Alabama Sports Betting: Legal AL Betting Sites & Sportsbooks

It is unclear exactly how many sportsbooks will get licensed in Alabama when the betting windows open up. But expect these players to be front and center when the time comes.

DraftKings Sportsbook Alabama

DraftKings has seamlessly expanded into the sports betting world and now operates in virtually every state that has legalized wagering. The operator has created a strong brand via tie-ins with the NHL, MLB and ESPN. Legal sportsbooks typically default to the -110 “juice” on standard bets and this book is no exception.

DraftKings uses SBTech as their odds provider. It's a less common service than Kambi, which provides odds for some of the other popular sites. As such, you will often find them offering a different and better price in a smattering of games. This is an AL sports betting site that truly excels with its generous Odds Boosts offerings. You will often see 20% boost specials on select games or sports.

FanDuel Sportsbook Alabama

FanDuel Sportsbook has the highest-rated app in the sports betting space. Both the app and website are easy to navigate and when you log on, you will see that this operator posts very competitive markets. This potential Alabama sports betting operator typically has a terrific free bet sign-up bonus offer, sometimes up to $1000. What’s more, there is just a 1x rollover, so all you need to do is risk a total of $1000 or more within seven days and the money fully belongs to you.

FanDuel is a book that really excels at Live Betting as they offer it on a huge array of sports. The market covers the NFL, NBA and MLB as well as posting good lines on a host of the more esoteric sports. And it's all very easy to access. Just log on and if there’s a major event going on, you will see Live Markets right in the middle of the screen on either the app or website. If it's a less popular sport, you just need to hit up the tab for that sport and you will find Live Betting markets there.

BetMGM Sportsbook Alabama

BetMGM offers a huge array of bets on a great website and easy to navigate app. They often offer a risk-free wager of up to $1000 as a welcome bonus. And there’s typically only a 1x rollover on the free bet though you do need to use the free bet within a week. The AL sportsbook has tight markets for “deeper” bets like Halves and Quarters as well as for live betting.

Once you have an account going, the bookmaker keeps the promos rolling. They offer a popular Money Monday Club that gives you a $10 free bet every Monday, provided you’ve wagered at least $50 over the course of the previous week. Another perk is “Parlay Insurance” which gives you a $25 Free Bet back on a parlay if one of the legs fails to hit.

Caesars Sportsbook Alabama

The Caesars brand needs no introduction as they are the largest retail sportsbook in North America and are of course famous for their casinos and resorts worldwide. Despite their lofty status, they are super aggressive with their Deposit bonus offers for sports bettors as they seek to remain on top of the business.

New users typically get a welcome bonus that matches your first deposit of up to $1100, or a bet insurance offer with similar value. The promotion is sometimes effective on your first bet. If you win, you get to keep the winnings. If you lose, your account will be credited with free bets up to the size of your initial wager. There is an extensive rewards program and is integrated with both the online casinos as well as all operators' entertainment activities.

Senate Bill 319 passed the Alabama Senate by a count of 23-9 in April of 2021. It would put a ballot measure to the voters allowing them to approve or disapprove a state lottery as well as casino gambling and an outline for online sportsbooks. It would allow existing tribal casinos and racetracks to operate retail sportsbooks, and those operators could in turn partner with up to 3 mobile sports betting partners. The racetracks don’t have actual live races but they allow betting on out-of-state races.

Unfortunately, the effort stalled in the Alabama House. State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) unveiled a new proposal in March 2022 that would approve casino gambling and legal sports betting with a limit of 5 retail sites in the state. The goal is to pass something that can head to the ballot in the November 2022 election.

Alabama Sports Team Partners

Sports leagues and professional teams all partner and/or affiliate with online betting sites. Tough to find a broadcast now that doesn’t give you up to the minute live odds and props mid-game. But that’s not coming to college sports any time soon, so don’t expect to see a DraftKings -Alabama Crimson Tide tie-in or anything of that sort.

Legal sports betting sites would be regulated by the Alabama Education Lottery and Gambling Commission. The commission would grant licenses for casino games and sports betting as well as raffles and bingo. It is possible for a new commission to be established - as was proposed in a 2021 Alabama sports betting bill.

Alabama Sports Betting Revenue Projection 

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has come out in support of sports betting legislation, especially as part of a comprehensive bill that would also establish a state lottery and legalize casino gambling. A study commissioned by her office in 2020 projects annual revenue from all of the above to total between $510-$710 million.

