FINGERS CROSSED!
Texas is oh-so-close to pulling pro sports out of the dark ages
Feb 7, 2023, 3:04 pm
Sports betting in Texas could be just around the corner. Photo by Getty Images, Composite by Brandon Strange.
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry, now a spokesperson for parties pushing for legalized sports betting in Texas, told a Channel 11 reporter:
“I'm sure the first time a Christian walked into the Coliseum in Rome, somebody bet on the outcome.”
I'm all in for legalized gambling in Texas, but I challenge Perry's historical accuracy. I visited Rome a couple of years ago and took the Coliseum tour. It's true that back in the day, Christians were fed to the lions (and other beasts) in the Coliseum, but there wasn't a betting window for fans to wager on the outcome. The lions were undefeated in ancient Rome. They had a better winning percentage than the Harlem Globetrotters. In fact, the event wasn't over until the lions won each time.
But I get what Perry is saying and I agree with him. It's whackadoodle that Texas doesn't have legalized sports betting. It's perfectly permitted all around us. Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee are within a day's drive. Why must we continue to make Mattress Mack drive all the way to Louisiana to bet his millions? I wonder, did Mack deduct 62 cents per mile when he went to collect his $75 million on the Astros winning the World Series? Every penny counts.
Bottom line: despite sports betting being illegal in Texas, anybody with minimal computer savvy can get on their laptop or smartphone and bet on sports. It's no wonder that the big online sportsbooks, like DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM, advertise in Texas where their product technically is illegal.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down a federal ban on sports betting four years ago and left it for states to decide, 35 states have approved some form of sports gambling. Texas is not one of them.
However, something's a-brewing in the Lone Star State. On Monday, two bills were presented in the Texas Legislature, currently in session in Austin, that may lead to legalized sports gambling here. Just may. It's still a longshot, but gamblers know, longshots sometimes win. Past efforts have failed, but this year looks like the best odds ever for legalized gambling in Texas.
That's because one of the bills for legalized sports gambling was presented Monday by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham, who knows a winner when she represents one. That's where Blue Bell ice cream is made, and even “cows think Brenham's Heaven.” Blue Bell dominates the ice cream market in Texas and one flavor, Homemade Vanilla, accounts for 60-percent of its sales. Note for trivia buffs: Blue Bell's next most popular flavors are Dutch Chocolate and Cookies 'n Cream.
More important, Kolkhorst is a Republican and political ally of Gov. Greg Abbott, who after years of opposing legalized sports gambling appears to have cracked open the door this time.
Kolkhorst is a force in Austin. She chairs the senate's Health and Human Services committee. Probably equally significant, she is a former collegiate athlete. She was a member of the golf team at Texas Christian University. Introducing her bill Monday she said, “I respect the purity of sports and feel (her bill) will promote integrity through transparent licensing, permitting and reporting requirements.”
Legalized sports gambling also would promote many, many millions of dollars in revenue for Texas. The state would take 10-percent off the top of the action. If a proposed bill passes through the Texas Legislature, sports betting could be on the ballot in November, where it would be expected to pass by a wide margin.
Supporting legalized sports gambling in Texas: the Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Astros, Houston Texans and Professional Golf Association.
The main opposition to legalized sports gambling in Texas continues to be Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. He has repeatedly shot down any attempt to bring gambling to Texas. However, that's the thing about gambling, you never know the result until it's over.
As Rocky Balboa sort of said after beating Ivan Drago, “if Gov. Abbott can change, and you can change, everybody can change, even Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.”
Here’s hoping, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
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Jun 11, 2025, 5:11 pm
The Houston Astros return to action Wednesday night with a chance to get back on track and even their three-game set against the visiting Chicago White Sox.
White Sox continue to have Houston's number
After falling 4–2 in Tuesday’s opener, the Astros now trail the season series 3–1 and will turn to Ryan Gusto (3-3, 4.78 ERA) in hopes of steadying the ship and reinforcing their grip on first place in the AL West.
Houston enters the matchup at 36–30 overall and 22–13 at home, a mark that reflects just how comfortable they've been playing in front of their fans. Though the offense has been inconsistent at times, the Astros are an impressive 19–4 when they manage to keep the ball in the yard — a stat that will be key with Gusto on the mound. The young right-hander has had an up-and-down season, but he'll be tasked with limiting a White Sox offense that did just enough to sneak away with a win in the opener.
Chicago, meanwhile, continues to play with a bit of unexpected edge despite sitting in last place in the AL Central. At 23–44, the White Sox have struggled most of the season — particularly on the road, where they’re just 7–26. Still, they've now won four of their last five games and will hand the ball to Sean Burke (3-6, 4.03 ERA), a righty who’s shown flashes of command and competitiveness in his rookie campaign.
The Astros will once again lean on their veterans to lead the way at the plate. Jose Altuve continues to be a consistent presence at the top of the lineup with nine home runs and 24 RBIs on the year. Yainer Diaz, who’s 10-for-39 with three home runs over his last 10 games, has started to find his swing again and could be a factor in the middle of the order. Houston will need more of that timely hitting if they want to avoid dropping their second straight at home — something that hasn’t happened often this year.
On the other side, Chase Meidroth has quietly become one of Chicago’s more reliable bats. Hitting .293 with five doubles and a pair of homers, Meidroth’s emergence adds some much-needed spark to a lineup that’s lacked consistency. Andrew Benintendi, hitting .257 over his last 10 games with four doubles, has also begun to warm up at the plate.
Both teams come in with nearly identical offensive production over their last 10 games — the Astros hitting .227 to the White Sox’s .226 — but Houston holds the edge in ERA at 3.44 compared to Chicago’s 4.04. That said, the Astros have been outscored by five runs over that stretch, and will need to clean up a few things on both sides of the ball to avoid falling into a mini-slide during this six-game homestand.
First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET from Daikin Park, with Houston looking to reassert itself against a team it hasn’t solved yet this season. A win would not only even the series — it would also be a reminder that the Astros remain very much in control of their own narrative heading into the summer grind.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -181, White Sox +150; over/under is 8 1/2 runs.
Here's an early look at Houston's lineup for Game 2
Wednesday night matchup.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/UGNXjvgdC6
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 11, 2025
Jacob Melton is hitting last and remains the left fielder with Altuve back at second base. Diaz is once again in the cleanup spot as Walker is hitting fifth. Victor Caratini will hit behind Walker and serve as the DH. Otherwise, a pretty typical lineup for Joe Espada's club.
*ChatGPT assisted.
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