South Carolina, also known as the Palmetto State, does not have any professional sports teams. However, they do have their pride and joy, the Clemson Tigers, as well as a few other prominent collegiate sports programs that participate at the NCAA Division I level. A great deal of local pride is derived from their beloved Tigers and other college teams, and they don't seem to mind not having any pro teams calling their state home. As the US based gambling industry begins to expand through state licensed Internet gambling, a renewed interest in sports betting has emerged around the country, including in South Carolina. This guide will explain the legal status of South Carolina sports betting, as well as what legal and safe options SC residents have for betting online. Due to their love of their college football teams, we have also included a resource that focuses on betting on football in South Carolina.

The answer to this question is based largely on where you are desiring to place your bets. If you were hoping for a state licensed option for sports gambling in SC, then no, there are no legal opportunities available on that level. However, if you are considering a licensed and regulated sportsbook that is located outside of the United States, then there are a handful of legitimate destinations that meet this criteria and that are licensed to provide their betting services to residents of SC. There are two US federal laws which prevent South Carolina from offering state sanctioned bookmaking services. They are the Federal Wire Act and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. These two laws ban US based sports betting online and offline. There are four states that received exemption from the PASPA law and can offer brick and mortar sports gambling options to their residents, including Nevada, Delaware, Oregon and Montana.

These two federal laws only apply to US based gambling, and do not have any bearing whatsoever on licensed and regulated sportsbooks located offshore or outside US borders. This is why players are not breaking any federal laws by participating in this type of legal Internet gambling. The state of South Carolina does outlaw unlicensed sports betting operations within the state, and prohibits participation in these types of options as well. We also recommend that you never consider placing bets with a bookmaker that is unlicensed and unregulated. In addition to breaking the law, you are also putting yourself at great risk financially. You can review the state's gambling laws on the South Carolina State Legislature Website.

Players must be at least 21 years of age to legally participate in any type of gambling in South Carolina. This includes online sports gambling at any of our recommended gambling sites. There are not any regulated land based gambling opportunities in the state, which makes 21 years of age the default legal minimum gambling age that must be adhered to.

This guide contains a refined listing of our recommendations for reputable, legally licensed sports gambling destinations. These sportsbooks accept players from SC, and offer the highest level of service and quality to their customers. They are each legally licensed, compliance certified, and subject to strict regulatory oversight by a governing jurisdiction which is respected and that has been vetted by our team of professionals. We have evaluated the betting lines, odds and paylines at each of these brands, and have found their lines to be highly competitive, and their odds on par with industry standards and Vegas bookmakers. They operate with the highest standards of integrity, providing fast payouts and exceptional customer support. We have placed them each through an intense review process, and found them each to exceed both industry standards and licensing requirements in every way.

The Clemson Tigers

It is said that North Carolina's professional sports teams in the NFL, NHL and NBA represent the Carolinas in general, but South Carolina isn't buying that. They don't have a pro team in the southern part of the region, and truth be told, they don't really need one. The reason is that they have two very good collegiate schools in D1 men's football, the Clemson Tigers and the Gamecocks of South Carolina. For the Tigers specifically, they were a top-25 team last year and may be again this year.

Although only 6-7 last year ATS (against the spread), this is a trend that's already changing. The Tigers are 2-0 this year ATS, putting up over 40 points in their first two games. At the time of this article, before the Tigers play Louisville, they're six-point favorites, and we expect them to be 3-0 ATS before it's over. They have a tough schedule when they get to Notre Dame, Georgia and Florida State, but that's only three games. We can see them going a solid 9-4 ATS this season and ending up in the top 20 in rankings.

Don't forget, either, that the Tigers play in the ACC, not the SEC, so they're not playing opponents who are that tough, by and large. They might not be pushovers, but they're also not division contenders. The Tigers should be able to roll over quite a few this season.

The South Carolina Gamecocks

Led by Steve Spurrier, former Heisman-winning QB at Florida, the South Carolina Gamecocks are all about high-flying, fast-paced offense. However, their glaring lack of defense has been a huge hindrance for the team over the past few seasons. Last year, they lost quite a few games on their schedule and ended up doing poorly for gamblers ATS. They were 5-8 last year ATS, and went 3-3 after a win and 2-3 in non-conference games.

This year, we don't expect much different. They already lost as favorites to the University of Kentucky, who has a basketball team but a very weak football team. That they lost that game is a bad sign. They still have to play Georgia, LSU, Missouri, Texas A&M, and in-state rival #11 Clemson. We can't see them winning or even covering in any of these games. They will undoubtedly be underdogs in all five games, and they will probably lose by more than the spread in all five. It's a shame to see such a powerful offense on a bad team, but the Gamecocks simply do not have it this season. If you want to bet, go with the other South Carolina collegiate team, not the Gamecocks.