Arkansas Sports Betting

How Arkansas Sports Betting Compares

Arkansas mobile sports betting is live as of last March. We don't know which books will be live, but it is expected that big players such as FanDuel and DraftKings will be involved at some point in March or April. State residents are able to place retail sports bets at the Saracen Casino Resort and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort while online and in-person bets can be placed at the Southland Casino through their new sportsbook, Betly. The Saracen and Oaklawn casinos launched their exclusive sportsbooks for AR residents last year.

According to the state budget joint committee, eight books are allowed to enter the AR market. This market stands out from other states because of the existing 51% profit requirement from book operators. Mobile sportsbooks will be reluctant to launch in AR because of this revenue requirement, which makes this launch so unique.

Arkansas Sports Betting Grading Card

Action will evaluate Arkansas' sports betting legislation as more mobile sportsbooks join the market in the future.

Arkansas's Legalization Timeline

Getting mobile sports betting in Arkansas has been an uphill battle, but it is finally coming. Here is a timeline of the events that led up to the legalization of mobile sports betting in the Natural State.

March 2022

• Mobile sports betting officially launches on March 4th. Up to eight sportsbook operators are allowed to enter the AR market.

February 2022

• The Arkansas Legislative Committee approved mobile sports betting legislation on February 16th. Shortly after, the Arkansas Joint Budget Committee gave mobile sports betting final approval. Online sports betting is set to go live on March 4th.

January 2022

• The Racing Commission asked that discussion pertaining to mobile sports betting be postponed to a later date, citing the need for additional time to address concerns that legislators may have. With this news, mobile sports betting will likely not go live before the Super Bowl. As of now, it is not on their agenda for Jan. 28, 2022. The next Legislative Committee meeting is scheduled after this one is scheduled for March 18, 2022.

December 2021

• The Arkansas Racing Commission proposes an amendment to the current gaming law that would allow mobile sports betting. This serves as a step in the right direction, but legislators still need to meet and approve the suggested rules changes. As of now, the legislators next meeting date is set for Jan. 25, 2022, so it is possible that mobile sports betting will be live for the Super Bowl.

April 2021

• House Bill 1942 is introduced to the House of Representatives by Rep. Lee Johnson. This is the state government’s second attempt to bring mobile sports betting to the state. In mid-April, the House decided not to discuss nor take a vote on the bill. As April passes and the legislative session ends, there is no mobile sports betting bill passed. 

January 2021

• Senate Bill 669 is proposed by Sen. Will Bond. This bill would allow mobile sports betting in the state of Arkansas. Unfortunately, The Bill never saw a vote. 

October 2019

• The third casino opens in Jefferson County, The Saracen Casino. This casino will also host a retail sportsbook.

April 2019

• The first two casinos open in Arkansas. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, and Southland Gaming and Racing in West Memphis. Both of these casinos will host a retail sportsbook.

November 2018

• Arkansas citizens vote to allow casino gaming within the state. These casinos will include retail sportsbooks. The passed amendment gave the Arkansas Racing Commission the power to license and regulate gaming in four locations.

What Can I Bet on in Arkansas?

Now that mobile sports betting has been legalized, you have the option to wager on a range of bet types and sports leagues. State residents can bet on the Arkansas Razorbacks in time for March Madness. 

Legal Bet Types — Sports fans can bet a full range of bet types, including:

• Point Spreads. Spread betting is a bet on the final score and the margin of victory in a game.
• Moneylines. Moneyline betting is when you pick the outright winner of a game or event, either one team or another. 
• First Half & Second Half. Halves let a bettor treat the first half and the second half as separate matches. 
• Totals aka "Over/Unders". A total, also known as an over/under, is a bet on the number of points both teams will combine to score in a game.
• Futures. Future bets are a bet on an event that will be decided in the future (e.g., end-of-season results and awards). 
• Player Props. A "prop" bet, short for a proposition, is a wager that is not directly tied to the final score or outcome. These can get creative.

