A Guide to Las Vegas Sports

It wasn’t that long ago that the only professional sports action found in Las Vegas was at the world-renowned sportsbooks. Vegas may be a mecca for people from all around the world but it was slim pickings as far as major league sports were concerned.

But that has changed dramatically in the last few years as Vegas has become home to a number of teams across the big sports – adding to the minor league teams and the Rebels of UNLV, of course. The best online sportsbook betting markets all now feature hometown teams. So here is a guide to sports in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Raiders, NFL

One of the biggest names in football, the Raiders finally ended a return trip between Oakland and Los Angeles to set up a new home in Las Vegas in 2020. There had been other outdoor football teams in the city in the past. But the NFL is the biggest show in town – and the Raiders are a marquee team.

The franchise may have had some successful seasons in the past but there hadn’t been too much to cheer about in Oakland for a while. The first season in Vegas ended 8-8, but the team went to the playoffs last year. A loss to the Bengals finished that journey but there are high hopes for the black and silver.

Vegas Golden Knights, NHL

The Golden Knights became the first ever major league professional team in Las Vegas when it joined the NHL as an expansion team in 2017. Locals soon became firm fans of the new team and cheered it on all the way to a Conference championship before it lost to the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup finals.

Last year was the first time ever in five attempts that the Vegas Golden Knights failed to make the postseason and there is real hope that there will be a speedy return. There is a new head coach in the form of Bruce Cassidy, who has been at the Boston Bruins most recently, and he will expect excellence on the ice.

Las Vegas Aces, WNBA

The Aces started life in Utah and moved to San Antonio before becoming a Las Vegas sports team. Now it has written its name in history by becoming the first team from the city to win a professional sports championship. The Aces recently beat Connecticut in four games to claim the title.

The franchise had lost in the WBNA Finals twice before, once as a Las Vegas team, so the celebrations were as to be expected. The Aces had been the best team in the league all season and capped off a glorious campaign with victory. Now it will aim to become the first to win back-to-back championships since the LA Sparks over 20 years ago.

Minor League Teams and College Sports

As with the major league sports teams, many of the minor league organizations have only called Las Vegas home for a few years. One of the few exceptions is the Las Vegas Aviators, a Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Minor league baseball has been played in the city since 1983.

There are other minor league teams playing soccer, hockey and basketball in the city. But it was the Rebels that Las Vegas was known for previously. The football and basketball teams have been very successful, with the Runnin’ Rebels (as the hoops team is known) winning the National Championship in 1991.

Expansion Rumors

With the success of the Raiders and the Golden Knights, it is no surprise that other leagues are interested in bringing a franchise to Las Vegas. Both MLB and the NBA have future plans, with the Oakland Athletics potentially closest to switching to the city – just like the Raiders did a few years ago.

The possibility of a Major League Soccer expansion team now looks to be further off, though, after a slew of new teams joined the league in the last few years. But Vegas will always be an attractive offer – and it would not be a huge surprise if the list of major league sports teams got a little bit longer soon.