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The sports betting market in the U.S. state of Mississippi is beginning to truly take shape with the UK's William Hill just announcing its partnerships with nearly a dozen casinos. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE
Prior to May of this year when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled states had the right to allow legalized sports wagering, bets could only be placed with licensed international websites. This will still be the case outside the casino properties as online sports betting will not be available from one's living room any time soon.
William Hill will become one of the largest beneficiaries in this state.
David Payne Pardum of ESPN.com tweeted out Friday:
Bookmaker @WilliamHillUS announces it has signed sports betting agreements with 11 casinos in Mississippi and one in West Virginia. Company says it is in discussions with operators in 14 additional states.
While Mississippi's population of just under 3 million may not look entirely appealing on the surface, its Tunica casinos are just miles outside of Memphis, Tennessee, with a metro population center of just over 1.3 million. The Gold Strike Casino began accepting sports wagers there on Wednesday.
Biloxi's Beau Rivage Resort & Casino also started taking sports wagers that same day. Biloxi is a relatively easy 1-and-a-half hour drive from New Orleans and under an hour from Mobile, Alabama. A good chunk of those living in Alabama could head on over to Biloxi to place wagers on their beloved Crimson Tide (or just continue placing bets in their living room via the international sportsbooks).
For William Hill, the news comes at a time when that firm just announced the possibility it will be shuttering some 900 betting shops across the United Kingdom after a clampdown on fixed-odds betting terminals there.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
