Sports Betting Q&A
Frequently asked questions about sports betting

How does sports betting work in Vegas?

Last Updated: Apr 30, 2020
|
Fact Checked By: Adam Zdroik

Vegas remains the go-to place for sports betting even as states continue to legalize wagering throughout the country.

That said, Vegas (and Nevada) is a little different than what most other states provide because they've been offering sports betting for decades.

If you're looking to bet right away, it makes sense to venture to the sportsbook where you're staying. If there isn't one, there are a wide range of options in downtown Las Vegas and on the strip. Either way, there is likely a sportsbook within walking distance of where you're staying.

BETTING IN PERSON

When betting in person, the most important thing to keep in mind, other than to carry cash, is the rotation number, which is often listed next to a certain bet on an odds board. To make it easier for the tellers, each bet has a rotation number they type in. For example, a game on an odds board may look like this:

350 Saints-6-180
351 Falcons52+160

In this case, the rotation numbers are 350 and 351.

If you want to bet $100 on the Saints, you would say, "$100 on 350, Saints -6." For the Falcons, it would be, "$100 on 351, Falcons +6." For the over/under it would be, "$100 on 350, over 52." For over/unders, you can use either rotation number. For moneyline bets, it's the same thing, "$100 on 350, Saints moneyline." In this case, you'd be betting $100 on -180 odds, which would payout about $150.

MOBILE BETTING

While Las Vegas is the hub for sports betting, you cannot bet online until you sign up in person at a casino. Most sportsbooks have their own app, but you'll need to set up an account in person and get a players club card in the process.

DOUBLE CHECK YOUR BET SLIP

In case the betting teller misheard you and put in the wrong bet, it's vital to double check your betting slip after receiving it. While it's not likely your bet is wrong, you don't want to be cheering for a certain side and when you go back to the ticket window find out the bet you wanted isn't the one you have money on.

COLLECTING MONEY 

Collecting money from a winning bet online is automatic, but if you bet in person, you can easily get your winnings from the sportsbook where the bet was made. All you have to do is go to the betting window and they'll give you your winnings.

FREE DRINKS

A lot of people like free things and free drinks are a thing, but you'll need to bet a certain amount to receive drink tickets and it varies from casino to casino. It's rare to get drink tickets on just $50 of wagering, though there are places that may give you an initial drink ticket to keep you betting at that location.

DIFFERENT ODDS AT DIFFERENT SPORTSBOOKS

Not all sportsbooks are the same and it's not just how they look. While a lot of sportsbooks get their odds from the same place in Vegas, there are a lot of different options. For example, you may see the Saints moneyline at -180 at one sportsbook and -150 at another. The same goes for spread bets as in you could find Saints -6 at -110 at one place and -120 at another. 

Shopping odds is rarely something that can be fruitful for a non-professional bettor, but for those betting large sums of money, it can make a difference. Of course, if you're in Vegas to bet for fun on the weekend, there's no point to researching sportsbooks where you can get -110 odds as opposed to -120.

Read More Sports Betting Q&As

More Questions To Read
A futures bet is a bet on a future event, usually before a season starts.
Yes. Where legal, the Super Bowl is one of the most popular sporting events to bet on in the world, if not the most popular.
A hedge is a method to reduce risk and secure winnings for a specified bet.
If you've never bet before, there are surely a lot of words and phrases you've never heard before and even if you have bet before, you may not know...
Vig, or vigorish, is the cut or amount charged by a sportsbook for taking a bet, also known as juice.
Yes. Tennessee sports betting was legalized in 2019 and launched in 2020.
Yes. Sports betting is legal in North Carolina, but it will be fully operational on March 11, 2024, with pre-registration beginning on March 1, 2024.
Pennsylvania passed legislation to allow sports betting in 2017 and sportsbooks began taking bets in 2019.
Yes. Indiana passed a bill to allow sports betting in 2019 and wagering started in October with online betting opening a couple months later.
Yes, sports betting is legal in the state of Ohio.
Yes. Sports betting is legal and regulated in Arizona as of football season in 2021.
Yes. Pennsylvania passed legislation to allow sports betting in 2017 and sportsbooks began taking bets in 2019.
Yes. Michigan passed legislation to allow sports betting in December 2019 and the first physical sportsbooks opened in March 2020.
Yes, sports betting is live in Massachusetts.
Yes, sports betting is legal in Maryland. It launched on November 23, 2022.
Sports betting is legal in Ohio, and takes bets as of January 1, 2023.
Yes. Sports betting is legal in Virginia and residents began betting via FanDuel in January 2021.
NFL Week 1 odds came out on all the best sportsbooks following the release of the 2024-25 NFL schedule in May.
Yes. Colorado legalized in-person and mobile sports betting in November 2019.
Yes. New Jersey was one of the first states to legalize sports betting and online wagering after the 2018 Supreme Court decision.
Yes, FanDuel pays out real money. Whether you use the DFS portion of the website, sportsbook, or online casino, you will be paid out in real money.
Yes. Illinois passed sports betting legislature in 2019 and launched at legal sportsbooks in March 2020.
Yes. Sports betting can be a career if you make it your full-time job and put in the hours.
Bonus bets in sports betting are often connected to deposits and are also referred to as bonuses.
The plus (+) and minus (-) in sports betting can refer to either the point spread or betting odds.