Ever since October 2019, sports betting in Indiana has been fully legal. This occurred just one short month after the first legal sports bets were made at retail sportsbooks in the state. Of course, this was all thanks to the fact that Indiana passed a bill to make such an activity legal in the first place. That put 2019 on the map for sports betting in this state. And since legalization, there are now more than 10 retail sportsbooks operating here. In terms of the online game, there are fewer than this, but the state is still picking up steam.
As the old saying goes, it’s better to have quality over quantity. This is particularly true in the case of IN sports betting. That’s why major players such as FanDuel, DraftKings, BetRivers, Unibet, and several others are up and running in Indiana right now. All of these sportsbooks are accepting new customers, as long as you meet the legal gambling requirements. Those dictate that you must be 21+ and based in Indiana to legally make any wagers. Assuming you do satisfy such requirements, you can sign up through Indiana sports betting apps or via desktop sites.
We thoroughly expect that the selection of Indiana sports betting sites will continue to grow as we head into 2022 too. It’s going to be a fun ride, that’s for sure, and you can see a snapshot of the best sports betting sites in Indiana below.
Best Indiana online sports betting sites
- DraftKings
- Caesars
- BetRivers
- BetAmerica
- WynnBet
Latest Indiana sports betting news
Indiana Sports Betting Hits Record $500 Million in January
Indiana started off the year with a new sports betting record. Hoosiers wagered over $500 million on sports during January.
The previous record-holder was November 2021’s $463 million handle. Four of the last five months have been records for Indiana’s market. The NFL playoffs were the star of the show last month, as the postseason action helped generate more than $118 million worth of football bets.
Football is the most popular sport for gambling around the US. However, Indiana’s love for basketball helps power the state’s market in a unique way.
Basketball was the most popular option for January sports betting, but football did more than its fair share of the work for Indiana’s sportsbooks. The NFL playoffs only come around once a year. Gamblers were eager to bet on the games, even with the Indianapolis Colts out of the action.
Date: March 9, 2022
Since the entire legislature surrounding sports betting in Indiana changed in 2019, exciting news and statistics have sprung up throughout this timeframe. Of course, most of this news involved which brands were launching and accepting new customers. DraftKings was the first online sportsbook to go live back in October 2019, and WynnBet was the most recent site to go live, which occurred back in April 2021. As for the scale of sports betting operations, Indiana is going strong.
January 2021 was the biggest sports betting month on record to that date, but this would be shattered in September 2021. Over $350 million in sports bets were placed across the board in September 2021, and the state was fairly pleased with the revenues taken, to say the least. October also pushed the boundaries higher. And in November 2021, Indiana saw just shy of $500 million wagered on sports.
As you can see, this journey shows steady and consistent growth, and we expect this current trajectory to continue as more sportsbooks come to the state.
Is sports betting legal in Indiana for online bets?
Let us clear this up with a huge yes right off the bat. Indiana online sports betting has been a legal activity since 2019. This is when the first sports betting sites went live in the state, and the first wager was accepted in October 2019. You can bet on pretty much anything and everything according to state laws, with the one exception being eSports events. As you probably know too, wagering on high-school events is not permitted, as is the case in every other legal sports betting state. So this means that you can bet on all of North America’s top sports leagues such as the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLS, MLB, and others.
In terms of how this came to be, it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride. Originally, online wagering in Indiana wasn’t going to be permitted whatsoever. But things changed throughout the early months of 2019. And it was Gov. Eric Holcomb who ultimately altered and got a bill passed that permitted desktop and mobile betting. If this didn’t occur, Indiana would have only allowed in-person sports betting.
Where to bet on sports in Indiana?
If you want to make a sports wager in Indiana, you have two options on the table. Currently, the state has no live race tracks where you can place bets, and there are no sportsbooks at sports stadiums. This then limits you to the following:
Retail sportsbooks
Indiana is home to a total of 13 physical casinos, 11 of which now support sports betting. These are located all over the state. Naturally, the feasibility of wagering at one of these retail sportsbooks depends on your current location. But if you have any of them within driving distance, you can easily head there and bet on a huge number of sports and events.
Online sites
If in-person sports betting isn’t a viable option for you, you’ve always got Indiana sports betting sites as an alternative. In fact, these usually take precedence over in-play sports betting these days, largely thanks to the convenience of betting via a computer or smartphone. You can sign up through such platforms, deposit funds in seconds, and even grab exclusive bonuses where available.
