Nevada Sports Betting

nevada sports betting

Nevada has long been the most prominent gambling hub of the USA, if not the world. Las Vegas is known for its many casinos and betting opportunities, but it is also a great place to pick up the best Nevada sports betting deals.

You will find plenty of famed sportsbooks throughout the city that accepts wagers on various sports. However, Las Vegas is not the only place to find sports betting in the Silver State. In addition to the sportsbooks and retail locations in Reno and other cities throughout the state, you can also head online to use one of the many sports betting app providers that offer legal and regulated betting within state borders.

It is no secret that Nevada is one of the best places to go in the entire USA if you want to place a bet, but the caliber of wagers here truly exceeds many of the efforts of other states. The Nevada sports betting options will likely never be surpassed, no matter how much sports betting flourishes across the rest of the USA!

Legal Online Nevada Sports Betting

Legal online Nevada sports betting can be found easily from trusted brands. Many of the top legal sports betting sites have retail locations within Nevada and will also have some form of a mobile betting app for players to use. This means that there is already a list of trusted Nevada sportsbook brands that bettors can turn to. There can be a much more convenient option if they are used to heading to a retail location to place their bets by downloading a sports betting app and placing bets.

There are clear terms of use that come with any sportsbook app. The first major one is that these apps only work within Nevada itself. They use geofencing technology to determine whether or not the user is within state borders and won’t function if they are located outside of them. This is a common feature across the states that have legalized online sports betting. Sports betting is handled on a state level; it helps to ensure that bettors are located in the area where sports bets are fully legal.

Another common term of use is that bettors must sign up at a retail location of the sportsbook brand associated with the app. With Nevada’s legal minimum betting age being 21, this measure is a key identification check to ensure that the individual who wishes to use the app is legally allowed. If a sportsbook app does not require in-person registration, users can expect to still need to pass through some form of the verification process, particularly before any withdrawal process is verified.

How To Pick A Nevada Sportsbook

Many of the major Nevada sports betting brands with retail locations offer a mobile betting app, so if a bettor prefers a specific site, this should always be one of the first places they check. If the brand already offers an online sportsbook destination, this provides the perfect place for someone to head if they want to start playing.

No matter the brand behind the site, it is vital that they are regulated by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Nevada Gaming Commission. These are the regulators that govern all aspects of Silver State’s gaming industry. A brand would not be able to offer a Nevada sports betting site without their backing.

As to the site that an individual might choose to work with, they have plenty of options open to them. Top brands like William Hill and Caesars Sportsbook are affiliated with many casinos. Even if a user’s preferred sportsbook does not have a betting app for their specific brand, they can still provide a quality online sports betting partnership through their partners.

Players should look to important factors like the sports on offer, competitive odds, and promotions when deciding on the app they wish to bet through. After all, one brand might not offer the full range of sports that an individual player might be interested in, while another will be. Establishing the service expected from the sportsbook means that a bettor can track down the online gambling app that will best suit them.

History / Timeline Of Sports Betting in Nevada

Nevada is unique amongst the states of the USA as it is the only one where full sports betting was not made illegal following its initial legalization. Gambling in Nevada was initially legalized back in 1931. Following the success of this measure and the flourishing of casinos in Las Vegas, bookmakers petitioned the state government to allow the legalization of sports betting. This practice was already happening, but legalization would bring in some protections.

These first sportsbooks were known as Turf Clubs. They held a very clear agreement with the casinos obeyed by both parties for decades – the business of the sportsbooks and casinos would be separate, and they would stay away from each other. These Turf Clubs formed the first place where horse racing betting could be facilitated without being at the racetrack.

Progress was slowed with the introduction of the federal excise tax in 1951. This was a 10% tax on total betting revenue and resulted in sportsbooks being pushed underground once more. This tax remained until 1974, when it was rescinded to 2%, allowing sportsbooks to be a viable business option. The following year in 1975, casino owner Frank Rosenthal petitioned lawmakers to allow sportsbooks within casinos. The reign of the Turf Clubs was over as sports betting was integrated into the wider gambling scene in Las Vegas. Online sports wagering was then legalized in 2010, and the first sportsbook apps began to appear on the market in 2013.

Most crucially for Nevada sports betting, the Silver State was one of the states granted an exemption in the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). It was the only state at the time to offer full legal sports betting – with the other states of Oregon, Montana, and Delaware only offering sports lotteries. This meant that sports betting operations in other states had to shut down, leaving Nevada as the only place where you could legally place a bet on sports until PASPA was overturned in 2018 by the supreme court.

Nevada has held onto its lead despite competition from all sides as other states set up sports betting. Even beyond the sportsbooks of Las Vegas, it has set itself up as a premier destination for sports bets of all sizes.

