Where to find the best IA Betting Sites and Online Sportsbooks?
Well, it would certainly help if you’re actually from Iowa. If you’re in another state, though, don’t worry – our US sports betting guide, alongside our many state-specific guides, can help you find the best advice focused on your individual geographical needs.
Otherwise, our aim is simple: to help everyone who wants to understand better sports betting Iowa. It could be you want to know, “is sports betting legal in Iowa?”. Or maybe you want to go even further and learn what’s available and how to make the most of it. This isn’t a mere list of Iowa sportsbooks. It’s a guide to everything you need to know about betting in this state.
The legal history of sports betting in Iowa
As with many states, the most pertinent history of gambling in IA – especially in Iowa online gambling – happened very recently. In 2019, the law was changed to allow authorized sports betting and fantasy sports betting. This included not just retail outlets, but online ventures.
That’s right, the ability to bet online legally, in any capacity, is still very much in its infancy. If that makes you worried, there might not be a great deal of choice. Well, your fears are unfounded. There’s an amazing list of Iowa sportsbooks already, meaning the best betting sites Iowa has to offer are already to an exceptionally high standard.
One unusual niggle in this law was the need for citizens actually to register in person for IA sports betting. This is to prevent people from out of state from utilizing sportsbooks in Iowa. However, it appears that legislators have realized this is incredibly impractical and now allow people to register online as of the start of 2021.
Before these seismic changes, the laws were complicated. The most important things to understand about the history of Iowa sports betting and gambling generally are essentially twofold. Firstly, the Pari-Mutuel Wagering Act was passed in 1983, which allowed for the pari mutuel wagering on horse and dog racing specifically. This is a huge step in the legalization we enjoy at the best IA sportsbooks today.
Other than that, there’s the history of Iowa casino riverboats, which began in 1991 and are immensely popular with tourists. That is much more relevant to those looking for the best online casino in Iowa rather than sports betting history, but still, it points its bow in the direction of greater gambling freedom.
Editor’s recommendation – the best sports betting operator for users in Iowa
Although it’s only early days, DraftKings already has plenty of huge hitters available to you in terms of top Iowa sportsbooks. We even have a dedicated page for DraftKings sportsbook Iowa promo codes 2023 available for your convenience.
BetMGM and FanDuel are just a duo of fantastic operators on our list of Iowa sportsbooks that we think could comfortably sit among any best online USA bookmaker.
Of course, what’s best depends on what you like. In terms of our recommendation, we decided the one which could suit as many people as possible – especially as we know plenty of people reading this may be relative newcomers – is Unibet. They’re wonderfully easy to use on pretty much every device, from desktop to app.
Best of all, this isn’t just a betting site that has allowed Iowa citizens to bet with them – they’ve really crafted an experience specifically for the state. That means you can find top contenders for the best betting odds for NFL markets and promotions that are available for your state and offer great value. For their ease of use, technical prowess, and incredible market variety, Unibet takes our IA online sports betting recommendation.
If you are still unsure, you can always look at our other bonus reviews – PointsBet sportsbook Iowa bonuses and theScore sportsbook Iowa bonuses.
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Five tips for a secure and fair gambling experience in Iowa
There’s simply nothing more important when looking for an IA sportsbook than your safety and fair treatment. The most important thing to note here is that because IA sportsbooks are legal – and many of them are excellent – there are plenty of secure and fair options out there. However, you need to be able to find them. That’s why we’ve provided five tips that make gambling security easy:
Make sure the site is available in your state
And that you’re on the right version of the site. This can be easily checked: betting sites will often make it clear on the URL or immediately when you enter the page. If not, the licensing should be made obvious, usually at the bottom of the page. If there’s any confusion here, check with customer service.
Use our reviews and recommendations
Of course, everything regarding security is tested by us. We’ll be breaking down what goes into a top Iowa sportsbooks recommendation in more detail in a moment, but rest assured, security is our number one priority.
Before we do anything else, we look in great detail at not just licensing but terms and conditions, encryption, banking options, reputation, and more. Think of us as your super-friendly security shortcut. Of course, feel free to do your own tests as you wish, but you can rest easy knowing that if it’s got the thumbs up from us, it’s only after a great deal of security scrutiny.
Only go for promotions which suit your style of play
People often make the mistake of taking promotions at face value. This is a problem for two reasons. One is that to really understand a bonus; you need to check the terms and conditions. Of course, we always check bonus terms before making a recommendation, but as the bonus page can expand at the drop of a hat, it’s always worth checking yourself.