Alabama Legal Online Sports Betting Tax Rate 

Alabama’s proposal would tax the casinos and sportsbooks at a rate of 20% of net gambling revenue. As for individuals, gambling winnings generally count as “Other Income” and are taxed subject to regular income tax rates on both federal and state levels.

There are lots that go into choosing an AL sportsbook. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one, as we’ve noted it's optimal to sign up for as many legal sportsbooks in Alabama as you can. But that’s not always possible of course. Here’s some of what you should look for.

Great Reviews

Sports betting enthusiasts will find countless reviews online of all the major sites. Additionally, the App Store and Google Play store each have tons of reviews and ratings of the Alabama mobile betting apps. Check all these out as it may help narrow down your choices.

The Broad Types of Betting Options

The legal sports betting sites all tend to post odds in all of the straight bets, money lines, totals, futures and props. And depending on the sport, there are deeper options like alternate spreads and totals. If you like to wager a little off the grid, also check that the book covers the sport or league, or type of bet you are looking for.

Odds and Lines VIG

All the online sports betting sites default to -110 pricing on both sides of straight bets and totals. That means you need to risk $110 to win $100. But they don’t all always have the same spreads or totals and some will veer to -105 or -115 on a side (or more) if money pours in in one direction. Further, books differentiate more on money lines, props and futures markets. So always check to make sure you are getting the best price possible on your wagers. If not, sign up with another book or switch completely. The more choices you have, the better.

Competitive Sports Betting Bonuses

The AL online sportsbooks all want your business, and as such often throw out generous bonus offers like risk-free bets and deposit matches when you sign up. Then they all have daily odds boosts, most commonly on parlays. Take advantage of anything the book hands out as it often has an expected value edge in your favor.

Intuitive User Interface

This is best measured in the eyes of the user. But it is very important. Make sure you are comfortable with the interface on the desktop and mobile sports betting sites you choose. That holds especially true if you plan to Live Bet. Markets move very quickly so it's crucial to navigate the sports betting site comfortably. Speed comes into play as well. If the site is too slow, take your business elsewhere

Deposits & Withdrawal Options

There are many many many reasons why the switch from offshore to legal US sports betting is fantastic.  The security and ease of your deposits and withdrawals in the regulated sports betting market is far and away the best improvement. Most importantly, your money is safe and secure now. All the legal betting sites in Alabama make it easy to deposit via some mix of bank transfers, credit/debit cards, pre-paid cards, PayPal, Venmo and more. And you can withdraw safely and securely by most of these methods as well. And it's all super quick.

Supportive Customer Service

You never know when issues will arise. It's very important to be able to contact your book quickly and get a rapid response. 24/7 Live Chat is the fastest way to get in touch, so make sure your sportsbook has that available and check that the response times are quick. A comprehensive FAQ section with good search capabilities is helpful too. All the books have phone and email contact as a backup.

There’s often not much to differentiate the legal sportsbooks so that makes it difficult to choose. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to. Sign up for as many as you can as there are advantages to always having options. 

Get the Best Line

The more legal online Alabama sports betting sites you can sign up for, the better. They all offer some combo of Odds Boosts and reduced Juice spreads, and generally speaking those are all gifts to your bankroll. So the more accounts you can sustain, the more “free cheese” you will receive. 

Also while betting lines track closely to one another, they are not exactly the same from sportsbook to sportsbook. To turn your sports betting “hobby” into a long-term profitable experience,  you really need to find the best line possible at all times. Take advantage of as many small edges as possible and getting the best price is the optimal way to get there.

New Player Betting Betting Bonuses 

Most sportsbooks hand out risk-free bets and/or deposit matches to new players. And the rollovers on the matches are generally low, now typically only 1x. It's money in your pocket, so shop for the best deals and sign up if you can.

Bet Offerings 

There are more Alabama sports betting sites than there are major software companies that price betting markets for the houses. Multiple books use Kambi Group e.g. and as such they’ll post virtually identical prices, especially on live bets, props and futures. But even given that, there’s always some variation as book exposures can and do always differ. And again, you want to really capitalize on those differences and get the best of the market.

The "Feel" of the Sportsbook

Again, no sportsbook decision is permanent. Be sure you’re happy with the feel of your book. It is tough to quantify and it's very personal. If you’re spending too much time finding events or just can’t locate anything on the site or just simply can’t navigate easily, move to a site that suits you better.