Online sportsbooks currently available in Indiana
At the time of writing, Indiana punters have a selection of 10 different online sportsbooks to choose from. This should settle the question of 'is sports betting legal in Indiana'. Each of these sites went live at different times, and they each provide the user with a slightly different online betting experience from the next. Let’s find out exactly what these sites are and what they have to offer right now:
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings was the first site to launch in Indiana, having started in October 2019. Of course, this was the first month where online sports betting was permitted in this state. They have enticed customers with the $1,000 welcome bonus since launching, and the selection of sports available here is huge. The site supports live betting, pools betting, streaming, and there are some pretty awesome ongoing bonuses for existing members.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars is another big name in the betting business. These guys waited until May 2020 to go live in Indiana, but Caesars has exploded in popularity since. New players can get up to $1,250 on Caesars + 1000 Tier Credits + 1000 Reward Credits®, and in terms of overall offerings, few do it better. Caesars has a great mobile app, and the sportsbook is loaded with hundreds of different betting markets and regular odds boosts to increase your potential returns.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel launched just a few weeks later than DraftKings, still in October 2019. FanDuel has a $1,000 risk-free bet for all new players, and it only gets better from there. There are weekly specials, great markets for NCAA sport, odds boosts, and an epic racebook covering events all over the world. FanDuel is far from shy about reload bonuses for current customers too, in case you were concerned!
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers also launched at the beginning of October 2019, posing a direct threat to DraftKings’ dominance in this state. Right now, BetRivers is handing out $250 in bonus cash through the welcome offer, and this alone is a great way to hit the ground running. Beyond this, BetRivers supports features such as streaming, cashouts, bet builders, and regular bonuses for major sporting events.
BetAmerica Sportsbook
BetAmerica is actually now known as TwinSpires thanks to a recent acquisition, but many still know the brand as BetAmerica. This site went live in December 2019, and it immediately became a hit with enthusiastic punters. Thousands of players rushed to grab the $1,000 risk-free welcome bonus, which is still available today. And as time marched on, BetAmerica started to add promising features such as cashouts, live betting, regular reload bonuses, and they have recently implemented a huge racebook too.
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM didn’t act as quickly as other brands in Indiana, having launched back in February 2020. Of course, BetMGM is another big betting name, well-known out in Las Vegas as the MGM Grand! And when you look at the current site, it’s no wonder that BetMGM is one of the biggest names in the state. The platform kicks things off with a $1,000 risk-free offer for new customers, and there are weekly free bets, insurance incentives, as well as streaming services.
PointsBet Sportsbook
PointsBet waited until March 2020 to go live in Indiana, but these guys have been killing it since. They have established an exclusive deal with the Indiana Pacers recently, and they are pretty unique, to say the least. That’s because PointsBet offers a spread betting service, where you can win big (not guaranteed) depending on points and spreads of certain matches. PointsBet also has the biggest welcome bonus in the state, with $2,000 in risk-free bets available.
Unibet Sportsbook
Unibet launched in July 2020, which is a little late compared to other brands. Then again, Unibet has wasted no time in putting together a fantastic platform. The mobile app from these guys is epic, and it’s available on both Android and iOS devices. The site is also loaded with bet boosts, hundreds of markets for major leagues like the NFL and NBA, and pretty creative reload bonuses too! As for new customers, Unibet has a $250 risk-free bet to access after registering.
WynnBet Sportsbook
WynnBet was the most recent sportsbook to launch in Indiana, which happened back in April 2021. Not only does WynnBet have a Bet $100 & Get $100 offer for new customers, but it also has exclusive parlays, unique markets like round robins, bet builders, and a rewards scheme. This is backed up by fantastic odds for major leagues, and you can enjoy all of this through an epic mobile app - also available for tablet devices!
TheScoreBet Sportsbook
Finally, TheScoreBet has been another hit platform with Indiana punters. TheScoreBet has a $1,000 welcome bonus for new customers, and it is pumped full of powerful features. This includes one-tap cashouts, bet builders, in-game statistics, and bet tracking thanks to Fuse software. These guys have definitely created one of the top betting experiences in the state, and they’ve been entertaining punters since September 2020.
