Texas sports betting: When will it be legalized, plus DFS options

If you're residing or visiting in the state of Texas, don't expect to be able to participate in Texas sports betting legally for years to come. With the state's legislature only convening in odd numbered years, 2027 is the next chance for sports betting discussions to take place.

In the meantime, daily fantasy sports sites and DFS apps are an outlet for those in the state to have legal financial stake on sporting events. While state lawmakers have attempted to pass legislation to explicitly legalize and regulate DFS, these efforts have been unsuccessful. Texas allows adults 18 or older to play on daily fantasy sports sites.

Texas Sports Betting News and Updates:

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is vehemently against legalizing sports betting and has been among those who prevented further discussion on any bills during his tenure. Given that he's not up for re-election until after the 2027 legislative session, the prospect of sports betting coming to Texas this decade seems remote. While repeated attempts at bills have been proposed in the state's House of Representatives and Senate since 2020, a group of lawmakers plans to reject any proposal related to sports betting legalization during their current tenures.

• May 2018: Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned, with states allowed to have individual say over legal sports betting.
  
  
• November-December 2020: HB477 was filled which would have would legalized retail gaming to take place at nine different locations in Texas. Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson had the idea to bring casino-style gaming to various locations in the state.
  
  
• January 2021: The first sports betting bill was filed with provisions including: mobile sports betting taxed at a 6.25% rate, a legal betting age of 18, a $250,000 application fee for operators, a $200,000 renewal fee, and a ban on betting on local college teams. No bills ended up reaching the House or Senate floors for vote in 2021.
  
  
• April 2023: A pair of sports betting bills passed through the Texas House of Affairs Committee but were put on pause and never revisited.
  
  
• 2025: Despite Governor Greg Abbott voicing support for sports betting in the state, The Texas Tribune reported in June 2025 that 12 Texas House members stated that they would oppose "any attempt to expand gambling" and reject any such proposal. The letter further said this regarding a potential sports betting bill being introduced: "Given the certainty of its failure, I urge you not to waste valuable committee time on an issue that is dead on arrival."

What is DFS? Can residents of Texas play on DFS sites / apps?

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) allows users to compete for prizes via creating and submitting lineups of college or professional athletes for a single day or week of games. DFS is solely focused on individual players and their achievements as compared to games and their results. 

Unlike season-long leagues, users can create entirely new teams or lineups daily or weekly rather than managing mostly the same player roster over the course of the full season. There are no restrictions in Texas regarding DFS competitions, meaning Adults 18 or older are eligible to participate.

Types of DFS contests

• 50/50 Contests – these are smaller competitions where half the pool are declared winners (to win nearly double their entry fee) and half losers (to win no money). Users select a roster via a salary cap determined by the DFS operator. These contests are good options for low-risk players or those just starting out in DFS who might not be ready to face increased competition in the larger contests. Other variations are double-ups and head-to-head, where users are competing against fewer competitors to win nearly twice their entry fee.
  
  
• Tournaments – Users select a salary cap roster to compete against potentially thousands (or more) of entries for larger prizes as compared to 50/50 contests. More experienced players can thrive and win significant prizes by succeeding in these tournaments. A successful strategy in larger tournaments is to identify several players who may be low-owned by the public in order to differentiate in potentially a positive way.
  
  
• Pick'em Contests – A contest where users can choose an over or under related to that player's statistical performance for the game / week. Unlike sports betting where bettors can bet props by themselves, a minimum of two players must be selected depending on the DFS contest.
  
  
• Best Ball – a season-long competition where the user drafts a roster against other competitors similar to how fantasy leagues work. But instead of starting a lineup manually each week / period, the computer will choose the lineup based on the highest performing players during that time. Teams can advance through rounds, winning money along the way in an attempt to win the grand prize.

Breaking down the best DFS sites in Texas

Texas users have more than ten DFS apps available for play in the state. Here are our preferred DFS sites in the state:

Underdog

Underdog Fantasy offers a bonus with code CBSSPORTS2. Once a new user registers in Texas, the welcome offer is Play $5, Get $50 upon depositing. Though the site offers DFS Drafts and Pick Em competitions, Underdog is known for having the biggest library of Best Ball contests across the major sports. For those users who most enjoy live drafting against opponents, Underdog Fantasy might be their best option. During the NFL season, contests include weekly Best Ball drafts and Pick'em challenges.

