Mississippi

Legalized sports betting went into effect in Mississippi close to a month after PASPA was overturned in 2018. However, while both retail and online sports betting are legal, the specifics actually state that online sports betting wagers can only be placed at a licensed casino.

While there are 28 licensed retail casinos in MS, the state is still working to get online betting fully legalized without this stipulation.

While online sports betting has restrictions (all real-money bets must be placed at a licensed retail casino), what customers can wager on in Mississippi has very few limitations. Bettors can wager on both professional and collegiate sports, including in-state colleges, so the ability to bet on the infamous Egg Bowl is possible. The one college-related market that customers cannot wager on is prop bets.

Daily fantasy sports apps are also available for download in the state, and those do not require customers to be physically located somewhere specific, just inside state lines. Horse race betting is also legal in MS, but all wagers must be placed at the state's casinos, as online wagering is prohibited. In addition, greyhound race betting is illegal, and so is wagering on politics or eSports.

Mississippi’s next big wager: betting on BBQ and gumbo champions

Mississippi is home to some of the most high-stakes BBQ and gumbo cook-offs in the country, with pitmasters and chefs going dish for dish to win state and regional titles. But could these smoky showdowns ever become a legal betting market?

With sports betting now a primary industry, it’s not far-fetched to imagine wagering on food competitions, from predicting which BBQ place will take home the top prize to betting the exact finishing order of the gumbo cook-off. Fans could even place creative prop bets that vary by the event. 

While the idea may seem unconventional, novelty betting markets have gained traction in other areas. For example, the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has become a heavily wagered-on event. The logistics of this market may take some time to iron out, but ultimately, it could help put even more tax revenue in the pockets of the state.

Online sports betting in The Magnolia State

Bettors in Mississippi did not have to wait long for sports betting to be legalized after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned PASPA. When it became legal in 2018, after the Mississippi Gaming Commission developed the specific rules and regulations for sports betting, residents were limited to strictly retail betting at the time.

It would not be until 2021 that MS residents would see a mobile sportsbook become available when BetMGM launched in the state. It is essential to note that, although BetMGM was now available to gamblers of legal age in the state, they could still only use the app if they were physically located on the premises of a licensed in-state casino with which BetMGM was partnered.

This bill limits the state's true profit from sports betting and the number of online operators that can join the market. All four bills brought to the 2022 legislative sessions died in committee that year. As a result, the state signed HB 606 into law in 2023, which called for the creation of a sports betting task force.

The “Mobile Online Sports Betting Task Force” has since met with local gaming industry members and released a detailed report outlining the potential benefits of expanding online betting.

The casinos remain adamant against the expansion of mobile sports betting, as they would quickly lose business if that legislation is passed. Luckily, they will go another year without legal mobile wagering being a factor, as negotiators were unable to reach a final proposal for the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act before their set deadline in 2024.

Sports betting & gambling legislation in MS

To place legal sports wagers in Mississippi, customers must be 21. Since MS does not offer remote registration, all of these legal wagers must also be placed on the property of a licensed retail betting facility in the state. The Mississippi Gaming Commission enforces all sports betting rules and regulations.

Regardless of where a customer can and cannot place a legal wager, one thing remains the same: the tax rate on winnings. All gambling winnings in Mississippi are subject to a 3% state tax, which is quite generous compared to the tax rate of other states that offer sports betting or gambling in general.

As far as iGaming goes, which is also illegal in Mississippi, it is hard to imagine lawmakers would be able to pass a bill legalizing online casinos while expanding online sports betting. With that, iGaming will likely remain illegal even if lawmakers can change online sports betting regulations. Despite iGaming and online poker remaining illegal, state residents can legally participate in the lottery.

Betting on hot sauce endurance contests – The spiciest wagering market in Mississippi?

Mississippi’s affinity for bold flavors and fiery cuisine has given rise to legendary hot sauce endurance contests, where brave participants battle through increasing levels of heat. However, for the people who would prefer to watch these events rather than burn their mouths, could these spicy showdowns become the next big betting market?

Across the state, festivals dedicated to hot sauce, chili peppers, and fiery wings attract adrenaline junkies ready to test their limits. Spectators eagerly watch as contestants sweat, cry, and chug milk in a desperate attempt to win. 

