Iowa’s Mobile Sportsbooks – The Top Iowa Sports Betting Apps & Mobile Sites

Sports bettors in Iowa have a good number of online sportsbooks to choose from in an ever-growing online sports betting market. Since sports betting sites in Iowa were regulated in 2019, there have been almost 20 different online operators available, each with its own mobile sports betting app.

But there are also offshore sportsbooks that can enhance your online betting experience, opening you up to more international leagues, generous bonuses and a wide variety of betting options. 

In this guide, we will show you the best offshore sportsbooks, the reasons we like them the best, the sports and leagues you can bet on, and the history of sports gambling in the state of Iowa. 

Our Top-Rated Mobile Sportsbooks for Iowa Bettors

The Best Online Sportsbooks for 2023

In choosing the best online sportsbooks for Iowa users, we have ten sites from countries where online betting is regulated. These sites will all accept users from Iowa to win real money today. You should feel free to join any of them. 

1. Bookmaker: Best for early lines
2. Heritage Sports: Best for cashback
3. Bovada: Best for props
4. BetOnline: Unique ongoing and one-off promotions for bettors
5. BetAnySports: Best for reduced juice
6. BetUS: Best for expert analysis
7. WagerWeb: Best sign-up bonuses for crypto users
8. JustBet: Generous deposit match bonuses
9. Everygame: Good for poker fans
10. SportsBetting.ag: Fast payouts 

Is mobile sports betting legal in Iowa?

Yes, sports betting laws were passed in 2019 that brought legal sports wagering to Iowa. Users can join the numerous licensed sportsbook apps or do in-person betting at retail locations throughout the state. You have to be at least 21 years old to open an online sports betting account in the state.

Comparing the Top Mobile Sportsbooks for Iowa

From our top 10 list, we have included reviews, including pros and cons, of our top five mobile sportsbooks for Iowa users. You will not find downloadable apps for these online sports betting apps, but you will find they have some of the best mobile sites in the sports betting industry. Beyond their sports offerings, you will also find casino gambling at each of these sites with a variety of games, including slots and table games.

1. Bookmaker: Best for Early Lines

Since 1996, Bookmaker.eu has been a fantastic choice to bet on your favorite teams or favorite value picks with the earliest lines in the industry. This makes them a reputable site as you can get the best numbers before the public starts betting money and shifting the line as the game approaches.

Bookmaker also handles live betting very well, with a quality mobile site with plenty of sports and leagues. There are some unique player prop markets that you will not find on ‌competitor sites, such as the ability to bet on a player to not score a touchdown in NFL island games. 

There is a three-tier reward program where you can ascend to the best deposit bonuses and cashback. You also have some solid casino offerings if you are interested in that aspect of an online gambling site since Iowa has yet to legalize things like online slots and table games.

Bookmaker also will not limit winning players, which is a big problem at some online sportsbooks after someone starts winning a little too consistently. You will enjoy high limits at Bookmaker. 

2. Heritage Sports: Best for Cashback

Starting in 2001 in Costa Rica, Heritage Sports used to be an invite-only online sportsbook for VIPs. But now anyone in Iowa can join the site. Once you do, you will find one of our top-rated sportsbooks with a great mobile site design for live betting. There are so many international markets that you can expect to find something to bet on live at any hour of the day at Heritage Sports.

You also get a decent number of props and other betting markets, but the real value at Heritage Sports are the cash-back programs and reduced juice (-108 lines). You will get reduced juice on many markets instead of just NHL like BetOnline does. You will also be able to get cashback daily on the racebook, weekly on your net casino losses and quarterly on your total betting volume on the sportsbook. The bonus money at Heritage Sports can be used anywhere on the site with no restrictions, and you will usually have a low rollover requirement to satisfy.

The earliest betting lines are at Bookmaker, but Heritage Sports does a good job of getting popular MLB and NFL markets up early as possible too. The reduced juice and cashback also make up for a lack of a huge welcome bonus for new users. But you can get a free birthday parlay (worth up to $500) and every eighth deposit is on the house. The casino games are also free to try to find your favorite table games, slots and video poker options.

3. Bovada: Best for Props

Bovada does a great job of giving you many betting opportunities on major professional teams, college teams and international leagues in a variety of sports. You have one of the best prop builders on the market, making it easy to put together larger parlays from the same game or from multiple games and leagues. You also have plenty of live betting options with one of the better mobile sites on our list. 

New users who use crypto can get a deposit bonus of up to $750 as a welcome bonus on the sportsbook. There is a playthrough requirement on those funds, but it is very reasonable, at 5x on the sportsbook. Bovada does not have as many standard promotions for existing users like the other sites, but it does have a reward program where your points never expire no matter how long your account is inactive. The points can be used to redeem bonus bets or poker entries.  

