Charles JacksonTulane hosts Memphis tonight, Friday, October 16, 2026, at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Memphis arrives at 5-1, while the 2-3 Green Wave are hunting for their first conference win. Sportsbooks have installed Memphis as roughly a 7-point favorite, and that is exactly where many fans start asking what they can legally bet on.
What bettors keep asking about Tulane tonight
Tulane's season has been uneven. According to game previews from FanDuel Research and College Football News, the Green Wave lost at Duke 17-3 in the opener, then fell at Kansas State, beat South Alabama 28-24 and Southern Miss 24-21, and dropped a 20-17 decision at Army on October 10. Memphis, by contrast, sits 5-1. Tulane won last year's meeting 38-32 in Memphis, which keeps the matchup interesting for bettors.
Searches for "Tulane football" spike on game days, and a large share of them come from people wondering one thing: which bets are actually allowed in Louisiana, and what happens if they win?
Can you bet on a Tulane player's stats in Louisiana?
No. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board ordered licensed sportsbooks to stop offering prop bets on individual college athletes' performance or statistics, effective August 1, 2024. That means a bet on a Tulane quarterback's passing yards or a running back's touchdowns is not available on a licensed Louisiana app. Bets on the final result, the point spread and the total points scored by the teams remain permitted, as do team-level statistical results.
The rule exists to protect young athletes from harassment and to reduce the integrity risk that comes with wagers tied to one person's performance. Lawmakers considered widening restrictions to professional props and in-game "micro-bets" in the 2026 session, but reporting from Casino.org indicates the broader ban stalled amid concerns about tax revenue. In short: college player props are off the menu, and the pro-sports rules remain as they were.
Licensed bettors must also be 21 or older and physically located in Louisiana when they place the wager, which the apps verify by geolocation.
Why an unlicensed app is a legal problem, not just a shortcut
Some offshore or unregulated sites still advertise player props on college games. Placing a wager there may feel identical to using a licensed app, but the protections are not the same. A licensed operator answers to the state regulator, and a customer can file a complaint. With an unlicensed operator, you typically have no regulator to appeal to if a payout is refused or an account is frozen.
Lawyers who advise on gaming and consumer disputes point out that a debt or payout dispute with an unlicensed operator is difficult to enforce in any court. That is a practical reason to keep a screenshot trail of every bet slip and balance change, and to talk to an attorney before wiring more money to chase a withheld payout.
A concrete case: one Friday night, two very different outcomes
Consider a fan in Metairie who bets $100 on Tulane +7 at standard -110 odds through a licensed Louisiana app. If Tulane loses by 6 or fewer, or wins outright, the bet pays $90.91 in profit plus the $100 stake. If Memphis wins by 8 or more, the fan loses $100. Every step is traceable, and the sportsbook reports significant winnings to the IRS.
Now suppose the same fan also places a $50 wager on a Tulane running back's rushing yards on an offshore site that advertises college props. If the site simply declines to pay a $95 win, there is no Louisiana regulator to call, and a lawyer will tell the fan that the claim is weak because the bet sat outside the licensed system. The fan cannot recover the money through the state's complaint process.
The tax side compounds this. Under the 2025 federal law, starting with the 2026 tax year, itemizers can deduct only 90% of gambling losses. If a bettor wins $2,000 over the season and loses $2,000, the deduction is limited to $1,800, which leaves $200 of taxable income even though the bettor broke even. If the same bettor takes the standard deduction, the losses cannot be deducted at all. The IRS explains how gambling income is reported on its gambling income and losses guidance.
What a legal or financial expert can actually do for you
A gaming or consumer-protection attorney can tell you whether a dispute with a sportsbook belongs with the Louisiana regulator, and whether an offshore operator leaves you any recourse at all. A tax professional can help you track wins and losses by session, so you can document your deduction properly and avoid surprises from the 90% limit.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules differ by state and individual circumstances, so confirm details with a licensed professional.
What the college prop ban does not change
The Gaming Control Board order targets individual athlete performance in college events. It does not stop a fan from betting on who wins tonight, whether the margin clears the spread, or whether the combined score lands over or under the posted total of roughly 55.5 points. It also does not make wagering legal for anyone under 21, and it does not apply to bets placed while standing outside Louisiana's borders.
That distinction matters for fans who travel. A Tulane supporter who drives to Mississippi or Texas for a road game cannot open a Louisiana-licensed app there and expect it to work, because the geolocation check will block the bet. Conversely, someone visiting New Orleans from another state is bound by Louisiana's rules while in the state, regardless of where the account was first opened.
The questions readers send us most
Does a small win count as taxable income? Yes. Federal law treats gambling winnings as income, and the IRS says they must be reported even when no tax form is issued. Sportsbooks send a form for larger payouts, but the duty to report does not depend on receiving one.
Can I deduct losses without itemizing? No. Losses are deductible only if you itemize, and only up to the amount of winnings you report. From the 2026 tax year, the deduction is also reduced to 90% of losses.
What if the app freezes my account after a big win? Start by documenting everything: screenshots, timestamps, and the terms you accepted. If the operator is licensed in Louisiana, file a complaint with the regulator. If it is not, speak with an attorney early, because your options are narrower and deadlines in the terms of service may be short.
Are prop bets on NFL players still allowed? According to the reporting on the 2024 order, props on professional sports remain permitted in Louisiana. The ban is specific to college events.
How to protect yourself before kickoff
Before you place a wager on tonight's game, check three things. First, confirm the app is licensed in Louisiana and that the market you want is actually offered. Second, save a record of every wager, because you will need it for both disputes and tax reporting. Third, set a loss limit before the game starts and treat it as a hard stop.
If something goes wrong, or if you are unsure how a win will affect your taxes, an independent expert can review your situation before it becomes expensive. Expert Zoom connects you with verified lawyers who handle gaming and consumer disputes, so you can get a straight answer before you make your next move.