Unique Sportsbook Rules

Different books have different unique rules. Some let you cash out bets easily and at no cost if the odds haven’t changed. Some have different payout rules. On BetMGM for example, if you bet a golfer to finish top 10 and he finishes in a 4-way tie for 10th, you win the bet. On other sites, you only win ¼ of that bet. Or in another example, check how your book treats a push on one leg of a parlay. Some books “reduce” the parlay, others potentially score it as a loss.

There are many ways to bet on sports. Preferences vary, so it's great to have as many options as possible. Here is a rundown of the types of bets you will see on Alabama sportsbooks.

• Moneyline

  A Moneyline is a wager on who will win the game. Negative odds are expressed in the amount you must risk in order to win $100. Conversely, positive odds show how much you win on a $100 bet. For example, say you see Atlanta Falcons -150 vs Carolina Panthers +130.  If you want to bet on the Falcons, you need to risk $150 to win $100. Likewise, a $100 wager on the Panthers nets you $130.

• Parlays

  A parlay is a bet where you combine at least two or more bets. In order to win the parlay, all the “legs” in the parlay must cash. You can create a parlay out of any combo of straight bets, money lines, totals and props. And you can parlay across different sports. Combining a Falcons moneyline, Alabama -27 vs Tennessee, the over on the Braves-Mets game and a prop on Trae Young’s points total is a valid parlay. Payouts depend on how many legs are in the parlay and on the individual odds of each leg. 

• Over/Under Totals

  A Total, or Over/Under bet is a wager on the combined total points scored (or runs, or goals et al) scored in the game. In the Alabama-Tennessee game, lets say you see a Total of 57.5 points. If you bet the Over, you win if the teams combine to score 58 points or more, and conversely the Under hits if they combine for less than 57.5. Totals typically price at -110 as in regular spread bets. 

• Point Spreads

  A point spread wager is a straight bet on a sporting event where you pick either  a favored team to win by a set amount or an underdog to win, or lose by less than the spread. Alabama -27 over Tennessee is an example of a point spread bet. If the Crimson Tide wins by more than 27, they cover the bet. If the Volunteers win or lose by less than 27 they cover.  If Alabama wins by exactly 27, the bet pushes and you get your stake back. Legal sportsbooks now all price point spread bets at -110.

• Futures

  A typical futures bet is a wager on some event to occur by the end of a season.  For example, you might see something like Atlanta Braves+1200 to win the next World Series. A $100 bet nets you $1200 if the Braves take the crown. Futures bet on Win totals are also popular, such as Auburn football Over/Under 8.5 wins.

• Prop Bets

  Prop bets are wagers on specific achievements. There are player prop bets such as “Tom Brady to throw Over/Under 2.5 TD passes vs the Saints” and team props like “Los Angeles Lakers Over/Under 2.5 Blocked Shots vs. the Warriors”. And there are prop bets that are barely tethered to sports at all, like props on the length of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.

• Live Bets

  Want to really have fun watching a sporting event? How about placing a Live Bet on it? The sportsbooks post live markets on all major sporting events, allowing you to slap a wager on in an instant. What’s more, most books live-stream major events so you can watch and bet on the same screen. Just be extremely careful as Live Betting markets move quickly.

• Prohibited Bets

  The sports betting sites almost all heavily promote Same Game Parlays, but what they don’t mention is they often restrict exactly what you can put into the parlays. Some combos correlate too strongly and are thus prohibited. Also, states have different rules on college sports. Sometimes bets on in-state teams, college props, or live bets are prohibited.

You will find odds on all the major games and events at the Alabama sportsbooks. Here’s what you can expect.

College Sports Betting

Whether you’re Roll Tide or War Damn Eagle you’ll love college sports wagering in Alabama. Much like in the NFL and NBA, just about every form of betting is popular in college football and hoops. There are also future bets available on markets like the College Football playoff participants, conference winners and March Madness Final 4 participants, as well as team props on season win totals. College sports betting markets are not quite as efficient as the NFL, so you may even find more opportunities here. All that being said, it's possible that whatever legislation ultimately passes will have some restrictions on college wagering, so be sure to stay up-to-date when the time comes.

NFL Betting

The NFL already reigned supreme in the sports world, but the rise of legalized sports betting seems to have sent it to a new plateau. The scoring level of a typical game lends itself to easy-to-grasp point spreads and totals markets. Plus, the pace thanks to a 30-40 second pause between plays gives you the perfect amount of time to get some Live Bets on. Point spreads and Totals are easily the most popular wagers, but bets like Halves and Quarters also get tons of action, as do countless props. The Super Bowl of course is the pinnacle of all wagering events.