Betting options for these events could include which contestant lasts the longest, who finishes their plate first, or even the Scoville rating of the hottest sauce consumed. With proper regulation, these wagers could elevate Mississippi’s hot sauce festivals into must-watch, high-stakes events.

However, numerous potential hurdles exist, as concerns about health risks, food safety regulations, and gaming laws could limit whether this market ever comes to fruition. But if novelty betting markets continue to grow, could Mississippi become the first state to legalize wagers on extreme spice endurance?

Most recent updates from the MS sports betting scene

• August 20, 2025: After opening as (-15.5) favorites back in May, the Mississippi State Bulldogs sit as (-11.5) road favorites over Southern Mississippi for their Week One match-up on August 30th.

• July 8, 2025: As fall camp grows closer, Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons is (+4000) to win the Heisman trophy.

• June 18, 2025: Mississippi regulators crack down on unauthorized gambling, with the state's Gaming Commission issuing cease-and-desist orders to ten operators accused of running illegal betting sites. These companies allegedly misused branding from licensed casinos to appear legitimate, misleading local players. Commission director Jay McDaniel slammed the operators for offering no consumer protections, paying no taxes, and endangering users by skirting regulatory oversight.

• May 27, 2025: Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi will be hosting regionals for the 2025 College World Series. The Rebels are (+105) to win their regional, and the Golden Eagles are (+120) to win theirs.

• May 19, 2025: Sportsbooks have started to release the odds for Week One of the college football season, and the Mississippi State Bulldogs have opened as (-15.5) favorites over Southern Miss.

• May 13, 2025: Entering the final weekend of the regular season, the Ole Miss Rebels are (+475) to reach the College World Series.

• April 25, 2025: Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft after the NY Giants traded back into the first round to draft him at pick #25. Dart is (+2500) to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

• April 1, 2025: Mississippi’s push to legalize online sports betting and ban sweepstakes casinos has collapsed for 2025, after lawmakers failed to reach a compromise on Senate Bill 2510 before the legislative deadline. Both efforts will likely be postponed until next year.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

With Mississippi’s current sports betting legislation, in-person betting is the name of the game. A legal wager in the state cannot be placed unless a bettor is physically located at one of the 28 brick-and-mortar casinos throughout the state.

Unlike most states with a wide range of casinos, Mississippi has multiple retail locations that have not partnered with an online operator but created their own sportsbooks. Of course, some casinos have opted to partner with brand-name operators. For example, BetMGM is partnered with Beau Rivage Casino and the Golden Strike Casino Resort.

From blue suede shoes to betting slips: Wagering at the Elvis lookalike showdown

Each year, Tupelo, Elvis Presley’s birthplace, hosts an unforgettable Elvis Festival that attracts crowds of blue-suede-shoed superfans from around the globe. While the town already celebrates The King with music, food, and eccentric style, there’s untapped potential for an exciting novelty betting market focused on the festival’s fan-favorite event: the Elvis Lookalike Contest.

Attendees could make wagers on categories such as “Best Jailhouse Rock Dance-Off,” “Most Accurate 1968 Comeback Special Costume,” or “Crowd-Favorite Hip Shake.” With clear scoring criteria from a panel of judges, the event closely resembles the structure of sports competitions, minus the cleats and stadiums.

If Mississippi expands its gaming laws to include cultural or entertainment-based wagering, this spectacle could generate thousands in seasonal handle. For a city rich in Elvis lore, the opportunity to bet on who truly channels The King best could turn the Elvis Festival into one of Mississippi’s most iconic betting-related events. Nothing says "thank you, thank you very much" like winning a wager while enjoying the music of a music legend.

The last bet in Yazoo City: Documenting sports betting in towns with no sports teams

In towns like Yazoo City, where Friday night lights take center stage more than any major league arena, sports betting assumes a distinct character. With no professional teams nearby, local bettors turn to things such as college loyalty, regional pride, and national storylines to guide their wagers. While the Saints, Braves, and Ole Miss Rebels drive most of the betting handle, it is not because they're geographically close but because they're culturally close.

