South-Carolina

South Carolina lawmaker to reintroduce sports betting bill

Published

2 years ago

September 7, 2024

South Carolina lawmaker to reintroduce sports betting bill

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Sports betting apps like Prize Picks, DraftKings, and FanDuel have made it easy for bettors in 38 states, including North Carolina, to bet anywhere like your car.

But if you were to drive south and cross over into the Palmetto state—you wouldn’t be able to make a bet on anything. One South Carolina lawmaker is hoping to change that with another push to legalize sports gambling.

“It’s one of those bills that is a revenue generator for the state, a very significant source of revenue,” says Dorchester Republican representative Chris Murphy.

This would be the third attempt at legalizing betting in South Carolina. Murphy says his reason for bringing it back up—money and momentum. He believes his college and professional sports gambling bill would generate at least $100 million in revenue for the state—80% of that would go to the general state fund.

“The fact of the matter is, it’s taking place right now illegally,” Murphy says.

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Murphy’s bill will mirror North Carolina and Tennessee, two recent states to come into the gambling world.

Of the 38 states participating in the gambling world, they’ve brought in more than 2.5 billion dollars in tax revenue from an industry that generates $11 billion in revenue. Regardless, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster does not support any sports gambling bill.

“It’s interesting to note that when North Carolina’s legislation went live, there were over a million bets, attempted to be placed in South Carolina on the North Carolina apps. So it just shows you that there that it is happening,” Murphy said.

Right now, bettors can legally bet on fantasy football on apps in South Carolina. Murphy still plans to add a sports gaming component and a fantasy sports component to the legislation.

“They came to me and wanted to be included in the legislation that I’ve been proposing because they want to be regulated and they want to keep the bad actors out,” Murphy said.

Drew Pechulonis supports the initiative, even writing a dissertation for a class at the University of South Carolina on the subject. In his paper, he suggests implementing a tax on gaming companies to help push the bill across the finish line.

“Just to encourage competition. The last thing that politicians want to do is raise taxes on their constituents. And so, they’re always looking for new revenue streams. South Carolina has a huge pension fund deficit. They’re pretty far behind on education in the country. The infrastructure is not as good as the surrounding states. It’s important for them to start looking at some other options to increase their tax revenue,” said Pechulonis.

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The College Football National Championship Trophy is on its tour across the country during college football season. One of its stops was in Charlotte at the Walmart on Pineville Matthews Road, just a few miles from the South Carolina border.

Shoppers had the opportunity to take pictures with the national championship trophy and talk about what sports betting has been like since North Carolina adopted gambling. It’d help college and professional football fans like these.

“Once everybody started doing it, I was kind of like ‘Hey, this is something fun to do.’ And definitely I know people who were on vacation in South Carolina and couldn’t get even though they’re from North Carolina while they were over there and they felt like they were missing out. And so it’s just something fun to be a part of. I’m betting on it for this week at Duke’s Mayo Classic and for NC State to win,” said North Carolina State and UNC Charlotte Alumuna Annie Turk.

Murphy says there won’t be a horse racing component to his bill. There will be a piece in the bill that sets aside money to help those who may have gambling addiction issues.

He plans to file the bill after the election.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.

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Related Topics:bill Chris Murphy Featured n.c.Palmetto State sports betting sports gambling tax revenue

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South-Carolina

NFL Draft Injury Analysis: Jalon Kilgore, S – South Carolina

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

NFL Draft Injury Analysis: Jalon Kilgore, S – South Carolina

The Lions may be looking for a safety within the first two rounds due to injuries to Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. That’s where Jalon Kilgore may come in. He has some minor injuries, but appears to be a relatively low-risk prospect for a team that needs to add health to that room.

Here is the excerpt of my medical report on Jalon Kilgore:

Jalon Kilgore, S (21) – South Carolina

Projected round 2-3.

Concern level 2/10

While his availability has been excellent, Kilgore has a history of hamstring strains in 2025 and 2023. If his 2024 injury is found to be also a hamstring, then happenstance becomes a disturbing trend.

With fast-twitch athletes, hamstrings are going to be very common, and generally don’t present any long-term issues. The difficult trick will be to determine if a certain player is more prone to hamstrings.

What helps Kilgore a lot is his young age.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD

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South-Carolina

Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash

Published

17 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Motorcyclist critically injured in Longs area crash

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — One person was critically injured in a motorcycle crash in the Longs area on Thursday afternoon, according to Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR).

Just before 2:00 p.m., crews responded to the area of Old Highway 31 near Hidden River Road.

