In August of 2019, Iowa was the eleventh state in the United States to legalize sports betting. Iowa is a conservative state and many didn’t think Iowa would legalize mobile sports betting so quickly. So far, the state has seen plenty of success with sports gambling. Anyone over the age of 21 is allowed to bet with an approved sportsbook thanks to the wide selection that Iowa mobile sportsbooks have to offer.
You do not need to be a resident of Iowa to bet in Iowa. You just need to be present in Iowa and, of course, over the age of 21. Three of Iowa’s casinos were first licensed to provide sports betting. Sportsbooks like PointsBet and DraftKings were awarded licenses and can be accessed via an app or on the desktop at your convenience when in Iowa.
Here’s what you need to know about sports betting in Iowa.
Can I Bet on Sports in Iowa?
Yes, you can bet on sports in the state of Iowa. Players have the option to bet in-person at land-based sportsbooks or online.
Do I Have to be a Resident of IA to Bet Online?
No, you don’t have to be a resident of Iowa to bet online. However, you do need to be present within state lines. Geolocation verification software is used to detect your location and will screen out any players who are physically located outside the state.
What Is the Legal Betting Age in Iowa?
To place a sports bet in Iowa legally, you must be at least 21-years-old.
Why Should I Join an IA Betting Site?
Iowa has seven sports betting apps to use that all offer a sign-up bonus or free cash with a first deposit. When using these legal sites, you are no longer at risk of losing your money and being scammed out of your winnings. Here are some reasons why you should bet in Iowa:
- Welcome bonuses and consistent promotions like odds boosts
- Reputable sportsbooks with millions of customers
- Plenty of banking options to quickly deposit and withdraw winnings
- More betting options beyond moneyline, spread, totals bets
- It’s very convenient as you can bet at home or on the go
Why Avoid Offshore Sportsbooks
Betting on offshore books is not only illegal but they also give you the worst possible lines and make you pay for high juice. While betting on offshore books is not illegal for the individual who places wagers, for the offshore site itself, it’s unlawful.
- The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2016 makes it illegal for offshore sites to process financial transactions that are related to online wagering.
- Juiced up lines and terrible prices compared to legal books.
- If an offshore site decides not to payout, you will lose your money and can’t fight for it back.
Iowa Sports Betting Sites
When Iowa launched sports betting in August 2019, Elite Sportsbook and William Hill were the first two online sportsbooks to launch. Since then, nine more online sportsbooks have joined them in Iowa. Below are the online sportsbooks currently live in Iowa:
Unibet Sportsbook
Overall, the Unibet app has a large selection of markets and betting options. The sportsbook offers in-play betting, plus consistently offers promotions depending on the season. It may not be flashy, but Unibet offers a strong user experience, which is one of the most important things to consider before signing up.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings betting site debuted in Iowa in October 2019 with daily fantasy. By February 2020, it became the sixth Iowa sports betting app. With DraftKings, you can fund the account via credit or debit cards along with Paypal and other payment options.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel app, just like DraftKings, is one of the more known sportsbooks in the United States. You are able to bet in person, via retail sports betting, at Diamond Jo Casino. They also went live in Iowa on mobile and desktop with their app in September 2020.
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM sportsbook has been in the gambling field for more than 30 years. In 2019, they expanded to sports betting and brought sports betting to many different states including Iowa. BetMGM currently has the most states in the United States with 11 states and has partnerships with the NBA, MLB, and NHL.
BetRivers Sportsbook
Prior to 2021, Iowans had to sign up in person to the sportsbook. Now you can sign up at BetRivers sportsbook anywhere in Iowa with a mobile device to continue online sports betting in Iowa.
Unibet is partnered with the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Unibet has a big name across the globe for offering sportsbook services. However, Unibet isn’t just a sportsbook, it also offers players the ability to enjoy online casino features. This includes almost 300 video slot titles, though there are no live dealer games offered.
You can also place bets at these online IA sportsbooks:
- PointsBet
- Hard Rock Sioux City Sportsbook
- Q Casino Sportsbook
- Elite Sportsbook
- BetFred
- theScore
How Do I Join Iowa Sports Betting Sites?
Every sportsbook sets out to make the registration process as easy and efficient for players as it possibly can. As a general guide, you will usually need to complete the following steps:
- Go to the site and either register online or download the app
- Complete the registration process on the app if using it
- Provide the information requested, which will include basic personal details such as name and address, plus the last four digits of your social security number
- Enter your promo code if you have one
- Read and accept the terms and conditions
- Wait for verification that you have been accepted as a customer
- Deposit funds and start betting
Be aware that all licensed Iowa sportsbooks must verify your identity, age, and location. They need to know that you are who you say you are, that you are over 21, and that you are in the state of Iowa.
Online sportsbooks use high-quality identification and geolocation technology, and verification is usually done within minutes or even seconds. If it takes longer, it may mean that you have entered details incorrectly.
How To Fund My Account
Online Iowa sportsbooks make it quick and easy to deposit funds and withdraw winnings. Not every sportsbook has the same options, but all are user-friendly.
Deposit Process
If this is your first time depositing money, don’t worry! The process is simple. Choose which payment option works best for you and go from there.
- Click Cashier, Deposit, or Add Funds
- Choose your payment options
- Enter the amount you want to deposit
- If using an eWallet such as PayPal, enter your password to confirm the process
- The WV betting site will verify the process is complete, and it will be reflected in your deposit
- Check email for further confirmation from the sportsbook
Withdrawal Process
When you’re winning money, you’re going to want to withdraw some of that cash eventually. The process to withdraw money is as simple as depositing money.
- Find the withdrawal option on the sportsbook app or site
- Choose a method of withdrawal
- Enter the amount you want to take out.
