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Sports betting is fully legal in Iowa with a robust portfolio of different betting options available to state residents. The best sportsbooks in Iowa offer various bets that cover professional and college sports. This includes the state’s NFL favorites like the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers.
Iowans definitely have access to both offshore and in-state sportsbooks. Offshore sites often provide more options for betting, including the ability to bet props in college games, entertainment events, and political wagering options.
Iowans get access to some of the best online sportsbooks, but we particularly like the out-of-state options. Offshore sportsbooks tend to offer better sign-up bonuses and more diverse betting options. Every site that we recommend offers a safe and secure betting experience. Here’s a look at our favorite picks for Iowa residents.
Best Overall for Iowa Bettors — Bovada
Best for Beginners — BetUS
Best for Deposit Options in Iowa — Sportsbetting.ag
Best Betting Site for Mobile — Everygame
Best for Betting Contests — BetNow
1
Best Overall For Iowa Bettors – Bovada
Our Rating
4.9/5 stars.
Bovada is our favorite overall sports betting site for Iowa bettors. Bovada gives their users a slew of options that you simply won’t find at in-state sites. For example, the latest Iowa State football game had 78 different bets available. A competing in-state provider offered a paltry 21 bets on the same game. Bovada is also one of the oldest online operators, with a stellar reputation for betting that goes back decades.
Iowans will also be treated to a sports welcome bonus of 50% up to $250, with a 5x rollover requirement. This is much lower than most other sports betting sites. There is also a stellar Bovada Rewards program, which gives you points, the more you bet. It definitely pays to bet on sports at Bovada.
2
Best For Beginners – BetUS
Our Rating
5.0/5 stars.
BetUS is the first stop we recommend you make if you’re betting in Iowa. The interface makes it easy to place all bets they offer. It also helps that BetUS is the exclusive home of BetUS TV and Locker Room blog. BetUS TV offers daily video analysis on the biggest games of the week, in the major sports. Meanwhile, the Locker Room is filled with written content that provides value to new IA bettors. This means you’ll be able to get tips whenever the Iowa football team takes on Michigan or Ohio State in the Bug Ten. Both mediums are a wealth of educational resources for new players looking to find an edge.
On top of that, you’ll get a $125% welcome bonus up to $3,125, split between sports and casino. The sports cut is much better, offering 100% up to $2,500, with a 10x rollover requirement. It’s easy to recommend BetUS for any new bettors in Iowa.
3
Best For Deposit Options In Iowa – Sportsbetting.ag
Our Rating
4.1/5 stars.
Sportsbetting.ag offers 24 different deposit options for online betting banking. This includes traditional methods, such as Visa, MasterCard, and wire transfers. Sportsbetting.ag is also one of the top betting sites that accepts crypto. There are 16 different cryptos you can use, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. What’s more, you can also makes withdrawals via all 16 cryptos, and your payouts will be processed in 1-48 hours, leaning towards the lower end.
Sportsbetting.ag does not charge fees on any of its deposit options, and they’re made instantly. Combine those with a 100% up to $1,000 welcome bonus, and you’ll see how easy it is to bank with Sportsbetting.ag.
4
Best For Mobile – Everygame
Our Rating
4.7/5 stars.
Everygame offers a killer experience if you’re looking for the best betting app. There’s no need to download anything. You can just visit the site on any device that can run a browser and start betting. The interface is streamlined, with everything at the top of the screen. There are two menus, one where you can access the Cashier, live chat, setting, sportsbook, live betting, casino, and poker. The other opens up a navigational rail on the right, where you have all your sports listed easily, so you can find all the Iowa football and basketball games.
Everygame also offers a unique incentive for mobile users, called Mobile Awards. With Mobile Awards, you get a chance to win $20-100 every week, just for logging in on mobile. Everygame also has an offer where they’ll send you exclusive offers and bonuses via text, so make sure you have the correct number on file. Sign up with Everygame and receive a welcome bonus of 100% up to $500. If you make your first deposit with crypto, you’ll receive a 50% welcome bonus up to $1,000.
5
Best For Betting Contests – BetNow
Our Rating
4.3/5 stars.
BetNow has a ton of sports betting contests for you to enter throughout the season. Check their $1,000,000 Bracket Madness contest, where you can take your Iowa Hawkeyes all the way to the championship game. There are weekly NBA and NHL contests you can check out, as well as a $500,000 Thanksgiving contest for NFL bettors. The NFL King Of The Hill contest will give you a chance to win $10,000.
On top of that, Iowans can take advantage of a 200% welcome bonus up to $200 if you deposit with crypto. There are also great referral and rebate programs. You have plenty of reasons to give BetNow a try.
