Sports betting is up and running in the state of Indiana, with the Hoosier state offering a range of betting options that cover both in-person and online bettors. With a number of high profile professional sports teams residing in the state, as well as some of the biggest names in college sports, there is no shortage of interest in sports betting in Indiana. In this guide eou will find out everything you need to know about getting bets down in the Hoosier state.
Indiana’s sports betting law was signed into law in 2019, when Gov. Eric Holcomb officially signed H1015 into law. Because of that legislation, the Indiana Gaming Commission is now responsible for overseeing sports betting activity throughout the state, with the IGC having the ability to grant licenses to entities that want to offer sports betting within state lines.
This bill passed through the state’s Congress relatively easily once it finally got through. It passed in the House of Representatives by a 59-36 margin, and passed the Senate in a 37-12 vote to make it to the desk of Governor Holcomb.
Because of H1015, there is legal wagering on sports in this state that can be done both in-person and online. The in-person wagering component in Indiana is an interesting one, as bettors are able to wager at land-based casinos, racinos, off-track betting facilities and riverboat casinos as well. With Indiana having a diverse array of land-based gaming facilities, bettors have no shortage of places to get their sports bets down.
Indiana sportsbooks can also be accessed online thanks to H1015’s passage. Similar to states like Pennsylvania, sports wagering can be done through a series of sports betting apps. These legal sports wagering options allow bettors to access their preferred sportsbook from anywhere within the state, and to fund their accounts with options such as credit cards or PayPal, rather than using cash at the casinos and racetracks that have been approved for sports betting.
There are some other components to this law that are worth noting as well, including the costs for sportsbooks to operate in the state. A vendor license requires an initial $100,000 payment, followed by annual payments of $50,000. On top of that, there is a 9.5% tax rate on gross sports betting revenue, some of which will be allocated to the fighting of problem gambling. This legislation also authorized the relocation of multiple riverboat casinos throughout Indiana.
While there are a number of sportsbook options to choose from in Indiana, bettors can look forward to a straightforward experience no matter how they choose to place their bets. Those who choose to do their sports betting at retail sportsbooks can simply go to the casinos, racinos or off-track the facilities they prefer. Once there, they can view the lists of available betting markets and place their bets in-person.
Bettors who choose to wager this way will want to be vigilant, though, as in-person sports betting can result in bettors missing the best available sports lines on their way to the sportsbook. Keeping an eye out for changes to lines and not settling for any available line once at the sportsbook can help save land-based sports bettors headaches.
As for those who wish to bet on their mobile device, the first step is to download their preferred sports betting app. This can be done on the App Store for Apple devices and via the Android app marketplace, to name a couple of popular avenues. Once a bettor has downloaded their app of choice, they can peruse any promo offers that sportsbook is offering. They can also search for the sport and league they want to bet on, and easily place spread, moneyline and total wagers among others.
To successfully place a mobile sports wager through an Indiana-licensed sportsbook, bettors must be located within the state of Indiana. Location is verified using the location services function on mobile devices, with bettors who are deemed to be located outside of Indiana unable to place bets until their location is again found to be in the state.
The sportsbook options for bettors in Indiana who prefer a land-based sportsbook are nothing short of impressive. Thanks to the presence of over a dozen physical sportsbook locations throughout the state, bettors who want to go to a sportsbook to place their bets have a seemingly endless list of choices to pick from. Here is a list of the physical sportsbook options that bettors have to choose from in Indiana.
It is worth noting that these sportsbooks are all placed within a relatively small surface area throughout the state of Indiana. Some states that are much larger, such as New York, do not have nearly as many physical sports wagering options to choose from. Of course, it is still easier to take part in mobile betting from home or elsewhere within the state, and Indiana offers that in spades as well.
Bettors who prefer mobile sports betting have a nice menu of online sportsbooks to take on as well, from some of the most reputable names in the betting industry. Here is a list of active mobile sports betting options that those in Indiana can take on already. These apps can be used by anyone located in the state of Indiana, with device locations being used to verify whether or not a bettor is in a place where they can place bets at a given time.