Bovada also does online poker as well as anyone, so those looking for some online poker tournaments and cash games to go along with their serious sports betting will enjoy what Bovada has to offer. You also get a quality racebook for horse racing.

4. BetOnline: Unique Sports Promos

BetOnline is a very good choice if you want a quality sportsbook, racebook, casino and online poker room. The poker room is right up there with Bovada for the depth of tournaments and cash games offered. The racebook has the highest daily rebates, with 9% for exotic wagers. The casino has the most slot games and many are exclusive to BetOnline.

As for the sportsbook, you will find no shortage of games or live betting markets for a variety of leagues and sports from around the world. There is a prop builder, and while it is not among our favorites, it is serviceable, with a good variety of alternate lines you will not even find at popular licensed sportsbooks. You can also parlay those picks together with the opinionated lines found only at BetOnline. 

There are many sports contests, both free and paid, with big prizes at BetOnline. They also have more unique sports promos than anyone. Now, these will not lead to huge payouts for you, but you can get some insurance bets when things go horribly wrong with your moneyline picks because your team was shut out or blew a 15-point lead after halftime in the NBA. 

With BetOnline, you can expect a gold standard of high limits, fast payouts and a variety of payment options. This makes their generous bonuses all the more enticing to try, especially if you are interested in more than just sports betting.

5. BetAnySports: Best for Reduced Juice

We might rank BetAnySports a little higher if it made design updates to its site because the inclusion of five different betting lines (American, Offshore, Premier, Super, Ultimate) in the sportsbook can be confusing to new users. But if you overcome the learning curve here, you will find the best reduced juice on our list with -105 odds for many markets.

You will also find the props section is well done and one of the best choices on our list, only outdone by Bovada. BetAnySports has a great selection of sports and leagues from all over the world. The site is also good enough for doing live betting in a variety of markets.

The bonuses are smaller as the site is not as huge as Bovada or Bookmaker, but you can get cashback rebates periodically on the site. You can also play a good selection of casino games and it is the only option on our list with its own lottery section.

Details on Our Rating Methodology

We will get into our rating methodology in more detail below. Some of the factors we judged these sites on were the variety of games offered, the sportsbook bonuses, a wide range of payment methods, the mobile experience, customer service and anything else that would give you the best betting experience possible in this crowded sports betting industry. 

Iowa’s History of Gambling Laws

Like many states around the country, Iowa could do little in legalizing sports betting until the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018. The 1992 ruling banned sports betting for most of the country, but this 2018 reversal opened the door for every state to choose to legalize sports betting.

It was in May 2019 when Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed the sports betting law SF 617 to legalize online sportsbooks, retail sportsbooks and daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the state. On August 15, 2019, sports betting went live in the state for in-person and online wagers, with many licensed operators available. Sports bettors had to initially register in person at a casino to use the online platforms, but that would end on January 1, 2021, as remote registration was permitted.

Almost 20 online operators have been taking sports betting action in the Hawkeye State. While Unibet recently left the market in December 2022, Tipico Sportsbook recently opened up shop in Iowa. In February 2023, the Blackbird Bend Casino became Iowa’s first tribal casino to have in-person retail sports betting. 

Timeline of Sports Gambling in Iowa

The following timeline shows the important moments that led to legal sports betting in Iowa:

• February 2023: The Blackbird Bend Casino becomes Iowa’s first tribal casino to feature in-person retail sports betting. 
• December 2022: Unibet departs the Iowa market of online operators. 
• 2021: Starting on New Year’s Day, the in-person registration requirement for online betting is over, allowing for remote registration with sports betting operators.
• August 15, 2019: Iowa is the 11th state to have legal sports betting with both in-person and online betting available.
• May 2019: Gov. Kim Reynolds signs bill SF617, legalizing sports wagering and daily fantasy sports in Iowa. 
• 2018: Supreme Court rules PASPA as unconstitutional, permitting states the right to legalize sports betting. 

What to Look for in a Mobile Sportsbook

In the following sections, we look at the key features that sports fans should expect to see from a top-tier mobile sportsbook. Sports betting operators should have competitive odds, generous bonuses, good security features, a quality live betting platform and a variety of banking methods. 

Competitive Betting Odds

The best online operators in this competitive marketplace will find a way to give you the best odds possible for your sports picks. That could mean frequent odds boosts on select markets, reduced juice on select markets, or the most reduced juice possible as we see from BetAnySports and Heritage Sports with -105 and -108 lines instead of the standard -110 betting lines. Be sure to shop around for the best prices before you place your bets. 

Betting Markets

For the sportsbook, you want to see the most betting markets possible. That means a wide variety of sports, plenty of leagues (international included) and many different betting markets in each (singles, parlays, round robins, teasers, futures, live bets, etc.).

Banking Options

When using the sportsbook, you want to have the most payment methods available to you, including deposit methods and withdrawal methods. This can range from credit cards and debit cards to more modern options like eWallets and crypto. We also pay attention to the processing fees and times associated with each of the methods. Crypto is usually free and the fastest. Checks take a long time as a withdrawal method. 

