+145). To make $100 on a Cowboys win, punters would have to bet $170, whereas a $100 bet on the Giants would return $145 in profit if they were to win.
Parlay
Parlay bets are those that combine multiple betting selections into the same bet slip; for the overall parlay to come off, each individual selection must be correct. Parlay odds are generated by multiplying the odds of each selection together, so the returns are often much higher than individual bets – of course the chances of winning are therefore much smaller too. Parlays can be exciting when lots of sporting action takes place concurrently, such as the opening weekend of the NFL season.
Over/Under
In online betting, the over/under market refers to one in-game statistic, such as goals, points, cards etc. The betting site will suggest a total number, and the bettor’s job is to predict whether the game will produce over or under that amount. It’s a particularly popular betting market in soccer, where punters might wager on whether the Nashville SC v San Jose game will have over 11 corners in the match.
Against the Spread (ATS)
Spread betting is used by bookmakers to give punters a reason to wager on fixtures where there’s one heavy favorite with odds that aren’t worth pursuing. To make things more interesting, a points spread is weighted in favor of the underdog, meaning that a bet on them would win if they lost within the points spread, or of course if they win the match. Here’s an example: let’s say the Nuggets are facing off against the Pistons in the NBA. With Denver as overwhelming favorites, sportsbooks might offer a points spread of -10. Betting with the spread means you need Denver to win by ten points or more; betting against the spread means you want any other scenario.
Betting Apps Available in Tennessee
There are currently 14 sports betting operators licensed in Tennessee, many of which have their own dedicated mobile apps available for Tennesseans to download. We encourage our readers to make use of betting apps if available, since they offer a superior online betting experience – faster loading times, customizable interfaces, and the ability to stay up to date with all the latest offers. Here are some of our favorites.
BetMGM
Tennessee bettors can choose between two welcome offers at BetMGM to suit their needs. The headline offer is a risk-free bet worth up to $1,500 when using the promo code PLAYTN50, plus a $50 bonus when your opening bet settles. The second, smaller offer is a $200 betting bonus when you use the welcome code GETPLAYTN and wager $10 of your own. One of the best features of the BetMGM app is its prebuilt parlays, which suggest parlays for you. A parlay builder feature is set to come into play in the near future.
FanDuel
New FanDuel members will receive $300 in bonus funds when they sign up. All you need to do is place your first $5 wager, and you’ll be gifted a $200 free bet voucher, plus $100 to spend on the NFL. FanDuel is known for its constant promotions but make sure you claim them quickly – many of its offers expire within 24 hours. This sportsbook is also leading the way in single-game parlays, which have been offered at this bookmaker for some time.
Caesars
When you sign up and use the promo code PLAYTNGET at Caesars you’ll be in line to receive $250 in bonus bets, provided you wager $50 of your own first. This offer may seem a little steep, but you’ll pick up rewards credits to be used on-site in the process. Caesars customers can switch between American, decimal and fractional odds depending on what they’re used to, and there’s a useful bets suggestion that will refer users to wagers similar to the ones they’ve already placed.
Payment Methods Available at Tennessee Betting Sites
How you deposit and withdraw funds to your Tennessee betting account is important. The top sportsbooks will provide a range of options – here are the most common.
Bank Cards
Most debit and credit cards will be available to use, but some Tennessee betting sites may prohibit bets placed on credit – just make sure you check the terms and conditions first. In any case, one form of bank card will be on offer, and this ubiquity is unmatched across all sportsbooks. Just a word of caution on withdrawal speeds, which can take as long as five working days.
e-Wallets
e-Wallets such as PayPal, MuchBetter and Payz are popular across all US betting sites, offering incredibly fast transactions and excellent security. You won’t have to share your bank details with the betting site when you make a transaction at a betting site with an e-wallet, and withdrawals are among some of the fastest. The major downside is that e-wallet deposits are often excluded from accessing bonuses.
Prepaid Cards
With prepaid cards, users add funds to their betting account on a voucher-based system, which they upload via a unique code. This payment method is considered a useful money management tool, with only preloaded funds able to be spent. However, most prepaid cards don’t allow for withdrawals, so you’ll need to use this option in conjunction with another payment method.
Wire Transfers
For those looking to make large transactions, traditional wire transfers might be the way to go – this payment method offers much higher limits on both deposits and withdrawals. That said, waiting times can be long on both ends, with users sometimes waiting a number of days for a deposit to land.
Tennessee Betting Timeline
Interested in how Tennessee’s betting laws have developed over the last five years? Take a look at this timeline of events:
- June 2018 – PASPA is overturned, paving the way for legal online sports betting nationwide;
- 2019 – HB 0001 passes through state legislature and is signed into law. Governor Bill Lee does not sign the bill, but the state of Tennessee allows the bill through without his signature;
- November 2020 – Tennessee online sportsbooks launch and take their first wagers;
- 2022 – The Sports Wagering Advisory Council replaces the Tennessee Education Lottery as the state’s online betting regulator.
Compare Tennessee Betting Sites and Sign Up
We’ve told you about the legal status of sports betting in Tennessee, as well as some of the sports, markets and sportsbooks you can take advantage of. All of the best Tennessee betting sites are right here on this page, so compare features and welcome offers before signing up and claiming your new customer bonus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online betting legal in Tennessee?
Yes – online betting has been legal in Tennessee since 2019. It is an online sports betting state only, which means there are no casinos, online casinos, or racetracks.
Do I have to pay taxes on gambling winnings in Tennessee?
Yes – but it depends on how much you win. Winnings of $5,000 or more within a tax year will be taxed at 25%. The threshold for paying tax on gambling profits is $600, at which point you should contact your sportsbook to ask how to declare.
Are online casinos available in Tennessee?
No – only online sports betting and lottery entry is permitted in Tennessee.
Where can I find support for gambling related problems in Tennessee?
If you or someone you know is suffering from problem gambling, you can visit The Gambling Clinic website here, or contact the Tennessee redline on 800-889-9789. You can also contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline on 1-800-GAMBLER from anywhere within the US.