On one hand, people in Mississippi are able to take advantage of sports betting laws, as in-person opportunities are on the table. However, the bad news here, though, is that online options remain illegal and while there was hope that things would change in a big way this year, that's not going to happen. That's because the Mississippi online sports betting push failed with no backup plan set. This is yet another setback for the state.

Recently, there were two separate online sports betting bills that passed in the House, which made it seem like some big news was on the way for the state. However, both of those bills did not advance in the Senate, which now has Mississippi back to square one with things. Obviously, this is a bit of a setback in terms of Mississippi betting news, as local citizens have been waiting patiently for the green light to come in.

There's a major difference between getting in your car and driving to a sportsbook to place a bet at an authorized location, and being able to place an online wager from anywhere in your home. As things stand, 33 states have legalized online sports betting, with Wisconsin being the latest one to do so. The hope here was that Mississippi would also join the list, but the state remains on the outside looking in for now.

What hurts Mississippi is that there's still plenty of opposition for online betting, as there's worry that there won't be a financial benefit for the state, while others are worried that gambling addiction will rise because of it. Those are valid concerns, sure, but people are still placing wagers online through different methods and the state isn't seeing a dime of things. This needs to change, but there's indeed no backup plan set.

Mississippi was projected to reach around $50 million in online sports betting revenue

What hurts this news even more is that Mississippi was projected to reach around $50 million in online sports betting revenue in its first full year had things passed. While this may not be a huge number compared to other states, it shows the massive financial impact online betting can have. That kind of revenue could have been used for programs that need help around the state, but alas, nothing is coming there.

So, what's next for this particular push? That's tough to say, as it doesn't seem like a top priority right now. One of the people opposed to online sports betting was Senator David Blount, who even said that betting in the state can benefit from creating jobs and raising the tourism numbers, but online sports betting doesn't do any of that. That take alone has plenty of people talking, but not in a good way.

"The reason we have gambling in this state is to create jobs, encourage investment and increase tourism," Blount said via an article posted by the Clarion Ledger in Mississippi. "There are no jobs created by mobile sports betting."

While there may not be jobs created with online options, it would still create an economic boom for the state. This is something Blount and others need to keep in mind. For now, though, nothing positive is coming in and it doesn't look like this will get resolved in the near future.

Mississippi bettors are relying on prediction markets for their online sports betting needs

While things remain a bit in flux here, there's no question that Mississippi bettors are relying on prediction markets for their online sports betting needs. Just like in all the other states where online sports betting is not legal, people have been relying on the prediction markets in Mississippi.

As you're likely aware of right now, those markets are legal at the Federal level, meaning people in Mississippi can download apps and place online wagers that way. This is something officials are keeping in mind too, as we are seeing lawsuits fly in plenty of other states right now.

Football betting is always going to be high in Mississippi, as people will be rushing to check the best NFL sportsbooks for updated odds once September rolls around. Futures bet will be placed on the Super Bowl and then plenty of action in the postseason. This will be yet another problem for Mississippi lawmakers to keep their eyes on. Could legal action end up being taken down the road? That's something that could surely end up being on the table.