NBA Betting

No league creates and markets its stars into larger-than-life icons quite like the NBA. And as such its popularity has soared over the years. Beyond the standard point spread and totals markets, sportsbooks commonly offer a bevy of fun Props on all the games. Think LeBron James is going for a triple-double tonight? Will Steph Curry score over 30 points? Will Joel Embiid grab 10 rebounds? You’ll find wagers like these and many many others available. 

MLB Betting

The most popular MLB bets are Moneylines, like “Atlanta Braves -150, St Louis Cardinals +135”. You'll also see spreads of -1.5, known as a Run Line. Over/Under bets on the total runs scored in a game are also popular in MLB. Legal sportsbooks also offer first 5-inning Money Lines and Totals markets. These help if you want to eliminate bullpen considerations from your MLB handicapping. Whether it's the 5-inning or full-game option, MLB bets are generally conditional on the listed Starting Pitcher, so if there’s a last-minute change on the bump, wagers will automatically cancel.

NHL Betting

While NHL has less viewership compared to the other major sports, it's not for lack of excitement. Betting in NHL is somewhat similar to MLB in that Moneylines are the most popular way to play. There’s also a  -1.5 variation, known as a “Puck Line” in addition to Totals. The market is something like Nashville Predators -210 Detroit Red Wings +170 on the Moneyline, Predators +110, Red Wings -130 on the -1.5 Puck Line,  and a Total of 6 with -120 on the Over and +100 on the Under. Since NHL has frequent ties in regulation, there are also 60 Minute Lines available. Further, you can bet money lines and totals by Period. 

Interest in UFC/MMA betting has grown extensively through the years as there are many types of wagers available on the bouts. The money line is the most popular. You just simply wager on the winner with odds. Ties can happen, so there are even 3-way money lines available. Further, you can bet on the winner plus the round they win, sort of a money line/prop combo. Round over/unders are also popular. For example, you might see “3.5 Rounds -175 Over, +125 Under” as a market in a certain match. And finally, there are props on how the fight will end. There are also futures markets in MMA, such as picking the UFC champ in a given weight class at the end of the year.

Golf Betting

Sportsbooks offer lots of ways to wager on golf. The most basic is just picking the outright winner of a tournament, with odds. “Scottie Scheffler +900 to win the US Open” is an example of that. Books also make markets for Round winners. Tournament favorites generally price in the +1000 range while underdogs can pay enormous odds. You can also bet on placements, such as “Rory McElroy to finish in Top 10 in the Masters”. And further you can bet on several head-to-head matchups. That just means the golfer you wager on finishes ahead of the other golfer in the bet. Odds there price more like money line odds on a team sport. Golf betting is most popular around the 4 majors, with notable interest in events like the Ryder Cup as well.

USFL Betting 

USFL spring football came and went in a flash in the ’80s, but now has re-emerged in 2022. The Birmingham Stallions are back, and they have brought the whole league to town with them. Yes, the rest of the league has taken names from the 80s like the New Jersey Generals, but all the games are in Birmingham so far. And hey, it's football, and there are spreads and props and totals just like every other football league. Betting on the USFL is similar to betting on the NFL. You will have a myriad of different options. You can bet on the Moneyline, Point Spread and live betting options aplenty.

While there are no major professional sports in Alabama, there are certainly some of the biggest and most popular teams in the nation

• University of Alabama

  We don't need to educate anyone on the history of Alabama football. 15 (mostly) undisputed national titles dating back to coach Wallace Wade in 1925, through the Bear Bryant years into the Nick Saban era, 'Bama has qualified for the CFB playoff in all but one season since its inception in 2014, and Crimson Tide hoops has emerged as a force in recent years as well, Although betting is not yet legal for residents, hardcore Alabama fans nationwide are also considering Bryce Young Heisman futures odds bets.

• Auburn University

  Auburn is a college football powerhouse as well, though of course, they suffer from really tough comparisons as well. The Tigers too have a huge fan base and can claim 3 national titles in football. And Auburn has superseded Bama in college basketball and baseball in recent years 

• USFL Birmingham Stallions

  Starting in 2022, the USFL has returned with all eight of its teams playing in Birmingham. The Stallions have stormed out of the gate starting 5-0. Led by Head Coach Skip Holtz, the son of famed Notre Dame National Championship head coach Lou Holtz. The younger Holtz was most previously the head coach at Louisiana Tech. On the field, look for a familiar face, former Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough.

