DraftKings Celebrates Sports Betting Legalization With ‘Free To Bet Day’

Posted on May 12, 2021 - Last Updated on August 13, 2024

Three years ago this Friday, the US Supreme Court repealed a bill called PASPA, effectively permitting US states to offer sports betting.

In honor of the big day, DraftKings Tennessee is hosting its third annual “Free To Bet Day” and gifting bettors a free bonus wager.

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DraftKings offers bonus bets to all users

As part of the celebration, all users can opt in and claim a $5.14 bonus bet with DraftKings. The only caveat being, it must be claimed and used this Friday, May 14.

Luckily, bettors won’t be at a loss for wagering options. A variety of NBAMLB and other sporting events take place on Friday.

So, those looking to bet on the Memphis Grizzlies will be in luck.

In addition to Friday’s bonus bet, DraftKings has a handful of other promos bettors can also opt into.

With the NBA Chooseday boost, players can get a 25% profit boost on the NBA game of their choice.

Baseball fans can enjoy the MLB Live Bet Profit Boost, which grants a 25% profit boost on a single MLB live bet.

PASPA repeal paves the way for progress

DraftKings, as we know it, would not be alive today without the existence of legal sports betting. Similarly, sports betting would mainly exist as an offshore entity were it not for the federal repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2018.

Back when PASPA passed in 1992, sports betting became outlawed everywhere in the US other than Nevada. Sports leagues originally supported PASPA as a way to maintain the integrity of the game. Instead, it pushed bettors into unregulated betting markets and left billions of dollars in potential tax revenue on the table.

On May 14, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey in the case of Murphy vs. NCAA, ultimately overturning PASPA. The court found the law to be a violation of the Constitution’s 10th Amendment because it dictated what states could and could not do.

States were then permitted to decide for themselves how and when to legalize sports betting. Since then, the industry has blossomed.

Many state legislators now see sports betting legalization as a way to supplement state taxes, protect consumers from illicit operations, and boost the overall economy. Similarly, sports leagues now see wagering as another means of cross-promotion and a way of enhancing fan engagement.

Legal sports betting is currently operational in over 20 US states. Of those jurisdictions, 17 permit online sports wagering in some form. In 2020, over 80% of all sports betting was conducted online.

Since the PASPA repeal, bettors have wagered over $52 billion throughout the US. At least $9 billion of that came in just the first year after the repeal.

Tennessee has contributed over $1 billion in total handle to that number in its short six months of existence.

Maryland, Louisiana and South Dakota are poised to enter the fold next, and sports betting is only expected to continue to its expansion from there.

Photo by Associated Press
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Alec Cunningham

As a college athlete, Alec Cunningham played Division II golf at Tusculum University. She graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Professional Writing. She then returned to her love of written word in 2000 after working in the music industry as a concert promoter, tour manager and artist developer. As a journalist, she's covered a variety of topics and currently specializes in Tennessee online sports betting and Virginia casino news. She served as a panelist at this year's All American Sports Betting Summit, discussing the ever-evolving role of women in the gambling industry.

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