MORE: 1 critically injured in vehicle rollover near International Dr.

One person was transported to the hospital as a result of the motorcycle crash, HCFR said.

Officials ask that drivers avoid the area as lanes of traffic are currently blocked.

The incident is under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol with assistance from the Horry County Police Department.

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South-Carolina

South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

South Carolina’s Raven Johnson carries her grandfather’s legacy into Sweet 16

Alyssia Hamilton
| Special to USA TODAY

COLUMBIA, SC ― With the clock winding down and pressures of the Women’s NCAA Tournament rising, South Carolina senior guard Raven Johnson isn’t playing just to win. She plays in honor of a voice she can no longer hear – but that she still carries with her every time she steps onto the court.

That motivation was on full display Monday night, as the No. 1-seeded Gamecocks took down No. 9 USC to advance to the Sweet 16. Johnson earned her 1,000th career point ― what would prove to be her last point at Colonial Life Arena ― on a steal and fast-break layup that brought a roar from the crowd. The Gamecocks will face No. 4 Oklahoma Saturday in Sacramento, with another Elite Eight appearance on the line.

For Johnson, the moment symbolized something deeper – a career shaped by the memory of her late grandfather. Johnson’s family watched as she achieved the milestone, her mother, grandmother and twin brother. It was a full circle moment for a player whose journey took root in her grandparents’ home.

Her grandparents helped raise her and her twin brother, Richard Johnson. The family lived together and she often calls her grandmother “mother” and her grandfather “papa,” reflecting the impact they had on her upbringing.

“My grandparents did a really good job,” Johnson said. “We wouldn’t be playing sports if it wasn’t for them.”

The Boones introduced the twins to basketball through their church and spent countless hours training them, often pushing them past their limits. A sergeant first class in the Army Reserves, he supervised soldiers in his unit and brought that same discipline to his grandchildren on the court, being demanding, structured and determined.

“I remember being outside and he was training us and I thought it was so hard. I wanted to give up,” Johnson said. “I used to cry, and he would be like ‘You’re not going to cry in my face, and you’re not going to give up.’ It was little things like that that made me tough.”

The standard of grit, accountability and composure, is something Johnson carries today.

“She’s just a winner and she’s a great point guard,” said South Carolina senior guard Ta’Niya Latson, who also played with Johnson at Westlake High School in Atlanta. “When she’s confident, we’re confident. When she’s poised, we’re poised. It’s hard to have that type of personality and leadership on the court, but she carries it well.”

Rodrick Boone was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2012 and died in April 2013 while Johnson was at a tournament in New Orleans. She was 10 years old.

“I remember I shut down,” Johnson said. “My mind went blank. I was like ‘What?’ I thought he was untouchable.”

Months after her grandfather’s death, something shifted in her mindset.

“I think that’s my why,” Johnson said. “I keep going today because he is my why.”

As a child, Johnson didn’t even like basketball. She preferred T-ball and cheerleading and thought basketball wasn’t for girls, until she saw Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins and began to see herself differently.

“She was so pretty to me and I remember asking ‘Can I be girly and hoop?’” Johnson said.

She was the only girl on her recreational team, earning the nickname “Killer” for her defensive intensity alongside her brother, nicknamed “Thriller” for his offensive ability. The boys tested Johnson by playing physical and trying to push her out of the sport.

“I used to be cooking them out there a little bit, and I think they didn’t like that,” Johnson said.

She said the boys trying to make it hard on her actually made her tougher both physically and mentally.

Her grandmother, Connie Boone, said her grandfather would be proud of what Johnson has become.

“He might be crying but he would be happy about it,” her grandmother said. “You start them young, but you never know what the outcome is going to be.”

Johnson imagines the conversations she’d be having with her papa if he was still here.

“He would still be on my butt riding me, he’ll tell me maybe I need to fix something,” Johnson said. “He’ll be happy and I think he’ll be like ‘All right let’s get back to the drawing board. Let’s get ready for the next opponent.’”

She knows her papa is always watching, and she talks to him a lot at night.

“I just want to tell him that I’m going to keep pushing through even when it gets tough,” Johnson said. “He’s always telling me to push through because nobody cares. Nobody cares if you’re at your lowest, nobody cares.”

On Monday, fans chanted “Raven, Raven, Raven” as she walked off the court for the final time at Colonial Life Arena, Johnson’s moment was bigger than the scoreboard.

It was about diligence, progress and a promise kept.

With another game ahead and the possibility of a deeper tournament run, she isn’t finished. She continues to push and play for the voice that gave her a reason to begin.

Alyssia Hamilton is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

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