Mississippi is the most progressive state in the South.

No, seriously.

When it comes to sports gambling, Mississippi will become the first state in the South to permit casinos to accept sports wagering now that the Mississippi Gaming Commission has approved sports betting on Thursday. The governing body’s decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court recently struck down a federal ban on sports wagering.

Mississippi joins West Virginia and New Jersey as states that have expedited the process to legalize sports betting in their states. While you cannot wager on sports legally in Mississippi as of now, you will be able to do so in 28 statewide casinos in 30 days — Saturday, July 21, 2018.

No other states in the SEC footprint currently allow legalized sports wagering.