Football season drives sports betting at Coast sportsbooks

Football season is fueling excitement on the field and at the sportsbook. With college football already drawing crowds and the NFL season now underway, Gulf Coast sportsbooks are bracing for one of their busiest times of the year.

“It is no question that football is the most exciting time for bettors. The other sports, while there is slight interest in them, football is king.”

Shaun Pittman is the vice president of slots and sportsbook operations at the Beau Rivage. With college and pro football seasons just getting started, he says the SEC continues to stand out and bring in the most play. “In this area, it tends to be LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss. Not in the SEC would be Ohio State.”

When it comes to the NFL, Pittman says bettors here also have a few favorites. “Pro sports, mostly the more popular teams, Cowboys, 49ers, Green Bay, Steelers. They tend to garner the most bets.”

Local and visiting football fans are already bringing in plenty of action. Officials say many bettors are waiting until the last minute to place their wagers. “We do have the majority of our bettors tend to wait right till near game time before making their bets. A lot of times with injury reports, they want to check to make sure that certain players are playing before they jump in and start placing bets.”

While parlays remain popular, Pittman says most of their bettors still tend to play it safe. But, with a full football season ahead, sportsbooks are ready for an increase in fans putting their money on the line.