What about the legal online sports betting apps?
As you’ve seen through the information above, when sports betting in Indiana, you always have the option to download a mobile app from your chosen site. A comprehensive mobile app is part of the legal sports betting legislature, so you should have no concerns on that part. However, one thing we haven’t discussed yet is how each brand has been able to develop and launch a mobile app. Basically, the brands that are currently live and ready to roll with a mobile app have established partnerships with physical casinos.
This has been a requirement from day one, and the current partnerships are as follows:
- Ameristar Casino - DraftKings, TheScoreBet Sportsbook
- Belterra Casino, Bluechip Casino - FanDuel Sportsbook
- Rising Star Casino - WynnBet, BetAmerica Sportsbook
- Harrah’s Hoosier, Horseshoe, Indiana Grand, Tropicana, Winner’s Circle - Caesars Sportsbook
- French Lick Resort - BetRivers Sportsbook
- Lawrenceburg Hollywood Casino - PointsBet Sportsbook
- Horseshoe Casino Hammond - Unibet Sportsbook
- Belterra Casino - BetMGM Sportsbook
From the information presented above, you’ve no doubt noticed that certain venues appear multiple times. That’s because sports betting in Indiana does not dictate that any single casino location can partner with just one online betting brand. For example, Ameristar Casino has teamed up with two sites - DraftKings and TheScoreBet. This trend will continue as time moves forward too, which is actually very good and indeed attractive for new brands to enter the state.
Indiana online sports betting sites that could be launching soon
When you compare Indiana with other states in North America, the state does have fewer online betting options than most. This means fewer Indiana sports betting apps, a reduced selection of bonuses, and less variety overall. However, there are further launches that are on the horizon for Indiana, as displayed here:
FoxBet
We know for a fact that FoxBet is looking to launch in Indiana. In fact, this has been covered quite extensively by many media outlets, so it isn’t a big secret. However, no details have yet been released as to the partnership that FoxBet has in place. This means that we also do not yet know of the launch date, so we'll just have to sit tight on this one.
Smarkets
Smarkets has struck a deal with Rising Star Casino to launch in Indiana, although again, an exact launch date hasn’t been issued. For those that don’t know, Smarkets is actually a betting exchange instead of a traditional online sportsbook. This is positive for Indiana since no betting exchange is currently in operation, and we expect that Smarkets will cover a huge number of events too.
Other things you should know about online sports betting sites in Indiana
Opening a new sport betting account in Indiana
By law, you are required to open an online account with a licensed provider if you are to make any sports bets in this state. This can easily be done once you’ve actually chosen which of the Indiana sports betting apps you ultimately want to sign up with. So, after heading to the app or the main desktop site, you need to then hit the register/sign up button. From here you’ll need to create your sign-in details and provide the site with personal information including your SSN, date of birth, address, and full name.
None of this information is ever shared with third parties - it is merely needed to ensure that you meet the online gambling regulations in the state. And once the account has been opened, you must then verify the details by emailing the team with proof of both your address and ID.
What kind of welcome bonus can you get with an Indiana sports betting operator?
As you’ve already seen from the information above, there are numerous Indiana sports betting sites currently operating in the state. This makes the market somewhat competitive, which is why these sites have such compelling welcome bonuses right now. Each of them is trying to ensure you choose their site over the next, which means that you have plenty of awesome sign-up offers to pick from. Many of them are as high as $1,000 in value too, which is fairly epic.
But of all the sites discussed earlier, we would have to say that the FanDuel or PointsBet platforms have the most appealing welcome deals. FanDuel has a $1,000 risk-free bet, which is extremely friendly when you identify the small print. As for PointsBet, they have doubled the value of FanDuel’s welcome offer, and the $2,000 in risk-free bets are split between fixed odds and spread betting. This means you can experiment with a unique way of betting without taking on any huge risks.
With this said, we’d like to now take a moment to highlight the most common welcome offers you can expect in Indiana:
Deposit bonus
Whenever you make your first deposit at one of the Indiana online sports betting platforms mentioned above, there are many instances where you are given a deposit boost. This essentially means that the betting site contributes a set amount of cash based on your deposit value. Some bonuses are as high as 100% too, which means that you double your money.