Sleeper

Using promo code CBSSPORTS, new users will receive a 100% deposit match up to $100. While known mostly as a website or app to host season-long fantasy leagues, Sleeper offers Sleeper Picks, Picks and Daily Draft as its most popular DFS formats. The first two options are reliant on users predicting over or under for between two and eight players' statistical outcomes. Daily Draft combines a live draft with best ball, where the highest scoring team that period is the winner.

DraftKings

With no promo code required, DraftKings DFS offers new users a 20% deposit match up to $500 + one $3 ticket valid for single-use DFS contest. This is most beneficial to larger players who are more likely to spend more on DFS contest entries. DraftKings is most known for its salary cap lineup contests across different sports and offers some of the largest prizes in the industry. It is most known for offering significant NFL and golf contests that exceed the prize pools of their largest competitors. DraftKings offers among the widest varieties of contests, from 50/50s and Showdowns to Best Ball and single game lineups.

DraftKings Pick6

With no promo code required, play $5 on any DraftKings Pick6 contest and receive $50 in bonus credits, an NBA Tip-Off Gimme Pick and daily Stat Slices. The objective for Pick6 is to choose 2-6 players and predict whether they'll record "more" or "less" than their projected stats. The more correct picks a user makes, the higher their potential payout. Available sports include: NBA, NFL, NHL, CBB, CFB, PGA, NASCAR, or UFC.

ParlayPlay

Using promo code CBSSPORTS, ParlayPlay is offering new users a deposit match up to $100 plus a free $5 entry into a contest. Known as one of the newest DFS sites, the variety of offerings are more limited compared to others. But ParlayPlay still offers variety of DFS contests, ranging from peer-to-peer play to season-long projection contests.

Boom Fantasy

The new customer offer for Boom Fantasy is different than the competitors, offering a No Sweat $100 entry with promo code CBSSPORTS rather than a deposit match. These pick'em contests are different in that they offer multipliers for potential payouts, similar to profit boosts for sportsbooks. SquadRide is a unique game that lets users pick three players to combine to pass certain scoring milestones, with users getting paid out at each milestone.

Betr

Betr is offering $30 in site credit after playing $10 or more and while the platform does not have the volume of DraftKings, Underdog and Sleeper, it is solid mid-sized DFS outfit with a large social media following poised to grow in the coming years. Betr offers a lot of the same benefits of other top DFS platforms, including injury protection risk and promotions for existing users. Use promo code cbssports to claim the Betr offer.

Texas sports teams to follow

While Texas residents can't wager on any of their favorite teams within the state, here is a list of the professional teams from the four major sports. Residents or visitors in the state can also use players from any of these teams for DFS action. Each team's championship odds for the 2025-2026 seasons are shown courtesy of DraftKings (updated 8/19/25).

Houston Texans (NFL) (+3500)
Led by C.J. Stroud, Houston has won the AFC South with a 10-7 in each of the quarterback's first two seasons and is favored to do so again in 2025. They boast several key playmakers on offense including wide receiver Nico Collins, while their strong defense is led by defensive end Will Anderson. The Texans will look to advance to the AFC Divisional Round for the third consecutive season.

Dallas Cowboys (NFL) (+5000)
'America's Team' hasn't won a Super Bowl in 30 years, since it claimed Super Bowl XXX over Pittsburgh. Since then, 20 different franchises have played for a championship, but not the team owned by Jerry Jones. Under new coach Brian Schottenheimer, the Cowboys possess a dynamic passing attack led by QB Dak Prescott and WRs CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.

Houston Rockets (NBA) (+700)
Having acquired superstar Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns this offseason, the Rockets are the second favorites to win the NBA Championship in 2026 behind only the reigning champs, Oklahoma City. Though they fell in seven games to Golden State in the first round of the playoffs this past April-May, an improved roster featuring Durant and center Alperen Sengun may be a tough out in a competitive Western Conference.

Dallas Mavericks (NBA) (+3000)
Trading away superstar Luka Doncic last February looked to be a colossal mistake, though the franchise's fortunes were changed when they won the draft lottery. Cooper Flagg enters the NBA as one of the most hyped prospects in the last decade and should pair well with star forward-center Anthony Davis. If guard Kyrie Irving can return from his torn-ACL in early-2026, the Mavericks look to be a strong contender in a loaded West.

San Antonio Spurs (NBA) (+6000)
With star center Victor Wembanyama, the future is bright in San Antonio. They've surrounded him with three talented guards: De'Aaron Fox, reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, and 2025 No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. If the Spurs can make an in-season move for another post player, these 60-1 odds may seem like quite the value for this youthful and improving team.