Available Sports — You can take advantage of the different bet types to wager on these sports legally:

• Football: NFL & CFL 
• Basketball: NBA, WNBA, European/international basketball leagues
• Baseball: MLB 
• Hockey: NHL, international hockey leagues
• Soccer: MLS, English Premier League, UEFA Champions League
• College sports: NCAA football and basketball
• Golf: PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, PGA European Tour
• Auto Racing: IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula One

Additional market choices like boxing, tennis, rugby and more will also be offered at AR sportsbooks.

Pro Sports Teams

Unfortunately, Arkansas is just under the cutoff of most populated state in the country that may have at least one pro sports team. But there are still some neighboring states with pro teams that Arkansas natives may root for:

Dallas Cowboys

 Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Stars

Texas Rangers

Tennessee Titans

Memphis Grizzlies

Oklahoma City Thunder

Kansas City Chiefs

New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans Saints

Arkansas College Sports Teams

College Football Betting in Arkansas

 Arkansas Razorbacks

The Razorbacks fielded their first team in 1894. They joined the SEC in 1992, and even though they have 13 conference championships, all of them were won while they were members of the Southwestern Conference. This isn’t to say they haven’t had any success in the SEC, though. The boys from Fayetteville have won the SEC West outright twice, and are two-time SEC West co-champions. Sam Pittman is currently the coach of the Razorbacks. Arkansas' rivals include: Texas, Missouri, LSU and Texas A&M.

Arkansas Razorbacks Odds

Arkansas State Red Wolves

The Red Wolves out of Jonesboro are the second college football team with roots in the state of Arkansas. While they are much smaller than their in-state counterpart, this team boasts 6 Sun Belt championships including a 3-peat from 2011-2013. They are currently coached by Butch Jones, who is in his first year with the team. Coming off of a 2-10 record during the 2021 season, the Red Wolves look to improve during Coach Jones’ Sophomore year at Arkansas St. The Memphis Tigers and Arkansas St. Red Wolves compete in a rivalry game every year known as, “The Paint Bucket Bowl”.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Odds

Notable College Basketball Betting in Arkansas

 Arkansas Razorbacks

Boasting an all-time record of 1733-973, the Razorbacks are the premier college basketball team in the Natural State. With 6 Final Four appearances and a National Championship under their belt, they are no stranger to top-tier basketball. Their current coach Eric Musselman brought plenty of experience with him, previously serving as the Nevada Wolf Pack head coach. He has also spent time in Sacramento as the Head Coach of the Kings. With a decorated history of success in the SEC, the Razorbacks look to continue to expand upon their achievements in the coming years. The University of Arkansas also has a satellite campus, “Little Rock Trojans”. They field a NCAA D-I basketball team that competes in the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans have five NCAA D-I Tournament appearances, the most recent being in 2016.

Arkansas Razorbacks Odds

Arkansas State Red Wolves

Mike Balado is the Head Coach of this squad, and he is currently in his 4th season of holding that role. The Red Wolves compete in the Sun Belt, and have one conference championship to their name, which came in 1999. Arkansas State has been to the NCAA Division I Tournament once, losing to the Utah Utes 58-80.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Odds

 Central Arkansas Bears

The Bears out of Conway, Arkansas are a Division I basketball team that play out of the ASUN Conference. They joined the ASUN in 2021, leaving the Southland Conference after 15 years. The Bears have no NCAA D-I Tournament appearances, however they do have one very notable alumnus, Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen. They are currently coached by Anthony Boone (interim).

Central Arkansas Bears Odds

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Wolves

While hyphenated schools usually don’t crush it in the attendance department, Arkansas-Pine Bluff led their athletic conference in average home attendance for six consecutive years (2009-2015). Currently competing out of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), this HBCU has been a member since 1997. They have won one conference championship since joining. The Golden Lions are currently coached by Doc Gamble and Cedric Thomas.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions Odds