Louisianans can bet how they like

Approvals and a hurricane delayed the start of sports betting in Louisiana, but good things come to those who wait. The state’s bettors can now wager how they like with Caesars Entertainment sportsbooks in Bossier City and New Orleans taking the state’s first commercial in-person sports bets.

took the first bets simultaneously on Sunday at 7:00 am

Caesars’ sportsbooks inside its Louisiana properties — Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel & Casino and Horseshoe Bossier City Hotel & Casino — took the first bets simultaneously on Sunday at 7am. Harrah’s New Orleans took to Twitter the same day with a “let the bets begin” call to action:

According to the Shreveport Times, Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler cut the ribbon to get wagering underway at Caesars’ temporary sportsbook at Horseshoe Bossier City. One guest reportedly wagered $50,000 on the Detroit Lions to cover +3.5 against the Philadelphia Eagles in a National Football League (NFL) game. It wasn’t the high-roller’s night, however, as the Eagles won 44-6.

Hebert backs the Saints

Former New Orleans Saints quarterback and radio personality Bobby Hebert made the first bet at the temporary Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s, taking his home-state Saints at +4.5 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Harrah’s New Orleans retweeted an image of Hebert holding the casino’s first betting slip:

The Saints handed the defending Super Bowl champs Tampa their second defeat of the season, meaning Hebert’s bet was on the money. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana will get the $2,056 in proceeds from Hebert’s wager as a donation.

Penn National also goes live

Not to be outdone, two of Penn National Gaming’s Louisiana properties began taking their first sports bets at 4pm on Monday. Barstool Sports radio personality Ben Mintz took to Twitter to share the news that L’Auberge in Baton Rouge and the Boomtown Casino in suburban New Orleans are ready for “football season action:”

Earlier in the day, Lt. Gov. William Nungesser took the red ribbon-cutting honors at Boomtown Casino. Over at L’Auberge, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame CEO and former MLB relief pitcher Randy Rantz led the festivities. Ex-Louisiana State University quarterback Rohan Davey made the first bet.

More licences to come

Now retail sports betting is fully underway in Louisiana, officials expect digital wagering to go live in early 2022. For now, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) has yet to award its maximum quota of 20 sports betting licenses to existing casinos and racetracks.

As reported by the American Press, LGCB chairman Ronnie Johns hopes to soon issue sports betting licenses to Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino and L’Auberge Casino Resort, also in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

“I can’t give an exact time frame, but we are very close,” Johns affirmed.