• The NBA Draft will begin tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET
• The San Antonio Spurs have the #1 overall pick
• Eighteen states allow betting on the NBA draft

Everyone knows the San Antonio Spurs are going to draft international superstar Victor Wembanyama first overall (-20000 on DraftKings) during tonight’s NBA draft beginning 7:30 p.m. ET at the Barclays Center.

But not everyone knows where you can actually bet on the NBA draft in this fine country of ours!

Eighteen states currently allow wagering on the draft through NBA betting sites, with six prohibiting bets on the event. Ironically, the fine residents of New York who plan to attend the draft in Brooklyn are within one of the six legalized sports betting states that prohibit betting on the draft.

Where Can You Bet on the NBA Draft?

Seventeen states currently allow betting on the NBA draft. Here are the states where you can wager on the event:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Tennessee
• West Virginia
• Wyoming

Ohio and Massachusetts, the only two states to launch sports betting in 2023, both allow betting on the NBA draft.

Massachusetts allows customers to place wagers on pick-specific or selection-specific offerings, such as player X being selected #1 overall in the draft. Customers can also place bets on round specific offerings, such as how many athletes are selected from a certain school or if a specific player will be selected in a certain round.

Ohio allows similar betting markets, but does not allow bettors to place wagers on specific players being selected either as the first or second overall pick of the draft.

States Prohibiting NBA Draft Bets

The follow six locations do not allow bets on the NBA draft:

• Connecticut
• Iowa
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• Washington D.C.

One prominent politician in New York has at least had preliminary discussions about allowing bets on professional sport league drafts in the state. Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. (D-15), a longtime proponent of sports betting and one of the leading legislators who pushed online sports betting through the 2021 session, has noted that he will push for expanded sports betting options (including bets on drafts) within the next year.

Addabbo said he will also push for legal future bets on player awards – such as an MVP or Rookie of the Year – during the next New York legislative session.

New York’s definition of an eligible online sports betting event would have to be amended to allow bets on professional drafts. The current online sports betting law defines an eligible sporting event as “an event at which two or more persons participate in sports or athletic events and receive compensation in excess of actual expenses for their participation in such event.”

The post Does Your State Allow Sports Betting On the NBA Draft? appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.