NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Sports wagering isn't just a gamble on the game. It's a guaranteed win for the programs and people pocketing the proceeds.

The General Assembly passed the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act, which legalized sports wagering in the state, in 2019. Sportsbooks went live across the Volunteer State the following year.

“What this piece of legislation is doing — more so than anything — is looking to capture dollars that we can put to good use in the state of Tennessee," former State Rep. Rick Staples (D-Knoxville), who sponsored the bill that made sports wagering legal, said.

In the five years since sports betting has been legal in Tennessee, it has generated $345 million in privilege tax, which is from the 1.85% tax on bets, which is then divided among three initiatives wit

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