Louisianans don’t need any extra incentive to care about their sports.
That doesn’t mean they won’t take advantage of one.
After a 26-year ban, sports betting was legalized in 55 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes in November 2020. Retail sports betting went live at casinos around the state about a year later, and mobile sports betting launched in January 2022. Ever since, locals have been placing their bets and looking to capture a little piece of that Vegas-style magic.
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One avenue has been through Baton Rouge’s growing number of sportsbooks. Hollywood Casino launched a temporary DraftKings Sportsbook in March 2022, and will reveal its new permanent sportsbook as part of its 38,000-square-foot expansion this month. Nearby, the Belle of Baton Rouge will add a sportsbook in its $100 million renovation that’s slated to debut in 2024.
But L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge has made arguably the biggest splash thus far. Its $6.7 million Barstool Sportsbook opened just in time for LSU’s homecoming in October 2022. With a 22-foot-by-12-foot jumbotron, a Southern-style food menu and a number of ways to place bets, the space capitalizes on Baton Rouge’s fandom.
“It absolutely exceeded our expectations here in Baton Rouge when we first opened,” says L’Auberge Baton Rouge vice president of casino operations Kerry Fontenot, who also oversees the sportsbook. “In fact, of all of (L’Auberge’s) properties in Louisiana, we were the leaders—and by far. … People just came out in droves. We had lines, we had (betting) stations, we set up queuing … and people just kept coming and coming.”
L’Auberge is not alone.
More than $2.8 billion in combined mobile and retail wagers have been made in Louisiana since sports betting was legalized in November 2021. This has led to nearly $250 million in revenue for Louisiana casinos that offer sports betting and more than $40 million in taxes paid. So far, it’s been a smashing success for the sportsbooks, the state and its residents. 
Mobile betting is where the trend has really taken off. For instance, $2.3 billion of that $2.8 billion in wagers was derived from mobile bets, which also feed money into Louisiana casinos.
“Now, you have to be motivated to get off your couch to come in and make a bet at a window versus just opening up your app and placing a bet online,” Fontenot says. “We still see people that come in (to the sportsbook), they eat, they watch sports and they still bet on their app. …We’re all one company, and we support each other, and we encourage both (mobile betting and the sportsbook), so at the end of the day, it’s a win if we get them on the app or here in the sportsbook.”
Looking to the future, L’Auberge will search for new ways to attract audiences in-person. LSU football and baseball games can always draw crowds, but promoting events like UFC fights or fantasy football drafts has also seen a positive response.
After all, even the most inexperienced or first-time betters can walk in the door and get in on the action without fear of being duped or deceived, Fontenot points out.
“You do not need to be a professional or sports savvy or betting savvy to come in and make a wager,” Fontenot says. “You just have to know what you want to bet on in general, and (the ticket writers) will help you with anything you need. That’s the beauty of coming to the sportsbook. … That’s a great thing you can’t get at a kiosk.”
BETTING BASICS
Odds: How much money you would have to bet in order to win $100. Negative numbers indicate you’ll have to bet more than $100 for a chance at a $100 payout.
Example: If LSU is projected to beat Alabama, and the odds are LSU -130 or Alabama +110, you would need to bet $130 on LSU to win in order to cash out $100. On the flip side, a Crimson Tide fan could bet $100 on Alabama to win, and they would bring home $110.
The spread: The number of points that would need to be taken away from the favorite and given to the underdog to result in an even score at the end of the game.
Example: If Southern is a 7-point favorite against Grambling, you’ll see Southern -7 or Grambling +7 as the spread. You’re betting on a team to meet that projection.
The moneyline: Picking an outright winner. The margin of victory does not matter.
Example: Let’s say Florida is projected to beat LSU by 30, but you think otherwise. You bet the moneyline in favor of the Tigers—and win if LSU does too.
Prop bets: Bets that typically have to do with specific events or individual player stats.
Example: Betting that Southern scores the first touchdown against Alcorn State. Before the Super Bowl, you can often bet on the length of the National Anthem or the color of the Gatorade the winning team pours on their coach.
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Parlays: A group of bets that combines odds to result in a higher payout. The caveat is that all of the bets in the parlay must hit in order to win.
Example: Think LSU will beat Missouri and that Southern will beat Florida A&M on the same night? If LSU is sitting at -175 odds and Southern at -145, you can bet on both of them to win for new odds of +166. Or picking LSU to win and Jayden Daniels to score two or more touchdowns in the game.
This article was originally published in the August 2023 issue of 225 magazine.