Louisiana sports betting

Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles and DraftKings launched a new retail sportsbook on property, which now allows sports fans 21 years and older to place wagers on a variety of betting markets across professional, collegiate, and other sports leagues at the DraftKings Sportsbook located inside a portion of the Blue Martini bar. The space has six ticket cages where customers can engage with employees to place bets, as well as a total of 30 self-service kiosks spread throughout the casino.

“Our team has worked diligently alongside state legislators to make the sportsbook experience a reality for Louisiana patrons,” said Gerry Del Prete, Senior Vice President of Gaming for Fertitta Entertainment. “Coupling the Golden Nugget’s dynamic gaming network with DraftKings innovative tech and trading, makes for an unmatched partnership. We are thrilled to offer our combined customer base an unparalleled experience at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles.”

The DraftKings Sportsbook opened Nov. 11 and the honorary first bet was made by Houston furniture mogul, philanthropist and avid sports fanatic Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, who placed $60,000 on Texas A&M to beat Ole Miss in a college football game.

“All my bets are legal,” said McIngvale, who has previously bet millions on the Houston Astros to win the World Series. “Normally I have to fly to Las Vegas or Colorado or New Jersey to make a bet, but now Louisiana is just a hop, skip and jump away from Houston so I will be coming more often.”

The sportsbook is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. until midnight. Once regulatory and licensure approvals are received, customers will be able to place bets 24/7 on kiosks throughout the casino floor.

The DraftKings Sportsbook will be the largest in Lake Charles. Plans are underway for a permanent, 10,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art DraftKings Sportsbook and lounge that will boast nearly 300 seats, odds boards and big- screen televisions throughout the space for an optimal viewing experience. The permanent location is expected to open in the Summer of 2022.

“Since launching daily fantasy sports in Louisiana, we have been eager to introduce our fans here to the DraftKings Sportsbook experience, which will provide customers with a new level of engagement with several of America’s most popular leagues overlapping across the NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAA football,” said Matt Kalish, co-founder and president of DraftKings North America. “Joining forces with Golden Nugget and their renowned casino brand, we look forward to providing the fervent fan base in the Bayou State with a premier retail sportsbook experience.”

DraftKings will soon launch its online sportsbook in Louisiana at a later date, pending aforementioned approvals. Once live, sports bettors will be able to place bets online and via their mobile devices on the DraftKings Sportsbook app in Calcasieu Parish, which includes the cities of Vinton, Sulphur and Lake Charles.

Mattress Mack lost his bet. Texas A&M was defeated by Ole Miss, 29-19.