Iowa was one of the first states to legalize sports betting and therefore has one of the largest selections of sportsbooks in the nation. However, a massive collection of betting sites doesn’t mean you’re in for a great experience with all of them.
Thankfully, with such a concentration of sportsbooks, you have the ability to pick between different bookmakers and choose which works best for you.
Iowa sits below Minnesota in the Midwest and is one of the only legal gambling markets in the region. This means that sportsbooks from across the globe have been jumping at the chance to enter the Iowa market, with examples coming from as far as the UK.
This gives you the upper hand as a bettor because with competition comes better odds, more promotions, and an overall more enjoyable betting experience. So you need to make sure you only choose the best of the best because otherwise, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
To help you narrow down your search, we’ve compiled a list of Iowa sportsbooks, ranking them one through ten.
Our number one pick is FanDuel, as the sportsbook offers Iowa bettors a truly refined online sports betting experience. FanDuel also maintains a huge selection of events with great odds and plenty of promotions attached.
This means you can potentially win big, sometimes without even having to wager any of your own money since FanDuel has free promotions all the time. As far as your options go in Iowa, FanDuel is one of the best sportsbooks you’ll find.
If you"re looking for a place to start sports betting in Iowa, BetMGM should be one of your top choices. The world-famous sportsbook brings the experience of a Las Vegas bookmaker to the palm of your hand or desktop if you don’t use the app.
You get access to a giant library of sports that are paired with excellent odds with slim margins. Plus, you can use their range of promotions and potentially win big without the house taking much off the top.
There’s a reason the MGM company has managed to not only last but flourish over the last decades. It does gambling right.
DraftKings may have only started off as a daily fantasy platform, but it now commands control over a large portion of the sports gambling market. The sportsbook has managed to leverage its user-friendly interface with a spectacular selection of promotions and sports.
We should also mention that from sign-up to withdrawal, the experience on DraftKings felt seamless, with no hiccups along the way. That is all to say, DraftKings was an easy choice when making our list of Iowa sports betting sites.
BetRivers has been growing fast over the last several years, and that upward trajectory doesn"t seem to be slowing down. And why would it, seeing as the sportsbook has an easily accessible platform, great odds, lots of promotions, and a huge selection of sports?
What really sets BetRivers apart are the promotions, as the sportsbook provides a range of both weekly and one-time promos.
Caesars was quick to join the Iowa market and has only solidified itself more and more since 2019. The sportsbook maintains one of the best overall platforms in Iowa, with a range of sports, dynamic odds, promos, and even plenty of informational betting content.
Aside from the sign-up bonus, promotions on Caesars usually come in the form of Quick Picks offers, which are available in each sports section.
With Caesars, you could potentially win big knowing you"re in good hands, as it"s a gambling brand that has withstood the test of time.
Betway has come a long way to enter Iowa’s online gambling market, hailing from across the Atlantic. The European operator brings with it one of the best soccer sections we’ve seen, alongside a huge collection of sports to wager on.
These sports all maintain competitive odds with decent margins. The only slight downside is that we wish Betway would offer more promotions. But in general, the possible profitability levels out when compared to other top options.
Bet365 has been around for quite a while now, and it has moved far past its days of unfortunately being used for its pay-per-click ad revenue popups. It now stands as one of the world"s leading gambling brands, with a stylish platform that showcases plenty of sports with strong odds and oodles of promotions.
The bookmaker is also one of a few sportsbooks to offer weekly refreshing promos that you can come back to every week to boost your betting experience.
If you"re looking for a strong sportsbook with great coverage of events like soccer, cricket, and rugby, Bet365 is a great choice.
Owned and operated by the UK-based Betfred Group, the Betfred sportsbook has plenty of gambling experience with over 1500 betting shops in the UK. It brings its experience to the IA sports betting market through its stellar online platform, which showcases tons of events with spectacular odds.
Moreover, the sportsbook offers a decent selection of promotions that can add a little extra oomph to a bet or even save you from some losses.
Betfred is a brand with a history comparable to Caesars, and its online platform really gives you a look into its betting pedigree.
Tipico is another sportsbook on our list that has made its way into Iowa with an online platform. The sportsbook has seen plenty of success in the European market, primarily on the mainland in countries like Germany ensuring that Tipico is well-versed in sports markets like soccer, basketball, and tennis.
The brand also offers two different sign-up bonuses, which can really inject some life into your first couple of bets.
Circa Sports sits in our number 10 position, entering the IA online sports betting market with a solid overall platform. The website and app offer multiple payment methods, numerous betting styles, high betting limits, and tons of live odds.
The only downside to using Circa Sports is that the sportsbook doesn"t offer any promotions, not even one. However, the bookmaker still has slim margins to carry the overall potential profitability of the platform.
Sports betting in IA is incredibly simple. If you’re over 21, you should have no issues signing up and starting in a matter of minutes.
To make the process even easier, let’s walk through the steps you should follow when you first start betting.
Start by finding a sportsbook that suits your betting preferences like the ones we champion in our above list. If a bookmaker covers the sports you like, has good odds, and offers promotions that you would use, go with that one.
Once you’ve found your betting site of choice, sign up with the platform by inputting some basic information like your name, phone number, address, email, and government ID.
Now that you’ve verified your account, you’ll want to deposit some funds in order to start betting. You can do this by finding your way to the ‘Cashier’ section of the sportsbook and picking your preferred payment method from their list.
You will then need to input your payment information, set how much you wish to deposit, and complete the transaction. Remember to always bet within your means. Wagering on sports should be fun and not keep you from paying rent.
Before you place your first bet, make sure you have looked through the available bonuses and promotions. This is not only because they can boost winnings but also because oftentimes sportsbooks have sign-up offers that only work on your very first wager.
You will be happy to know that Iowa is quite relaxed when it comes to its legal environment surrounding sports betting. As long as you are over the gambling age of 21, you’ll be able to bet on any number of sports.
Your IA sports betting options include:
If you’re still wondering if you can sports bet in Iowa, the answer is yes; you can legally wager in the state. Keeping you safe is the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, which sets the rules and regulations that all sportsbooks must follow.
This regulation ensures that normal, everyday bettors like you don’t get scammed or taken advantage of by the sportsbooks. Don’t forget, though, that the age you can start gambling in Iowa is 21, so if you’re younger, you’ll have to wait a couple of years.
If you’re confused about some aspects of Iowa sports betting, we have got you covered in our FAQ section.
Yes, online gambling is legal in Iowa. The state passed legislation in 2019 that allows for online sports betting, making it legal for residents and visitors to participate and bet through licensed sportsbooks in the state.
To bet in Iowa, you need to make sure you are within state lines and over the age of 21. Next, find a sportsbook you wish to bet with and sign up. From there, you can deposit funds into your account and place a simple wager or a more complicated one if you truly understand the sport you’re betting on.
There are tons of legal betting options in Iowa, as the state showcases more sportsbooks than almost anyone else. Our picks for the best bookmakers in the state include FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, BetRivers, Caesars, Betway, Bet365, Betfred, Tipico, and Circa Sports.