Nevada Sports Betting Revenue

In Nevada, October 2021 was a record-breaking month with a total sports betting handle of more than $1.1 billion, with online sports betting accounting for 64 percent of the total betting handle; then, for the next three months, the state of Nevada has reported more than $1 billion in sports betting transactions.

In January 2022, the Nevada Gaming Control Board reported a record total of $1.109 billion, a new monthly sports betting handle record for the state. Also impressive were the year-to-date figures for Nevada in 2021, which totaled $8.1 billion in handling and $445.1 million in revenue.

There’s no denying that Nevada has reaped significant benefits from the legalization of online sports betting. Indeed, the state government earns substantial money each month through sports betting, both at retail and online sportsbook websites.

Furthermore, Nevada enjoyed a monopoly on sports wagering from 1992 to 2018, allowing it to increase its earnings by order of magnitude. Even though sports betting is now allowed in many other states in the United States, Nevada’s state government still reaps a substantial benefit from sports betting revenues.

Because of the large revenues generated by sports betting, it is doubtful that Nevada would ever ban online or brick-and-mortar sports gambling.

Nevada Sports Teams

Nevada is home to some top sporting talent. Though sports bets can be placed for teams all over the country and even on international teams in foreign leagues, many Nevadans will no doubt want to back their home teams.

There are three major league teams. The Las Vegas Raiders play out of the Allegiant Stadium in the NFL; the Vegas Golden Knights play in the NHL at the T-Mobile Arena, and the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA play at the Michelob Ultra-Arena. Several minor league teams, such as the Las Vegas Aviators and Reno Aces – both members of the MiLB – and teams across soccer, football, and more.

Two major college teams can also be found in the Silver State. The UNLV Rebels are part of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the Nevada Wolf Pack play for Reno’s University of Nevada, with both teams playing in the NCAA Division I.

Nevada sports betting does permit collegiate betting. College football, in particular, can form a massive part of the market. Bettors should watch for odds when Reno’s annual Big Sky Conference rolls around. In addition to this, Las Vegas serves as a regional center for college basketball conference tournaments.

Though not strictly teams-based, Las Vegas is also the home to several other major sporting events. It is not uncommon to find highly-publicized boxing matches, UFC, and other similar types of matches. There are even rodeo and NASCAR events. Though there are only three major league teams in the state, Las Vegas is a major sports hub. With these events and games come plenty of odds and opportunities to make a bet, driving interest and engagement across the many sportsbooks of Las Vegas and beyond.

Retail Sports Betting in Nevada

Anyone who wishes to get involved with Nevada sports betting need only head to one of the major casinos on the Las Vegas strip. Most of the brands here will have a sportsbook somewhere in their complex. A bettor could have placed a bet across many top sports and leagues in a flash.

Though there are many unique casino brands in Las Vegas, not all of them have their own branded casinos. Instead, many have a partnership with existing sports betting brands. This allows the sports betting brand to run a retail unit within the casino’s grounds and partner with them for a sports betting platform.

One of the most prominent sports betting brands to offer this arrangement is William Hill. The UK sports betting brand was acquired by Caesars Entertainment in 2021. This gave them the chance to open retail sportsbooks in many of the brands owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment and offer their mobile sports betting app alongside the one that Caesars themselves created and operates.

Of course, some brands are still independent. One of the most prominent is Westgate. This is the largest sportsbook globally and offers a vast number of 4K screens showing big games worldwide. They offer extremely competitive odds across parlays and futures, and they accept big wagers from professional bettors, with a minimum $1000 bet window to accommodate these players. They were also one of the first sportsbooks in Las Vegas to offer overnight lines to their bettors.

One of the most famous casino operators in Las Vegas is MGM Resorts. Under their umbrella are some of the most well-known casino destinations, such as the Bellagio and the Luxor. They aim to offer bets that will cater to the tastes of the many tourists that visit their casino floor. This is quite the task, meaning that they often run a large spread of odds designed to appeal to customers from all walks of life.

Tribal Casinos

We might soon see a tribal casino right in the middle of Las Vegas. The Seminole Tribe of Florida aims to buy the famed Mirage hotel and casino. The Tribe owns and operates the Hard Rock International brand. Should the acquisition occur, The Mirage would be rebranded to be the Hard Rock Las Vegas.

Across the rest of the state, there are several other tribal casinos. The biggest and the oldest is the Avi Resort & Casino, at the very southern point of the state. It is owned by the Fort Mojave Tribe and offers slots, table games, a full hotel and golf course, and a sportsbook operated by William Hill.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports in Nevada sit in a really interesting area. With such an open approach to other forms of wagering, one would expect a healthy daily fantasy sports market to be in place. After all, many states around the USA have introduced legal daily fantasy sports but have made little progress in legal sports betting, both online and in retail locations.