Distance from stadiums won’t dampen interest; if anything, it increases it. Without tailgates or tickets, the idea of betting on the game becomes the highlight. In Yazoo City, betting isn't just entertainment; it's a proxy for connection and a way to participate in games unfolding hundreds of miles away. No actual stadium or fan affiliation is required for sports betting- just Wi-Fi, some sports knowledge, and maybe a slight SEC bias.

Sports betting in neighboring states

If Mississippi bettors are tired of being on-site at a retail casino to place a legal sports wager, they can visit three neighboring states where online sports betting is legal. Alabama is the only surrounding state of MS that does not offer any form of sports betting.

With different regulations and sportsbook operators present in each surrounding state's market, you can click on their name below to get the full scope of their sports betting legislation.

Sports betting revenue impact on Mississippi's economy

To obtain a sports betting license in Mississippi, operators must pay a licensing fee of $5,000, which is one of the lowest licensing fees in any state offering legalized sports gambling. All retail operators also must pay a tax rate of 12%, which is relatively average in today's sports betting market. If online sports betting is added to the state in the near future, it is unclear whether the tax rate for online operators will be the same as that for retail.

Gambling, in general, has been a big part of Mississippi for decades. Even with sports betting legalized in a primarily retail format, the state has cleared over $320 million in handle every year since 2019, with the record year being $586 million in total placed wagers in 2021.

In February 2025, Mississippi's all-time total betting handle, which represents the total amount of placed sports wagers, surpassed the $3 billion mark. It's a small milestone compared to other US states with fully legal online betting, but a milestone nonetheless. One can only imagine how much the state could make from remote registration and allowing residents to place bets from anywhere in the state.

For example, Kansas, the closest state in terms of population to MS, has seen over $6.7 billion in betting handle since launching legal sports betting, which in turn has resulted in more than $619 million in sportsbooks' revenue and over $34 million in tax income for the state itself.

Mississippi sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: October 2021 ($83,527,015)

• Revenue: December 2022 ($11,297,381)

• Tax income: December 2022 ($1,355,686)

Latest MS sports betting revenue report breakdown (July 2025)

• Total betting handle: $15,036,553

  • Central region: $3,666,019 (22.13% hold)

  • Coastal region: $9,505,480 (13.93%)

  • Northern region: $1,865,055 (26.27%)

• State-wide hold: 17.46%

• Gross revenue: $2,625,779

  • Central region: $811,325

  • Coastal region: $1,324,500

  • Northern region: $489,953

• Tax revenue for the state: $315,093

Tax rate on sports betting operators is 12% on gross revenue.

Reported by the Mississippi Gaming Commission.

What sports did MS bettors wager the most in July 2025?

1. Baseball ($6.3m)

2. Basketball ($3.2m placed bets)

3. Football ($71,082)

4. All other sports ($4.0m)

   • Total amount of parlay bets: $4.6m

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

Mississippi's sports betting handle - month-by-month comparison (as of July 2025)

MS monthly betting revenue compared to the previous years (as of July 2025)

MS sports betting revenue in 2025

Mississippi's monthly sports betting handle, revenue, and state tax income data are summed in the table below. Remember, all these numbers come from retail wagering only, so if MS would also allow mobile betting apps to operate in the state, these figures would be much higher.

The percentage in brackets shows how the betting handle and revenue have evolved during 2025 compared to the previous month.

2024 revenue data

Yearly revenue totals

Exploring prop bets on Ole Miss traditions: “Hotty Toddy” wagering potential

In Oxford, Mississippi, few things are louder, or more iconic, than the “Hotty Toddy” chant resonating through The Grove on game day. But could this cherished cheer turn into profit for the state by making it a betting market? If Mississippi ever embraces novelty or cultural prop betting, sportsbooks could consider introducing wagers on who delivers the loudest or most creative “Hotty Toddy” shout at Ole Miss pep rallies or tailgating contests.

With thousands of fans attending weekly events, especially during football season, even a modest novelty market could bring in new revenue. If just 0.03% of Mississippi's average of $420 annual betting handle came from school spirit or tailgating contests like this, that amounts to $126,000 in new wagers, resulting in $12,600 in tax revenue at a 10% rate. Betting on spirit might sound strange, but in Mississippi, nothing gets between them and SEC sporting events.