Sports betting in Alabama is currently very limited. As it stands, parimutuel horse racing, slot machines for bingo, and daily fantasy sports are the lone gambling options in Alabama. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned on May 14, 2018. Sports betting is illegal in Alabama at present, but lawmakers are actively exploring the issue. An attempt to legalize sports betting in 2020 was sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the 2020 effort was unsuccessful, developments since then indicate the state still has some desire to authorize Alabama sports betting at some point. The sports betting sites in AL operating today have improved dramatically. There was a time when only a few betting sites were available inside this state. Now, the majority of these sites have incredible designs and great odds. Perhaps the most important feature that all Alabama sports betting sites should provide is a helpful customer support.

Tuscaloosa, the cultural and industrial center of western Alabama, is one of the state’s largest cities but surprisingly there aren’t any sportsbooks in Tuscaloosa. It doesn’t have any casinos or racinos of its own but the sports betting industry will, therefore, be launched in neighboring towns when the practice is finally legalized by the AL state legislature. The expectation is that it could take up to two years from now for Tuscaloosa sportsbooks, though industry insiders are hopeful that the pastime will launch sometime in 2021.

Sports Betting Alabama Vs

These sportsbooks are most likely – at first, anyways – to be opened on-site at two venues within reasonable driving distance from the Tuscaloosa city center: the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel Wetumpka 106 miles to the southeast, and Victoryland, which is 125 miles in the same direction. Of the two venues, the Wetumpka establishment – managed by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians via their PCI Gaming company – is the superior destination, but both should have ample sports wagering options whenever their betting lounges finally open.

Betting On The NFL In Tuscaloosa

Everyone knows about the Alabama Crimsontide football team and know how good they are. But betting on the NFL in Tuscaloosa hits different. Most players do take those college game bets and win easily but the NFL still has a lot of games that players could place big wagers on. The NFL season is months long with a great postseason and a Super Bowl that everyone in the world watches. With all the attention the NFL gets, more betting options will be there for players to check out and this is why having an online sportsbook is a good idea for players. The NFL has all its games here and this will give Tuscaloosa players a place to go when they want to not only bet on NFL games but also bet on their Crimsontide. All they have to do is sign up for an account and choose one of the top banking methods offered and things will be go smooth from there. There will be bonuses here that will be offered that will be set up for NFL betting as well. Mobile betting and live betting are big-time features that online sportsbooks like Bovada, MyBookie, and others will offer. Residents here need to check this out before big events like the Super Bowl comes around.

Is Sports Betting Currently Legal In Tuscaloosa?

Sports betting is currently legal in Tuscaloosa, but only if you participate in the activity via an offshore, online sportsbook. These sites, including Bovada, SportsBetting, BetOnline, and a few others, have all been accepting AL resident customers for decades, and all of them offer world-class sports wagering options, straightforward transfers, state-of-the-art encryption, and data security, and guaranteed payouts. And since they’re located overseas, these Alabama sportsbooks are not subject to US or AL jurisdiction of any kind, making them 100% safe and legal to use.

That said, once land-based, in-state Tuscaloosa sportsbooks open for business, there will certainly be a large shift in usage from those books to the local options. However, even when you can walk right into an Alabama casino and put money on the Crimson Tide (or some other, lesser collegiate or pro club), it will still make good sense – and be strategically sound – to maintain your membership at one or more of these legal online sportsbook sites. Remember, with offshore betting shops, you don’t have to worry about heavily-weighted, expensive lines on area home teams, which could – in many cases – mean that your best wagering values will be at these online books.

Will I Be Able To Bet On Alabama College Teams?

This is all to be determined if and when the state decides to legalize the industry in the regulatory body’s regulations. In short, we are not sure until more information is released. Mississippi is one of the states that have very few restrictions on what teams you can wager on; however, states like New Jersey do not have the ability to wager on college programs that are from New Jersey. Either way, offshore betting sites will allow you to place wagers on the Tide or on the Tigers if you float that way.