• Out-of-State Teams

  While you will have to physically be in Alabama to place wagers, you are not limited to just betting on local teams of course. Odds on Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, Florida State, Dallas Cowboys et al are available to play, as are practically any team or game you can name. And that includes sports from overseas. Wagering on English Premier League soccer is available, as is Formula One and Wimbledon to name some more.

Promotions and bonuses are effectively money in your pocket. Expect every legal sports betting site coming to Alabama to deliver welcome bonuses when you open and fund an account and then all manner of odds boosts and the like to keep you happy and wagering. Take advantage any time you can as it often means a betting edge and ultimately money in your pocket. The margins are small in sports wagering so it's important to take any advantage you can get. Here’s some of what Alabama sports betting customers will find. 

Risk-Free Bets 

Legal sportsbooks often hand these out upon signup and then sporadically dole out more over time. Say the book offers you a $100 risk-free bet. If the bet hits, you keep the proceeds, if it loses you get your stake back. The true value of a risk-free bet is roughly 60% of the headline amount, so its truly money in your pocket

Deposit Match

Some books will match the funds in your initial deposit up to a fixed amount and with a rollover requirement. For example, maybe a book matches $250 with a 1x rollover within a fixed time period. You deposit $250 and they credit your account with an additional $250, but in order to then withdraw it, you have to place at least $250 in bets within a week.

Referral Bonuses

Not only do the online sports betting accounts want your account, but they also want your friends to sign up! They all offer bonuses, usually risk-free bets, if you refer someone who opens and funds an account.

Odds Boosts

Odds boosts effectively move money from the pockets of the book to yours. On a normal spread bet you risk $110 to win $100, with a 20% odds boost e.g. you can now risk $100 to win $110. The books offer these periodically, so take advantage when you see them.

Parlay Insurances

Legal sports betting sites sometimes offer parlay insurance on plays of 3 legs or more. The way it works is that if all but one leg hits, you get your outlay refunded as either straight cash or in the form of a risk-free bet. The full cash offer is better.

Along with getting online sports betting in Alabama on the ground, there are other betting options to choose from.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Alabama legalized Daily Fantasy Sports games in 2019. It's very similar to prop betting on individual achievements, except in DFS it's picking a whole team of “props”  and hoping your group outperforms enough other groups so you can win.

There are two basic types of DFS contests: Cash Games and Grand Prize Pool (GPP) games. Cash games are typically 50/50 games where half the players in the game win identical money and half lose their stake. GPP games have fixed prizes with big jackpot wins, but just for the very top players. 

Horse Racing

Horse race betting is legal in Alabama, but there are no tracks that have live races. You can bet on out-of-state races at tracks that simulcast the races and you can also bet online via TVG and BetAmerica.

Elections

US sportsbooks are prohibited from taking election bets. There are plenty of offshores and “exchanges” that make markets in elections, it is just not located here.

Pop Culture Ceremonies

You can bet on award shows like the Oscars and some other pop culture events, but only in a few states so far. It's not on the front burner in Alabama.

eSports

eSports betting is probably a long way away in Alabama. States that have fully legalized sports betting are a confusing mixed bag when it comes to eSports. Some don’t address it at all, some allow it but with caveats such as all contestants in the event itself must be 18 or older. eSports are not addressed in pending legislation in Alabama.

Deposits are straightforward when it comes to legal sportsbooks. They vary a little, but books accept deposits via bank transfers, credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, Venmo, prepaid cards and eChecks. If you can make it to a casino cage, you can deposit directly. Most of these deposits will hit your account immediately.

Withdrawals use the same avenues, but need approvals so are not quite as quick. It's light years faster at legal sportsbooks than it was from the Offshore books in years past. Not to mention that you will absolutely get your funds back from the legal sportsbooks. A check in the mail might take a week or more, while prepaid cards, bank and credit card transfers get to you quicker. PayPal or Venmo are faster still You can get cashback immediately at a casino cage, but that’s often not at all convenient so don’t depend on that.

Online sports betting in Alabama remains in limbo. It's still possible that a bill passes and makes its way to the ballot in November. There are many moving parts as Alabama is also looking to establish a state lottery and establish retail casinos. But if other states are a guide, it can all come together quickly, so sports betting enthusiasts should keep up hope.