AP: Millions wagered in first week of Tennessee sports gambling

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gamblers in Tennessee wagered more than $27 million in the first week of the state’s only online sports betting program, officials said.

From Nov. 1 through Nov. 8, the adjusted gross income from gambling was more than $2.5 million, and the amount of tax money generated was $509,000, according to the Tennessee Education Lottery, which oversees sports wagering in Tennessee.

More than $5 million in bets was placed on Nov. 1, the first day of online gambling in the state, officials said.

Sports betting barely passed the Tennessee legislature in spring 2019. Republican Gov. Bill Lee let it become law without signing it due to his opposition to more gambling in a state without casinos.

Operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM take bets from people 21 years old or older who are physically located in Tennessee at the time a wager is placed.