Houston Astros (MLB) (+800)
Houston is among the favorites to represent the American League in the 2025 World Series. They have a consistent lineup and solid bullpen, plus two excellent starting pitchers in Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. Having won four AL pennants and two championships between 2017-2022, this veteran team has the right nucleus for another sustained run in the postseason.

Texas Rangers (MLB) (+9000)

Though they seemingly came out of nowhere to win the World Series two years ago under future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy, injuries and inconsistent hitting have taken a toll on the Rangers this season. They are unlikely to qualify for a Wild Card spot in the American League but might be worth a look in 2026 if their younger hitters can take a step forward.

Dallas Stars (NHL) (+1000)
It must be frustrating to be a fan of Texas' only professional hockey team. They have lost in the Western Conference Finals each of the last three seasons, after losing in the Stanley Cup Finals in the 2020 COVID bubble. The team hired coach Glen Gulutzan as their new head coach this offseason, more than a decade after his first stint with the team.

College sports teams in Texas

Additionally, college teams are an important part of the sports landscape in Texas. While the state boasts 12 FBS football and 15 Division I basketball teams, their Power Four Conference schools include:

Texas Longhorns (SEC)
With quarterback prodigy Arch Manning, the Longhorns are preseason No. 1 in both polls. They look to go further than their semifinal appearance in 2024-25 under coach Steve Sarkisian. Both basketball teams are annual postseason contenders, including a Final Four appearance from the women's team in 2025.

Texas A&M Aggies (SEC)
Seating more than 102,000 fans for home games, Kyle Field is the fifth largest football stadium in the country. The Aggies are competitive in many sports and have a fiercely loyal fanbase. They open the 2025 college football season for coach Mike Elko ranked in both preseason top-25 polls.

SMU Mustangs (ACC)
In their first year as a member of the ACC, the Mustangs advanced to the College Football Playoff after falling on a last second field goal in the conference championship game to Clemson. Under coach Rhett Lashlee, they are ranked 16th in both preseason football polls and should be a factor once again in the ACC race.

Baylor Bears (Big 12)
Known for their powerhouse basketball team led by coach Scott Drew, the Bears won the National Championship under coach Scott Drew in 2021. The 2021-22 football team won 12 games, beating Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl and finishing inside the top-10. Dave Aranda's team looks to be a top Big 12 contender again in 2025.

Houston Cougars (Big 12)
Likely to be among the favorites again to win the National Championship in April 2026, the Cougars men's team lost a heartbreaking championship game this year to Florida. Under coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars have made the Sweet 16 each of the last six postseasons, including three Elite Eight appearances and two Final Fours. The football team is on the rise under coach Willie Fritz.

TCU Horned Frogs (Big 12)
The Horned Frogs stunned the college football world by winning the Big 12 title and advancing all the way to the National Championship Game in January 2023 before falling to Georgia. The women's basketball team won the Big 12 regular season and conference tournament championships in 2024-25 before falling to Texas in the Elite Eight.

Texas Tech Red Raiders (Big 12)
Having received large donations from benefactors of their athletic programs, the Red Raiders look to be a force in football and men's basketball in the coming seasons. With a veteran team returning, the Red Raiders are ranked just inside the top-25 heading into the college football season. Last year's basketball team reached the Elite Eight before falling to eventual national champion, Florida.

Responsible gaming in Texas

Here are several resources for problem gambling available within the state:

National Problem Gambling Helpline:

Phone: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)

Text: 800GAM
Chat: 1800gamblerchat.org

Texas Coalition on Problem Gambling:

Phone: 763-364-4557

Website: www.txcpg.org

FAQ

Is sports betting legal in Texas?
No, and it's not likely to be legal in the state anytime soon. Fortunately, Daily Fantasy platforms are legal and offer welcome bonuses to Texas residents.

Is DraftKings legal in Texas?
DraftKings cannot be used for sports betting or casino games in Texas. However, its Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) contests are permitted, as they are treated differently from traditional sports wagering.

Is FanDuel legal in Texas?
For sports betting and casino games, FanDuel is not legal in Texas. But DFS contests via FanDuel are permitted in the state.

Can I play DFS in Texas?
Daily Fantasy platforms are legal and offer welcome bonuses to Texas residents.

Can you use a DFS promo in Texas?
Yes, each of the major DFS sites has an introductory promo featuring either a deposit match or risk free first bet.

What are the best DFS sites in Texas?
The DFS sites we recommend are Underdog, Sleeper, DraftKings, DraftKings Pick6, ParlayPlay, and Boom Fantasy.

How old do you have to be to play DFS?
You must be 18 or older to play DFS in Texas.