Austin is the 11th largest city in the United States with a population of around a million. This was a surprise to me considering the fact that Austin has minimal presence in the major sports leagues in the United States. The main reason for this may be the fact that Austin is only the fourth largest city in Texas, and sits in between San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston, each of which are in the top 10 most populated cities in the country, and each of which are home to many major league teams.
Austin itself is considered more of a college town with the University of Texas Longhorns being the biggest sports ticket in town. Austin FC joined the MLS in 2021 giving the city it’s first major sports team. Austin FC has become a very popular team in the city and has quickly established itself as a contender in Major League Soccer. Austin residents are also only a short drive from any of the major sports teams located in the other major Texas cities.
On this page I will touch on the legality of betting on sports in Texas, and recommend a couple of betting sites that Austin residents should use to place sports bets online.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Austin?
It is not legal to operate a sportsbook in the state of Texas.
That said, there is no law against Texas residents placing bets through an offshore betting site that accepts American players, like the ones we’ve outlined below. These sportsbooks are licensed, regulated, and operated outside of the United States, which allows them to offer a safe and secure platform where American players can place bets.
Best Sportsbooks for Austin Residents
- Built for American bettors
- Wide variety of competitive betting lines
- Easy to navigate betting platform
Bovad and BetOnline are the two betting sites we recommend for Austin residents. Both sites are popular across Texas and the entire country. They are both trusted and popular betting sites with a long history of serving the United States betting market online.
Offline Sports Betting in Austin
There is no offline sports betting offered in the State of Texas. There is expected to be a push towards legalizing sports betting in the state during the 2023 legislative session with plenty of support from sports teams and politicians, but there is also still substantial opposition to regulated sports betting in Texas.
In the meantime you can place your sports bets online at either of the betting sites listed above.
Texas does allow you to wager on horse races live at the tracks. The closest track with simulcast racing is an hour south of Austin, at Retama Park north of San Antonio. If you aren’t able to make it to the track you can also wager on all major horse races across the country at either of the sportsbooks outlined above.
Major Sports Teams in Austin
- Texas Longhorns (NCAA)
- Austin FC (Soccer – MLS)
- Austin Spurs (Basketball – G League)