Oklahoma Governor Continues to Fight for Legal Sports Betting

Is history going to be made this year for the Oklahoma sports betting push? That’s what everyone keeps wondering, as the Sooner state is hoping that legalization will be given the green light in 2024. This is something that Kevin Stitt has been eyeing for a while, but he hasn’t had much luck in getting things across the board. With that said, the Oklahoma governor continues to fight for legal sports betting.

In a recent interview, Stitt voiced his desire for sports betting, while also making it clear that he’s quite frustrated with the delay in things. As you’ve probably read about before, the main issue lies with the fact that Stitt doesn’t have a strong relationship with the local tribes. They were taken aback by his new sports betting plan, as he didn’t consult with them about things. Regardless of that, Stitt is still trying to get things done and he’s optimistic about the future.

“I’ve studied what other states have done, and there are 35 other states that have a sports betting system, and so we can see exactly how that’s set up,” Stitt told a local Oklahoma news station recently about sports betting “Let’s just get this across the finish line. Maybe we’ll come in and work on that next year, but I certainly want us to get something across the finish line that’s fair for Oklahomans.”

Stitt doesn’t want to have to wait until next year, though. He’s hopeful that things can get finalized as soon as possible and that people in Oklahoma will be able to place legal bets by the time the football season gets here. This is a project that’s been in the works for far too long and there’s no reason that things shouldn’t be moving in the right direction. Only time will tell if Oklahoma will be able to rock with legal sports betting this year or not.

Oklahoma is missing out on a ton of NBA bets right now

It goes without saying, but Oklahoma is missing out on a ton of NBA bets right now. With the NBA postseason in full swing, a lot of attention is on the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder took home the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and they’re in the middle of a great series with the Dallas Mavericks. The series – one of the Western Conference semifinals matchups – is currently tied at 2-2.

OKC is loaded with a ton of young talent and because of that, this team has seen its NBA Finals betting odds skyrocket since the start of the season. The Thunder have dreams of making it to the Finals, but it’s not going to be easy. If Oklahoma City moves on past Dallas, they’ll then take on the winner of Minnesota and Denver with a trip to the Finals on the line. Denver still holds the top NBA betting odds in the Western Conference, but the Thunder are playing with a ton of confidence too.

Now, a big Game 5 is on the way and the Thunder are going to hope that they can take control of the series. If OKC posts a win and goes up 3-2, then they’ll have even more confidence in getting to the next round. If they go down 3-2, though, then people in the state are going to worry about things. Regardless of that, no legal betting on the Thunder is allowed and that’s a problem that Stitt wants wiped away by next season.

The fact of the matter here is that OKC fans are having to either post bets outside of the state or in an illegal fashion. That’s not right. Why should people have to leave Oklahoma to place wagers on their favorite NBA team? This is something Stitt knows can’t keep on happening. It will be interesting to see how far the Thunder can go in the playoffs, but we’ll also have to wait and see if changes will be put in place by the time the postseason arrives next spring.

Will NFL betting be in place for Oklahoma this fall?

A big question people have is will NFL betting be in place for Oklahoma this fall? That’s tough to say. Our expectation is that things won’t be locked in by the time Week 1 of the season gets here, but things very well could be in play not too long after. It really depends on if things are able to keep taking the needed steps. That remains a bit unknown, but Stitt is pushing for things to get to that point.

While there is no pro NFL team in the state, that doesn’t mean that people don’t have a ton of interest. Each fall and winter. Oklahoma sees quite a bit of illegal activity on NFL games. Things only go up once the playoffs and the Super Bowl arrives. People would love to be able to bet on the big games after the regular season. Will that happen? We’re hoping that we can find out sooner rather than later.

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Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis Jr. comes from Mississippi where he and his family spend their days discussing college football, baseball and basketball. He's written sports journalism for years after studying journalism at a local university. Over time, Peter has cultivated extensive knowledge covering sports betting legislation across the country. He closely tracks the latest...

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