The Best Online Sportsbooks to Bet With in Iowa

Ah, the Hawkeye State. Home to the 9th ranked Iowa State Football (sorry Iowa) and the most pigs anywhere in America.

Whether you want to bet on the Hawkeyes, Cyclones or Northern Iowa, these sportsbooks will give you the best odds in IA. 

Best Sportsbooks in Iowa

Sports Betting in Iowa

Iowa was quick to jump on the wave, legalizing sports betting in May 2019. In August of the same year, Iowa ushered in a new era with both online and retail sportsbook taking bets.

Online betting was somewhat complicated with the state enforcing an in-person registration rule (at a casino). This was revoked on January 1, 2021, so now all you need to do is sign up remotely. 

How can I bet in Iowa?

You can bet with any of the above sportsbooks on their online sites or with their apps. All major Iowa sportsbooks have apps usable on iPhone and Android. 

When using our Best Books section you’ll find the greatest sportsbooks in Iowa and receive access to Dimers’ exclusive promotional codes. Depending on your choice, you will receive either a risk-free/free bet, deposit bonus or a bonus bet, just for using Dimers. So, before you sign up and deposit with any sportsbook, check this out.

If in-person betting is your thing, there are four tribal casinos and 19 commercial varieties available across the state. 

What do I need to do to join a sportsbook in Iowa?

Currently, there are very few restrictions to joining a sportsbook in Iowa. You must be a Hawkeye fan, no we’re just kidding! Should it be renamed to the Cyclone state? We’re just saying…Breece Hall is a bad man.

As we mentioned above, you’ll need to register online before you can deposit money into your account and wager. This is to validate your identity and sports betting account [link to why do they need my SSN]

You must also enable geolocation if you want to bet on sports. Iowa sportsbooks must be able to verify you are in fact within the state before any wager is placed. 

Most books will ask to use your location when you first open their betting app, just make sure you allow it, otherwise you won’t be able to bet. 

If you were to travel to a state where sports betting is legal, you would be able to use your sportsbook app, unless it is state-specific. If it is, you may need to download the other state’s version once within their lines. If your sportsbook is universal, then you’ll be able to bet online, no extra downloads and no problems!

Good news too if you’re visiting Iowa, you’re able to bet so long as you register online. If you’re within state lines, you’re welcome to bet in Cyclone country. 

How old do I have to be to use an Iowa sportsbook?

You must be at least 21 years of age to use a sportsbook, or bet on sports in the state of Iowa. This includes betting within a casino or using online books. Verifying your age is a key component of online sports betting accounts, so if you’re not 21, there’s no getting around it.

What sports can’t I bet on in Iowa?

Thankfully, betting on college sports is legalized in Iowa, but there are some limits to what you can bet on.

Player or Coaching Awards

Yes, it’s what it sounds. You can’t bet on any award decided by a panel, such as MVP, Rookie of the Year, Super Bowl MVP and so forth. You can bet on future events, but again not anything which isn’t decided within a game itself.

NFL Draft

Unsurprisingly, the NFL Draft is always out of bound for Iowa sports bettors. You cannot bet on anything related to the draft whatsoever. You’ll just have to hope your team picks well to cheer you up!

Minor Leagues

Amateur sports are also off limits for Iowans, with the Olympics and college sports the only exceptions. The NBA and MLB’s feeder leagues — G-League and MiLB respectively are understandably removed from your betting options. In keeping with this, there is no scope to bet on high school sports of any kind in Iowa. 

Now you’ve learned all there is to know about the best sportsbooks in Iowa, so what now? Sign up with one of our trusted books to receive an exclusive promotion and get started. Maybe an Iowa State CFB playoff bet is worth a shot! We know, you should’ve beaten Oklahoma.