We’ve developed an in-depth process for reviewing sportsbooks. We want to help bettors make the best possible choice when picking a new home for making wagers. Here’s a look at the factors we consider when evaluating sports betting sites.
Sportsbooks Available In Iowa
Iowa is a great state for online sports betting, but there are still some sites that aren’t available here. We avoid those sites when recommending to Iowans.
Are Sportsbooks Safe For Iowa Bettors?
Sports betting is legal in Iowa, so there’s absolutely no reason to risk your deposits on sketchy fly-by-night operations. Safety and security are the foundation of our reviews. We ensure we’re recommending the safest sportsbooks online for Iowans by checking for TSL encryption software, two-factor authentication, and other aspects of security.
Bonuses & Promotions For Iowan Players
One of the biggest reasons to deposit on an out-of-state sportsbook is to take advantage of the lucrative sign-up bonuses. We give a lot of weight to real money sports betting sites that provide great value to players. This means whether it is through welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, contests, rewards programs, and all of the above!
Iowa Sports Coverage
We try to ensure that Iowa sports bettors have access to all the games they want to bet, especially the Iowa State Cyclones and the Iowa Hawkeyes. That also includes nearby out-of-state favorites, like the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. Our recommended NFL betting sites are second to none.
Customer Support
We assess all facets of customer support for Iowan bettors, including live chat, email, FAQ and phone. We also make sure that you’ll get a prompt and friendly response, regardless of your issue.
Iowa Sports Betting Timeline
As of 2024, there are 18 licensed sportsbooks in Iowa. At one point, there were 21 sportsbooks but Unibet, FuboBet and TheScore have ceased operations.
Online registration becomes available for sportsbooks. This means bettors can register online for state-based sportsbooks. Previously, you were required to register in-person before placing bets online.
Gov. Kim Reynolds signs Bill SF-617 into law, effectively legalizing sports betting in Iowa. All sports betting is licensed and regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.
Bill SF617 is introduced to the Senate and successfully makes it through the Senate. Iowa is poised to be the first state in the Midwest to legalize online sports betting.
Betting On Iowa Sports Teams
There are no professional teams from the major leagues in Iowa. However, the state makes up for it by having a rabid appetite for college and high school sports. You’ll also find plenty of Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers fans in the state.
There are two hugely popular teams that actually play in the state:
The Iowa–Iowa State football rivalry is one of the greatest rivalries in all of college sports. The Hawkeyes and Cyclones compete every year for the Cy-Hawk Trophy. Games in even-numbered years are played in Iowa City at the University of Iowa. Meanwhile, games in odd-numbered years are hosted in Ames at Iowa State University. The game is held every year in the second week of September. You can bet on the Iowa vs. Iowa State rivalry game at Bovada.
Sports Welcome Bonus100% up to $1,000 with BV1000
Crypto Welcome Bonus75% up to $750
Simple live bets interface
In-play bets work well on mobile
Extensive NCAAF prop builder
Retail Sportsbooks In Iowa
Iowa has plenty of options for bettors who enjoy an in-person experience. There are 20 different casino/sportsbooks in Iowa including four tribal casinos and two riverboats.
It’s important to remember that even though Iowa has legalized sports betting, there is still risk involved. Individuals must be responsible for their own actions.
We encourage you to gamble responsibly and consider online betting as a form of entertainment, not a source of income. Set loss limits and time limits, and don’t bet more than you’re comfortable losing. We offer all of our readers a comprehensive guide to responsible gaming.
The state of Iowa has also created a number of different resources for people suffering from gambling addiction. Here are some useful resources:
Iowa offers legal online sports betting through 18 licensed operators like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM. Registration is now possible online. In addition to these sportsbooks, Iowans can access various offshore bookies like Bovada, BetUS and Everygame.
Iowans love football, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes. College football and the NFL are the top draws. Basketball (NBA and NCAA) is massively popular, thanks to Caitlin Clark. Baseball, and Hockey are also extremely popular betting markets. Your top sports betting site is Bovada, where you’ll find a slew of potential bets, a welcome bonus that is easier to claim, and a fantastic reputation. You also have other great offshore options to choose from, based on your personal preferences. Good luck in your betting, Iowans!
About the Author
Arthur Crowson
State News
Arthur Crowson is an award-winning writer from the Big Island of Hawaii. He got his start in community news, where he covered high-school sports in British Columbia. From there, he covered professional poker in Las Vegas during the boom years of 2006-16. Arthur was on the ground for some of the biggest events in poker history including record-breaking tournaments and historic victories. A fervent sports fan, he’s written for numerous sports outlets over the years and will always have a soft spot for the Vancouver Canucks.