In Nevada, the situation is a bit more complicated. Daily fantasy sports are legal in Nevada and have been since 2015. However, few operators are prepared to offer this type of gaming to the citizens of the Silver State.

This is because operators must have a license from the state government before offering their products to players. Whether they are in a retail location or just offering online services, they cannot do so legally in Nevada unless they have this license. So, many of the major daily fantasy operators pulled out of the state and have not returned.

Major operators FanDuel and DraftKings have both expressed interest in opening operations in Nevada but have also been vocal in their perceived shortcomings of the licensing legislation. These brands also offer sports betting and even run retail units in other states. For this reason, a duel launch of Nevada sports betting and daily fantasy sports could be the answer here. It would diversify the market a little and allow two of the biggest operators in this industry to set up operations in America’s betting hub.

Until the licensing clause is dropped or amended, however, we are unlikely to see any change in the current position of the major daily fantasy sports operators.

Offshore Sports Betting

Offshore sports betting is certainly available to Nevadans. Should they wish to bet through brands outside the Nevada state borders, it is important to look for the right type of company.

Unregulated bettors should always be avoided. These are not safe gambling destinations, and they pose a serious security risk for anyone who would think about using them. They are operating illegally, and there will always be much safer options to turn to.

Offshore sites that can be visited will be regulated by companies based in areas such as Costa Rica, Antigua, and CuraƧao. These will often accept American players. Since some of the Nevada sports betting brands require you to visit a retail location in person to open and top up your account, placing wagers through the state’s sportsbooks might not be a feasible option for those who do not live near Nevada, Reno, or the other cities with casinos and sportsbooks. Playing through an offshore sports betting brand might be the best option.

However, if you live in closer proximity to one of the Nevada sports betting outlets, why would you want to bet through an offshore brand? Nevadans are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to sports betting. Even if there is one brand that they end up not wanting to play with, many other options might appeal to them. With the sports betting market in Nevada growing year on year, offshore betting opportunities might soon find themselves outmatched by what the Silver State can offer.

Nevada Horse Racing & Off-Track Betting

For years, horse racing betting has been a part of Nevada sports betting history. Remember those Turf Clubs? They might be gone now, but their legacy lives on through modern-day sports betting opportunities.

Those who wish to bet on races at a racetrack will find three locations where they can currently do so. Racetracks are currently operating at the White Pine and Elko County racetracks and the Winnemucca Convention Center.

Nevada also permits pari-mutuel horse race betting. This allows sportsbooks to broadcast live and simulcast races to retail locations around the state. Both in-state races and those further afield can be broadcast, allowing Nevadans to bet on major events like the Kentucky Derby. This also means a wide variety of opportunities open to those who want to engage with off-track betting. Though a day at the races can always be fun, the option is there for Nevadans to place racing bets alongside other sports wagers at sportsbooks all around the state.

A few sites claim to offer online racing betting opportunities to Americans. Due to the same state regulations that keep the daily fantasy sports operators at bay, these sites aren’t always available to Nevadan horse racing fans. Several mobile apps from providers operate within the state and provide horse racing odds.

Final Thoughts / Summary

If there is one state that offers it all for sports betting, it would be Nevada. Though people might more often associate Las Vegas with glitzy residential shows, slot machines, and poker tournaments, this city also loves its sport. The first significant sportsbooks were born in Las Vegas in the form of the Turf Clubs. The pioneering entrepreneurship of those first sportsbook operators still lives on in the operators of the brands here.

It is also important to look past the presence of the major sports teams to truly appreciate the connection that this state has with the world of sport. If you are searching for the best of the best in sports, you will most certainly find it here. Nevada brings it all in from big-name competitions to the top talent in a college division and offers some of the most competitive odds out to those willing to follow the action.

Whether you want to head online or to a retail location, you will find plenty of options for Nevada sports betting. The caveat of needing to sign up for the apps or topping up an account at a retail outlet might be frustrating to some, but it is a necessary part of using such an app. In doing so, you will get access to some of the widest offerings in American sports betting. The bookies of Las Vegas work hard to ensure that they offer some of the most competitive odds on the market.

All of this is only boosted further with the introduction of the online Nevada sports betting opportunities. Though things started in the retail outlets, the brands working here have shown that they are willing to be innovative and stay ahead of the game. They were able to launch apps and experiment with offers when the rest of the states could not offer sports betting of any kind. This clearly shows in the caliber of offers now available in the Silver State. If you were to head anywhere for sports betting in the USA, make it Nevada.

joe profile pic

About Joe Kizlauskas

Joe is a seasoned iGaming copywriter and speaker who has been in the business since 2015. He's written more words on all elements of Casinos, Slots, Bingo & Sports Betting than he likes to remember, and he's contributed material to a number of well-known brands. Joe may be seen playing 5 a side, at the gym or playing games on his Playstation when he is not writing.