- If using an eWallet such as PayPal, you will need to type in your password to complete the transaction
- Your balance will reflect the withdrawal, and you will receive an email confirmation
Payment Options
If you’re looking to deposit or withdraw money from a sportsbook, there are so many options to choose from. You can use whatever you feel most comfortable doing, whether that’s depositing money through your bank or paying cash at a casino. No matter what, there’s plenty of ways to deposit money and withdraw your money so go get started today!
Deposit Options
In Iowa, there are plenty of deposit options listed on the legal sportsbooks. We’ve listed the most popular deposit options below.
- Credit/Debit Cards (Visa, AMEX, Mastercard, Discover)
- Prepaid Cards
- Play+ Cards
- PayPal
- Skrill
- PayNearMe
- ACH/eCheck
Withdrawal Options
You won’t find as long of a list to withdraw your money but there’s an option for everyone and still plenty of ways to turn your balance into hard cash. Here’s the list of withdrawal options that Iowa sportsbooks offer below.
- Play+ Prepaid Cards
- PayPal
- Skrill
- ACH/eCheck
- Check By Mail
- Cash At Casino Cage
How to Download an IA Betting App
Downloading sportsbook apps to your phone/mobile device are quick and easy. Below is the step-by-step process for both iOS and Android:
iPhone
- Go to the App Store
- Search for the sportsbook of your choosing
- Click on the app and click “Get”
- Confirm the installation with verification
- Wait for the app to download
Android
- Open Google Play and use the Play Store app
- Search for the sportsbook of your choosing
- Tap Install and wait for the app to download
If you can’t find the app in the Play Store, you can still download it from the official website of the sportsbook.
What Sports Can I Bet on in Iowa?
There are dozens of sports that can be wagered on via Iowa mobile sportsbooks and they include:
- Football (NFL, NCAA)
- Basketball (NBA, NCAA)
- Baseball (MLB)
- Hockey (NHL)
- Soccer
- Golf
- Tennis
- Motorsports (NASCAR, Formula 1)
- Boxing
- Mixed Martial Arts (UFC)
Iowa’s sports betting options are on par and compare well with the sports betting options in other states that legalized online sportsbooks.
Betting Restrictions
When in Iowa, you are restricted from betting on local college teams like the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones. You will have to bet those teams and their games in a different state that has legalized sports betting.
In Iowa, you can only bet on sports. The long list of things you’re unable to bet on includes awards like the Oscars, political elections, and esports gaming.
Local Sports Teams to Bet on
Iowa does not have any major professional teams to cheer on, however, the following teams are local to Iowa’s surrounding states:
- Minnesota Vikings
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Chicago Bears
- Green Bay Packers
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Chicago Bulls
- Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox
- Minnesota Twins
- Kansas City Royals
- Minnesota Wild
- Chicago Blackhawks
Bet Types Available
- Moneyline: A moneyline bet is the most simple bet in sports betting. Unless a game can result in a tie, you would pick either side of a game and pick the team you expect to win.
- Point Spread: It’s not as straightforward as moneyline wagers, but it’s certainly the most popular bet. The point spread helps sportsbooks collect wagers on both sides of a game despite one team being a heavy favorite. With this, oddsmakers either give or take points from a team and give bettors a chance to bet a team getting points added to their score or subtracted.
- Totals: A totals bet is also known as over/under, which is a bet where you wager on the combined points between teams in a game. You are looking to predict whether the total goes over or under the number and are not trying to wager on the exact number.
- Props: A prop bet is a bet made regarding the occurrence or non-occurrence during a game of an event that doesn’t have any skin in the game’s final outcome. You can bet on whether a player scores 10 points or if a batter hits a home run, for example.
- Live Betting: Live betting allows you to bet on the game while the game is in progress.
- Futures: This is a wager on an event, series, or award that will finish in the future.
- Parlays: A parlay is adding two or more selections into one bet to boost the odds but also make it harder to win a bet.
- PointsBetting (exclusive to PointsBet): Your winnings or losses from a bet are not determined until the very end of a game. If your bet wins by one point (or unit), you would win 1x your bet amount (stake). If your bet wins by 2 units, you win 2x stake and so on. Conversely if you lose by 1 unit, you would lose 1x stake and so on.
Iowa Sportsbook List
Iowa offers gambling fans land-based and online sports betting options. The following retail sportsbooks can be visited in this state:
- Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs
- Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino
- Catfish Bend Casino
- Wild Rose Casino & Resort - Clinton
- Wild Rose Casino & Resort - Jefferson
- Wild Rose Casino & Resort - Emmetsburg
- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City
- Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort
- Horseshoe Council Bluffs
- Harrah’s Council Bluffs Hotel & Casino
- Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo
- Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf
- Diamond Jo Worth Casino
- Diamond Jo Casino Dubuque
- Q Casino
- Lakeside Hotel Casino
- Rhythm City Casino Resort
- Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
Can I Play at Online Casinos in IA?
Currently, there are no laws in Iowa making gambling online at Iowa online casinos illegal. However, Iowa online gambling sites operating in the site are offshore ventures, making it seem illegal because no legal sites are allowing this.
When Did Iowa Sports Betting Become Legal?
Iowa legalized sports betting in May 2019, with both in-person and online betting becoming legal. The first sportsbooks in the state launched in August 2019.
IA Sports Betting Timeline
- May 14, 2018 - After a long and uphill battle, the Supreme Court rules in favor of New Jersey and declares the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) unlawful. This allowed all states to legalize sports betting.
- May 13, 2019 - Governor Kim Reynolds legalizes sports betting in Iowa, both in-person and online.
- August 15, 2019 - Retail and mobile sports betting launched in Iowa.
- January 1, 2021 - The requirement for in-person sports betting registration ended and now players can register remotely.