Odds boost
Competitive odds are all well and good for standard betting, but new customers can sometimes benefit from a huge boost for a preselected event. For example, some sites might pick an event and then a subsequent market where the odds have been doubled or even tripled. This gives your potential return a huge kick in the right direction.
Profit boost
These aren’t quite as common as some of the other sign-up deals, but they do exist all the same. A profit boost is where a betting site will contribute some additional winnings on top of the original return. If that boost is set at 50%, instead of winning $100, you’d win $150.
Risk-free bet
Risk-free bets are the most common of all welcome offers in Indiana, as you’ve seen throughout. Basically, when you redeem and take advantage of a risk-free bet, you have full protection should your wager lose. At the same time, you get to partake in the profits if the bet ultimately results in a win.
Brick-and-Mortar Casinos where you can place sports bets
There are currently more than 10 retail sportsbooks in operation in Indiana. Some of the bigger names of note here include Hollywood Casino, Indiana Grand, Harrah’s, Tropicana, and Ameristar. These guys all let you wager on a range of sports in person, and they also have partnerships with Indiana sports betting sites too. Note that while the two are connected, you won’t get the same offerings when comparing a physical sportsbook with an online site. And at the same time, you still need to be 21+ and an IN resident to make an in-person wager.
When you actually arrive at any of these locations, you’ll typically see a bunch of TV screens, red and green betting odds, and a list of sports to wager on. Wagers must be placed using cash, and of course, you don’t then have the option of cashing out a wager or performing any form of live bet whatsoever. However, you do get the ‘real’ experience of betting on an event in a traditional sportsbook.
Betting on the most popular Indiana sports
NFL
The Indiana Colts are pretty much the biggest sports team in the state, although that is open to debate if you are an NBA fan (more on that below). The Colts have managed to compete in two SuperBowl games since they became a professional team back in the 1950s. This makes them moderately successful, and they play all home games at the Lucas Oil Stadium, located in Indianapolis. Since the Colts are based in the AFC South Division, they play some huge teams like the New England Patriots and New York Giants.
As for betting on these games, of course, you can do so if you please. All Indiana sports betting apps cover the Colts matches, but you can also bet on games from the entire NFL pool of teams. This includes regular and postseason games, and since the NFL is so popular, you will often have the choice of hundreds of markets to pick from.
NBA
Now we have another huge team based in Indiana - the Indiana Pacers. These guys are hugely successful in the NBA, having won 3 NBA Championships and been home to legends such as Reggie Miller. Without question, the Pacers have a huge following in Indiana, and deservedly so. Thousands go and watch their games at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and by nature, there are plenty of games held here throughout the season. The Pacers have also struck a deal with DraftKings in recent times.
This is why the markets, odds, and bonuses are so spectacular at DraftKings for NBA games involving the Pacers. The Pacers make fairly regular appearances in the postseason too, so you can expect a ton of betting action for these guys!
MLB
Interestingly, Indiana does not have a professional MLB team to brag about. However, that does not mean that you cannot bet on the MLB at every single IN sports betting platform. You absolutely can, and established sites are pretty keen on dishing out bonuses for this league. This is particularly true for when the World Series is played, not to mention the huge number of markets that are created and offered for these postseason games. Since baseball is also a pretty slow game compared to others like basketball, it’s easier to hunt down cashout opportunities at Indiana sports betting sites.
NHL
Once again, there are no professional sports teams based in Indiana that compete in the NHL. Then again, the NHL still has a big following among sports fans in this state. Fans watch a ton of NHL action according to statistics, and with the NHL being a huge North American sports league, sports betting platforms do cover this league quite extensively. You can always back the moneyline markets at all sportsbooks, and futures markets for events like the Stanley Cup are always an option to keep in your back pocket. Sometimes, you can bet on the performance of individual players too relating to goals scored, passes completed, and more.
MMA
When a huge MMA fight is going down, Indiana punters don’t waste any time exploring the betting markets. Sites like DraftKings and FanDuel tend to cover MMA in extensive detail, as these brands occasionally sponsor larger fights. And when fight night rolls around, you can always find exciting markets on such betting platforms. Examples here include the method of victory, which round the fight might end in, and so much more. Certain forms of pool betting let you bet on each fight of the evening too, which is a great way of turning up the excitement levels by a few notches.