The other reason is that just because a bonus holds good value for some people doesn’t mean it will suit you. It could be the wrong deposit amount or focused on a sport you aren’t interested in. Only go for the bonuses that will enhance your enjoyment of sportsbooks in Iowa, and suit your style of play.
Check out other user reviews
Alongside our reviews, a really great resource to check out when possible is feedback from other users. It’s an important part of our research and can provide useful insights into the typical user experience. App stores are a great way to find user reviews.
Use responsible gaming tools if you need to
All modern betting sites should have advice and tools to help people game responsibly, including everything from deposit limits to helpline numbers. Our safety advice isn’t just on the side of the operator. It’s also up to you to use these tools whenever and as much as you need them.
What do we look for when evaluating operators for Iowa residents?
We’re proud to say that we advise anyone interested in getting secure IA sportsbooks and the best IA sportsbook to utilize our reviews and recommendations. But what exactly goes into our tests to make us so sure we’ve covered everything important? Here’s a quick list of some of the things we do to bring you the most comprehensive reviews possible:
- We head over to the site and register: the easier this process, the better.
- Next, we do our security checks as discussed previously: everything from licensing and encryption to the privacy policy and responsible gaming tools.
- It’s time for us to deposit funds: check out the quality and variety of banking options.
- We analyze the sports market variety.
- Placing bets and going through the withdrawal process: is next on the menu.
- This is repeated with live markets: we check live streams.
- Customer service is tested, too: we go through the Help sections and contact them wherever possible.
- Promotions are checked for the quality of their terms and conditions.
- During all this, we note the quality of the site design: for structural quality and technical faults. We leave opinions on looks up to you.
- We test features: paying particular attention to things like cash out and bet builders.
- All this is repeated on the mobile app: with the same standards applied.
- We research the history and reputation of the site and user feedback before making a recommendation.
Operators who came out on top of our reviews
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Finding the right operator for you
Getting your perfect sportsbooks in Iowa is really no different to anywhere else, thanks to the fabulous selection of great bookmakers. And it’s essentially a two-step process.
We’re here to help you with the first step. This is in knowing the answers like “ is sports betting legal in Iowa?” for instance. It’s also in having a reliable selection of operators, like the ones we’ve recommended here, that you know have a very high baseline of quality. That’s essentially what our reviews are all about. We can’t tell you which betting site will be perfect for you. All we can do is point you in the direction of the best that’s available, with some advice on the kind of bettor we think will enjoy them.
The second step is taking our recommendations and advice and using that as a platform to propel yourself towards betting perfection. It’s where you look at the best of the best and decide which among them is right for you. It comes down to what you want from your betting site, so that’s essentially the question you need to ask yourself. From banking needs to design preferences, what specifically is it that your ideal betting site would look like? Remember that there’s nothing stopping you from signing up for as many betting sites as you want.
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Conclusion: A wide variety of choices for Iowa bettors
Betting in Iowa is not just legal but exemplary. Already there’s a star-studded lineup of amazing bookmakers to choose from. In fact, we’ve been amazed in our research by quite how high the general standard is.
Of course, not all are made equal – but if you utilize our guides, not only can you remain safe when enjoying Iowa sports betting, but you should easily be able to find truly excellent operators to suit you. And if you’re not sure? Why not just try some of them out? We only recommend excellent bookmakers, so you’ll know that the standard is great, and by experiencing them for yourself, you may find yourself aligned with an operator that’s perfect for how you like to bet.
The best sportsbook bonuses
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Iowa Sports Betting FAQ
✅Is online sports betting legal in Iowa?
With variations in legislation by state and many recent laws changes, knowing whether sports betting online is legal in Iowa can be confusing. Thankfully, our in-depth guide is here to help answer all your questions to help you discover your ideal betting experience in the state.
👍Which online bookmakers are available in Iowa?
There is a wide variety of online sportsbook operators available to Iowa residents. While you may be spoiled for choice, that can make finding your ideal online betting home a challenge. That’s why we’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to get you started on your sports betting adventure.
💻Is it safe to bet on sports online in Iowa?
Nothing is more important than your security when it comes to online sports betting in Iowa. You’ll be inputting sensitive personal and financial information into these sites, so it’s crucial to ensure it’s all safe. We’ll guide you through our top security considerations and highlight our rigorous checks, so you can have complete peace of mind when hitting that ‘Sign up’ button.
