The NFL is the most popular professional sports league to bet on in Texas. The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most popular professional sports teams in the country and the Houston Texans also have a loyal fanbase.
The 2026 NFL Season gets underway this week, running from September 9th, 2026 to January 10th, 2027 with all teams playing 17 regular season games with one bye week. The playoffs will then begin with Wild Card Weekend on January 16th-18th, 2027, followed by the Divisional Round and Conference Championship games the subsequent weeks. The Super Bowl will then take place on February 14th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
On this page we explain the current legal status of sports betting in Texas, outline every option Texans have for betting on the NFL, walk through the three most popular NFL bets, and finish with a general step by step guide to getting started.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Texas?
No. Sports betting is not legal in Texas, and there are no licensed sportsbooks, either online or in person, anywhere in the state.
Legalizing sports betting in Texas requires a constitutional amendment, which must be approved by two-thirds of both the Texas House and Senate and then by Texas voters. Bills to do this were filed during the 2025 legislative session, but the session ended without any sports betting amendment advancing. The Texas Legislature only meets in regular session in odd-numbered years, so the next opportunity comes when the 90th Legislature convenes in January 2027.
Check out our Texas betting section to learn more about the regulatory climate for sports betting in the state.
Where Can Texans Bet On The NFL?
Even without legal sportsbooks, Texans have several ways to put money on NFL games. Each works differently and comes with its own legal status, so it’s worth understanding the differences before choosing one.
Prediction Markets
Prediction markets such as Kalshi, Polymarket, DraftKings Predictions and FanDuel Predict let you buy and sell contracts on the outcome of NFL games. Instead of betting against a sportsbook, you trade with other users, and the price of a contract reflects the market’s view of how likely an outcome is. These platforms operate under federal oversight from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rather than state gambling law, which is why they are available in Texas.
Their status in Texas is being challenged, though. A Texas Senate committee held a hearing on prediction markets in September 2026 at the direction of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and lawmakers may try to restrict them during the 2027 session.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) apps such as PrizePicks, Underdog, DraftKings Pick6 and Sleeper accept players in Texas who are 18 or older. Rather than betting on which team wins, you pick whether individual players will go over or under a statistical projection, such as a quarterback’s passing yards.
DFS operates in a legal gray area in Texas. State law doesn’t specifically address it, and the only formal state position is a 2016 Attorney General opinion (KP-0057) that said paid DFS contests are likely illegal gambling. That opinion has never been enforced against players, and the major apps have continued operating in the state.
Betting in a Neighboring State
Licensed sportsbooks are legal in several nearby states, including Louisiana and Arkansas, which both offer mobile betting. You must be physically located inside that state’s borders to place a bet, even if you live in Texas, and licensed sportsbooks require you to be 21 or older.
Offshore Sportsbooks
Offshore sportsbooks are licensed outside the United States and accept bets from Texas residents. They are not licensed or regulated by any US state, which means Texans who use them have no state regulator to turn to if there is a dispute over a bet or a withdrawal.
NFL Betting Options
There are three bets that are the most common wagers on each NFL game. These are the spread, money line (to win) and total (over/under). Below I will look at examples of each using the NFL season opener between the Patriots and Seahawks.
Spread
The spread is the most common wager on NFL games. The oddsmakers will set a point spread, which will attempt to even out the game by basically spotting the underdog a certain number of points (the spread).
A bet on the favorite would have to “cover the spread”, which means the favored team would have to win by more than the spread amount. A bet on the underdog to “beat the spread” would win if the underdog either wins the game or loses by fewer points than the spread.
In this example the -3 indicates that the Seattle Seahawks are 3 point favorites to beat the Patriots. The Seahawks would have to win by 4 or more points for a spread bet on Seahawks to win.
On the flip side, the +3 indicates that the Patriots are 3 point underdogs. For the Pats to beat the spread they must either win the game outright or lose by 2 or fewer points.
If Seattle wins by exactly 3 points then the spread bets would “push” and be returned.
Win (Money Line)
You can also bet on which team will win the game straight up, with no spread involved. The money line odds are set based on each teams perceived chances of winning the game. A bet on the favorite would win less than a bet on the underdog.
In this example the Seahawks have -175 odds to win the game. This means you would have to wager $175 to win $100 betting on the Seahawks.
The Patriots are +150 underdogs, which means a $100 wager would win $150 if they pulled off the upset.
If you are having trouble understanding the risk vs reward when looking at the odds above check out our betting odds explanations here.
Total (Over/Under)
The total, also known as the over/under, is a bet on the total number of points to be scored in the game by both teams.
The oddsmaker will set a “total” and you can wager on whether the number of points scored will be over or under that number.
The total for the Patriots vs Seahawks game is set at 44.5 points. Over bets would win if 45 or more points are scored and under bets would win if 44 or fewer points are scored.
How To Bet On The NFL From Texas – Step By Step
Whichever option you choose, the process of getting started is similar. Here’s a general guide.
Step 1. Choose Your Option
Decide which type of platform fits how you want to bet. Prediction markets are the closest thing to betting on game results, DFS apps are built around player stats, and licensed sportsbooks in a neighboring state offer the full range of NFL bets if you’re willing to travel. Review the legal status of each option above before signing up.
Step 2. Check The Age and Location Rules
Every platform has its own eligibility requirements. Most prediction markets and DFS apps require you to be at least 18, while licensed sportsbooks require you to be 21 and physically located in the state where they are licensed.
Step 3. Create and Verify Your Account
Sign up with your legal name, date of birth and address. Regulated platforms are required to verify your identity, so you may be asked for the last four digits of your Social Security number or a photo of your ID.
Step 4. Fund Your Account
Deposit using one of the platform’s payment methods, which commonly include debit cards and bank transfers. Check how withdrawals work, and how long they take, before you deposit.
Step 5. Find The Game and Place Your Bet
Navigate to the NFL section, select the game or player you’re interested in, and choose your position. Before confirming, check the price or odds and how much you stand to win, using the bet types explained above as a guide.
Step 6. Set Limits
Decide on a budget before the season starts and stick to it. Most regulated platforms let you set deposit and time limits in your account settings. If betting stops being fun, help is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
Tagged With : NFL Betting • Texas Sports Betting
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