As you can see, mobile sports bettors have the ability to take on some of the top sportsbooks in American sports betting from names like Rush Street Interactive, DraftKings and FanDuel. And the list of available sportsbooks in Indiana is set to grow in the future. William Hill, Caesars Sportsbook and FoxBet are all set to join the above list of options in the future, although there are no launch dates set in stone for those three options.
Is mobile betting any better than in-person action? There is no right or wrong answer to this question, as different bettors have different preferences. But there are some differences worth noting for each, as bettors can decide which positives to each experience they find to be the most valuable.
The biggest advantage of in-person sports betting is that it is a more communal experience than mobile wagering. A bettor goes to a physical location, places their wagers, and is able to watch those bets unfold at the sportsbook with as many people as they please. And with many of Indiana’s sportsbooks also connected to a casino, the atmosphere in which bettors watch their bets play out is a fun one. Bettors are also able to get a physical ticket commemorating their bets.
Mobile sports betting is a more isolated experience, with bettors simply logging into an app to place their bets. But, without having to travel to a sportsbook facility, bettors are able to get their bets in as quickly as possible. This allows for them to get the best possible betting lines and odds, as opposed to running the risk of a change in odds on the way to a land-based sportsbook.
There is also the ability to take on promo offers when getting started at many online sportsbooks in Indiana. While any list of available promotions is subject to change, there is always the possibility of a risk-free bet or deposit match bonus when betting using one of the approved mobile apps in this state. Bettors who wish to bet on their mobile devices should keep their eyes open for these offers as they become available.
| Online Lottery | Legal & Regulated |
| Online Horse Racing | Legal & Regulated |
| Social Gambling | Legal & Regulated |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Legal & Regulated |
| Minimum Gambling Age | 21+ |
| Land-based Betting | Regulation Planned |
| Land-based Poker | Legal & Regulated |
| Online Casino | Not Regulated |
| Land-based Lottery | Legal & Regulated |
| Land-based Casino | Legal & Regulated |
| Land-based Horse Racing | Legal & Regulated |
| Online Betting | Legal & Regulated |
| Online Poker | Not Regulated |
There are many sports that can be wagered on in the state of Indiana, many of which include teams that play within the state itself. With professional sports teams such as the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL, Indiana Pacers of the NBA and Indiana Fever of the WNBA, the list of sports that can be wagered on is perfect for a state that clearly has an appetite for athletic competition.
Bettors in Indiana can place bets on major sports like the NFL from the preseason, all the way to the Super Bowl. They can bet on other popular professional leagues like the NBA, NHL and MLB as well. Bettors can also wager on professional fighting such as boxing and MMA, as well as racing, tennis, soccer and other marquee events across the globe.
The sports betting market in Indiana also includes college sports, and is headlined by the teams located within Indiana itself. In NCAA basketball, that means the Indiana Hoosiers, who are typically among the strongest programs in the country as they take on a Big Ten filled with potent foes like Michigan and Illinois. In NCAA football, that means the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Located in South Bend, the Irish have a rich football tradition, and are no strangers to competing for national championships.
In terms of the available betting markets for different sports throughout Indiana, bettors are largely limited by only their imaginations. Bettors can place traditional bets such as point spread, moneyline and totals wagers. But they can also place more exotic bets. Multi-leg wagers such as the parlay and teaser are available, with many books also offering a plethora of prop bets to give bettors a chance to show off their in-depth knowledge of the games they love.
In-game wagering is also an option in Indiana. However, live betting can be restricted by the IGC at their discretion, with that stipulation being a part of the law that was passed to bring sports betting into the state in the first place.
It should be noted that different sportsbooks may have different betting odds for the same betting market. Because of this, bettors in Indiana should be willing to take a look at the different sportsbook options at their disposal to find the odds that are most favorable to them. Doing this will help a bettor be more profitable in the long run, which is the ultimate goal of sports betting. In addition, on January 24, 2022, the Indiana Gaming Commission approved gambling on the 2022 Winter Olympics at authorized Indiana casinos and with mobile sports betting operators. Bettors will be able to wager on seven Olympic sports including hockey, alpine skiing, bobsled, and more.
