RALEIGH N.C. (WNCN) — Wednesday, state lawmakers passed a bill legalizing mobile sports betting,, as well as, wagers in certain sports arenas.

Gov. Roy Cooper has said in the past that he supports the legalization.

If Cooper signs the bill into law, people could start placing bets on their favorite teams as early as January.

“It’s going to be in hopefully in time, not only for the Super Bowl, but for March Madness, for all the college basketball fans,” Steve Bittenbender, analyst at betcarolina.com, said.

The state would tax betting revenues at 18 percent and the money would go toward the general fund, athletic programs and a fund dedicated to attracting large sporting events.

“It’s a very large market in North Carolina,” Bittenbender said. “There are plenty of people that are already doing this in the state and now they will have a chance to do this legally in their own homes.”

The bill allows for bets on professional, amateur, collegiate, and electronic sports.

“I’m happy about it,” Raleigh resident Brooke Gasinski said. “I wish they did it sooner so I could do college football because that’s one of my favorite things to do.”