Sports Betting Sites

Keep in mind that if you are eligible to bet on college teams if and when the legislators make the move, your betting lines may not be the best. When local bookmakers are presented with a local team betting line, they generally increase the vigorish or drastically change the betting line so more people will balance the book. No bookmaker wants to see 100% of the money heading towards one side of the action, so expect to find better value with the offshore counterparts. They may be as different as 3 or 4 points sometimes!

Best Sportsbooks In Tuscaloosa

Right now, the best sportsbooks in Tuscaloosa are the online services listed above (Bovada, SportsBetting, etc.). However, when it comes to the potential inherent in local land-based sports wagering, the best Tuscaloosa sportsbook will almost certainly be at the Wind Creek Casino in Wetumpka, AL, which is about an 80-minute drive north. Victoryland, which you’ll run into on the same drive some 30 minutes later, is also primed to be a compelling spot, but it’s a more limited experience given its current circumstances.

Online Sports Betting Alabama

Both of these physical locations should have competitive odds, lines, and perks, particularly as they’re the two primary options for Tuscaloosa sports bettors who wish to gamble in-state, and they’ll be trying their best to entice customers to favor their product over their rival’s. Whatever line you choose for sports betting in Alabama, then, your bottom line is what benefits most under this arrangement.

• Wind Creek Wetumpka Sportsbook Review
• Address: 100 River Oaks Dr. Wetumpka, AL 36092
• Phone: 866-946-3360

The Wind Creek Casino and Hotel Wetumpka is one of the primary Wind Creek properties of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, who own casino endeavors in several states (as well as various international locales like Curacao and Aruba). As such, it offers some of Alabama’s best casino gaming and resort amenities, including thousands of stations on their large gaming floor, a AAA Four Diamond rated hotel, fine restaurants, a spa, pools, hot tubs, and more.

Located just 106 miles southeast of Tuscaloosa, the Wetumpka Casino is strategically situated between three of Alabama’s biggest metro centers, as it’s only 20 miles north of Montgomery and 90 miles southeast of Birmingham. As such, the Wetumpka Casino gets the most action of any Alabama gambling venue, and a Wetumpka sportsbook should only increase that traffic going forward.

For those seeking adventure outside of any potential sportsbook or casino betting hall, Wetumpka offers plenty to do outdoors. You can visit the popular Gold Star Park, take in the Wetumpka Impact Crater site, let out your inner arborist at the Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum, and hit the rapids along the family-friendly Coosa River.

• Victoryland Sportsbook Review
• Address: I-85 Exit 22 Shorter, AL 36075
• Phone: 334-727-0540

Victoryland – after a protracted legal battle with the repressive state government – has finally lived up to its name, emerging victorious in its fight to offer Alabama residents access to casino gaming on non-tribal lands. However, that battle came at great cost to the venue, as its erstwhile luxury hotel and greyhound track are not yet back up and running in this rebuilding process. A Victoryland sportsbook would go a long way towards helping the venue get back to its old self, and it would even increase traffic to new highs once the sports betting lounge is fully implemented.

Of course, Victoryland is definitely compelling as its own destination, particularly due to the fact that it’s one of only four places in the entire state of Alabama where you can actually gamble. And since AL residents turn an estimated yearly handle of some $8 billion betting on sports at offshore books (or on the local underground, which is absolutely not recommended, as there is zero recourse for unpaid winnings), there will be plenty of AL residents clamoring for their on-site book once it gets up and running.

Visitors to Shorter, AL, can find other attractions than just Victoryland and its forthcoming Tuscaloosa sportsbook, too. The Tuskegee National Forest, located just 10 miles away in Tuskegee, AL, is one of the premier outdoor recreational areas in the state, and Montgomery, being just 20 minutes away, has a preponderance of natural hotspots and retail experiences for residents and travelers alike.