Promo Codes & Bonuses

Bonuses are very important to sportsbook users. The welcome bonus is a big deposit bonus that is usually 100% of your initial deposit. You will get bonus bets with a rollover requirement that must be satisfied before you can withdraw any of that money.

This is why the ongoing promotions for existing users, which may require an opt-in or a promo code, are arguably the best sportsbook bonuses you will find. You can expect to see risk-free bets, reload bonuses, odds boosts, refer-a-friend bonuses and much more if you join the loyalty program and accumulate more points with the more you bet. 

Live Betting

Live betting is taking off as more people use their phones to bet on the go during live games. You can hedge your pregame bet or make an informed live bet on something you see from watching the game or following the stats. Live betting also can just make a game much more fun to watch. This is why any top-tier mobile sportsbook will now have a good live betting section, including more than just live bets on spread, moneyline and total.

Mobile User Experience

Offshore sportsbooks lack a downloadable app from your phone’s app store, but they do have a site that is optimized for use on a mobile device, and you can add it to your home screen to make it work just like an app. This is big as it can provide quick access to bets, which is key for live betting and getting in your bets before the next game starts. We also want a site with a good interface that is well organized, making it easy to deposit money and check our bets.

Customer Support Options

Sports bettors may need more help than the average casino user if they want to argue a stat correction or player playing status for their bets. That is why we need good customer service, which is defined as a site that offers 24/7 hours with the most methods of reaching them (messages, emails, phone number and live chat). 

Security Features

In this era of internet scams and data breaches, it is important for sites to use the ‌latest security features to protect our data. This is even more true for online gambling sites where we are sharing our personal and financial info. When you log on to a trustworthy offshore sportsbook, you will see the padlock icon next to the URL to tell you your connection is secure and the data is encrypted. Always use trustworthy sportsbooks with a good reputation in the industry.

Iowa Sports Teams to Bet on

Iowa does not have any major professional sports teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL. However, they do have four NCAA Division I teams who are notable in college sports:

• Drake Bulldogs
• Iowa Hawkeyes
• Iowa State Cyclones
• Northern Iowa Panthers

The Iowa Hawkeyes are the state’s most successful college football team. Iowa is also home to many amateur and semi-professional teams, including the Iowa Wild (AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild) and the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association of Professional Baseball. 

Popular Sports Betting Options in Iowa

Good sportsbooks will have a ton of sports and leagues to choose from. You will find professional sports teams, college sports teams and plenty of international sports leagues. 

Here is a helpful list of sports and some popular leagues you can expect to see for Iowa sports betting sites:

• Aussie Rules
• Baseball (MLB, NCAA)
• Basketball (NBA, NCAA, WNBA)
• Boxing
• Cricket
• Curling
• Cycling
• Darts
• Esports
• Football (NFL, NCAAF, XFL)
• Golf
• Handball
• Hockey (NHL)
• Horse racing
• Motorsports
• MMA (UFC)
• Rugby
• Snooker
• Soccer
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Volleyball

How to Bet on Sports in Iowa

When doing online betting on sports, you will have a variety of games and betting options to choose from, including player props and parlays. Your betting slip is the important part because that will hold the picks you are betting on with money.

If you are betting on a prop bet or total, you will have to bet the over or under on that statistic’s final amount when the game ends. 

If you are betting on the moneyline, you should know that the favorite will have odds with a negative (-) number, while the favorite will usually have a positive (+) number. 

If you are betting on the spread, then you are betting on the final scoring margin in the game. A favorite has to win by more than the spread to win the bet, as just winning the game is not enough. An underdog cannot lose by more points than the spread to win that bet. 

For parlays, all legs of a parlay must hit to win the bet. 

How to Create a Mobile Sportsbook Account

To create your online sports betting account, you just have to follow a simple sign-up process. The registration process usually follows the same basic steps, regardless of your chosen site.

Step 1. Sign-Up With a Mobile Sports Betting Site

Begin the registration process by visiting the online sportsbooks you want to join. Start creating your account and give it a strong password you are not using elsewhere.

Step 2. Verify Your Mobile Sportsbook Account Details

Your account will have to be verified in a quick process before it is finalized in the system. You will want to enter accurate information, including your name, email, address and phone number. 

Step 3. Deposit Your Funds

Using the deposit method of your choice (debit cards, bank transfers, crypto, etc.), head to the deposit section and fund your account with money. Be advised that before you do this, you should read about the welcome bonus to see how much you want to deposit to take advantage of that one-time offer. 

Step 4. Begin Placing Bets

Now your account is verified and funded. You are ready to start betting on the sportsbook. Find some picks you like, build your betting slip and place your wagers.

FAQs – Mobile Sports Betting in Iowa