MLS
Indiana might not have a professional MLS team to speak of, but this league is one of the fastest-growing among all professional leagues in the USA. Of course, this league is all about soccer, and the US has started to compete with the larger countries in this sport. At the ground level, the MLS is where superstars are born too, and you can bet on all of the action at Indiana sports betting sites. The MLS is perfect for unique markets including goal scorers, final score, and exclusive parlays tend to be whipped up from time to time too.
NCAA
The reason that NCAA sport is well followed in Indiana is largely thanks to the flexible laws relating to these competitions. Unlike other states, you can bet on NCAA competitions in Indiana, and there are no restrictions about wagering on in-state teams either. And particularly for events like March Madness, you can bet on so many games that it’s hard to know where to begin. That’s also the time where you will find bonuses galore at top sites!
History of Indiana Sports Betting
While sports betting in Indiana is now fully legal and approved at both retail and online sites, it wasn’t always this way. Up until 2018, the idea of legalizing sports betting in this state just wasn’t on the cards whatsoever. But that’s the year that the ball really started rolling, as highlighted in the timeline below:
2018 - first discussions begin
Before 2018, no sports betting was permitted in the state whatsoever. Not a single casino had a functional sportsbook, and there were certainly no online sites in operation. This meant that Indiana was somewhat of a dead state when it came to sports betting. This wasn’t helped by the fact that the state only has two high-profile professional sports teams either. However, against the odds, Alan Morrison decided that he would propose a bill to the house which allowed sports betting in Indiana. To be honest, this came out of the blue for many!
There was a slight issue, however. Since all professional sports leagues wanted a cut of the ‘handle’, which is the number of bets placed, Morrison decided that he would include an integrity fee for betting brands in the state. Although this integrity was set at just 1%, this put off many brands from even entertaining the idea of launching in Indiana. At the same time, this didn’t go down too well with senior senators, and the bill never really got off the ground. That’s where John Ford and Sen. Mark Mesmer stepped in and adjusted the bill.
By adjusted, we mean that they simply whipped out the integrity fee that was demanded by professional sports leagues. It seemed that this was the secret sauce that was missing from Morrison’s initial proposal, as this fresh bill went down quite well with the house. But since the law works in quite a unique way in Indiana, even though the new bill gained traction, it didn’t ultimately make it to a vote in 2018. This means that those in power couldn’t have an official stance on this bill, but that all changed in 2019.
2019 - pen put to paper and approval completed
In January 2019, Rep. Jerry Torr decided to make some moves with the bill that was created by Mesmer and Ford back in 2018. If you recall, the bill didn’t actually make it to a vote, which is why Torr stepped in to use his influence and get things moving. He actually enjoyed immediate success with his efforts, since he got the bill approved by the house with an overwhelming majority. This occurred in January, but just the following month, things took a turn for the worse.
While sports betting seemed like it was on the cusp of going live, it didn’t materialize since the house decided that mobile betting wasn’t appropriate in Indiana. Of course, removing this took away the possibility of an online sports betting industry in Indiana. A battle then ensued between those in favor and those against, and this battle would drag on for several months. With that said, those in favor didn’t back down, and thanks to their relentless efforts the bill was adapted in April, once again to allow mobile betting in the state. Things progressed smoothly beyond that point, and Governor Eric Holcomb put pen to paper in May 2019 to officially legalize sports betting in Indiana.
That September, the first sports bets were made in person at casinos that had managed to implement a sportsbook within just a few months. The following month, in October 2019, the first Indiana sports betting sites went live.
2020 - the true birth of online sports betting
When we say the ‘true birth’, we are saying that because 2020 was when most brands managed to launch in the state. While a handful of sites went live in 2019, the explosion in fresh betting brands wasn’t really witnessed until the following year. That’s when huge names such as Caesars, BetMGM, Unibet, and PointsBet launched their platforms. Of course, the more betting brands that became available, the more online sports betting was adopted by the masses. As it happens, more than half of the current online sportsbooks in Indiana were launched in 2020, showing a real push and a bit of a golden period for the birth of this industry in the state.
2021 - the sports betting bug has landed
The bug most certainly hit in 2021, especially within the later months of the year. As previously documented, the numbers had been steadily climbing throughout the year in terms of money wagered on sports. And in November 2021, Indiana went beyond all expectations when almost $500 million was wagered on sports across the board. As more brands enter the market as we head into 2022, these figures are only going to move in one direction.