Indiana Sports Betting
Indiana sports betting is legal and live, with 13 online sports betting sites available in the state, including DraftKings and Caesars. The first in-person sportsbook opened in September 2019, and online sportsbooks launched a month later.
Best Indiana sports betting apps 2023
Contents
What’s happening in Indiana sports betting right now?
- March 21, 2023 — No. 4 Indiana lost in the Round of 32 to No. 5 Miami during March Madness while No. 1 Purdue became just the second No. 1 seed to ever lose to a No. 16 seed as Fairleigh Dickinson upset the Boilermakers 63-58 in the first round.
- March 10, 2023 — Indiana sports betting handle hit $356.2 million for the month of February. That was a 12% decrease from February 2022’s number of $409 million. That was also the lowest total in a month since August 2022.
- February 27, 2023 — HB 1536, a bill that would have allowed Indiana casinos to offer online casino games and poker, failed in the House Public Policy Committee without receiving a hearing.
- February 17, 2023 — Latest rankings have two Indiana schools ranked in college basketball’s top 25 with Purdue at No. 3 and Indiana at No. 14. Both will hope to land high seeds in the NCAA tournament on Selection Sunday on March 12.
- February 10, 2023 — Indiana sports betting handle in January fell slightly year over year to $427 million, about $73 million lower than January 2022. Revenue was down slightly from December ($40.7 million) to $36.4 million, but that was about a million more year over year.
- January 20, 2023 — Indiana Rep. Ethan Manning introduced a bill that would allow the state’s casinos and racinos to offer online casino games and online poker. HB 1536 is essentially the same as a bill introduced last year which failed. The new bill has a committee hearing January 24.
- January 13, 2023 — Indiana sports betting handle saw a dip month-over-month and year-over-year in December, taking in $431.4 million in bets last month. That number was a 4.6% dip from November and a 6.8% decline from December 2021. However, revenue was up 6.9% from November to $40.7 million.
Comparing top Indiana sportsbooks
With more than a dozen online sportsbooks active in Indiana and more on the way, choosing an app (or multiple apps) for your bets can seem daunting. Here’s a closer look and comparison of top Indiana sportsbook apps based on some notable features:
- Best sportsbook for betting variety: BetMGM. BetMGM has one of the most extensive lists of betting options available in Indiana. The app also received high scores for betting interface and user experience in an independent study by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming in 2021.
- Best sportsbook welcome bonus: Caesars. Caesars Sports is a major sportsbook and has a welcome bonus to prove it. You can get up to $1,250 on Caesars + 1000 Tier Credits + 1000 Rewards Credits®.
- Best sportsbook for usability: FanDuel. FanDuel may be the only top sportsbook whose primary attribute is how easy it is to use. Every aspect, from choosing your bet to managing open wagers and navigating the site itself, is thoroughly intuitive.
- Best sportsbook for live betting: Betway. Betway is not only known for its great selection of live-betting options, but also allows users to live stream games they are wagering on. On top of that, Betway also allows users to cash-out early on a bet before an event is completed, allowing users to cut their losses and take a small win if they don’t feel like they will eventually win their wager.
- Best sportsbook for iOS and Android users: DraftKings, FanDuel. Both DraftKings and FanDuel have equivalent high marks for their apps on Apple and Android devices. Similarly, Eilers & Krejcik Gaming’s 2021 independent study gave both apps high marks for aesthetics and user experience.
1. DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings is one of the top sportsbooks in Indiana, with plenty of sports and betting options. However, where DraftKings stands out is with its app design, which offers customized betting options each time you log in. The area that DraftKings could stand to improve is its promotions for existing players, which need beefing up a bit.
- App rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.7 (Android)
- Key takeaway: A smooth, easy-to-use app with plenty of live betting options.
- Best feature: Custom betting carousel
- Indiana bonus: $1,200
2. Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook has plenty of sports available and the experience to handle any bet you would like to place. The app also lets you take part in Caesars Rewards, one of the better loyalty programs in gambling. The only downside is that the app is a bit bland and doesn’t have much in the way of flashiness.
- App rating: 4.6 (iOS), 4.4 (Android)
- Key takeaway: A solid app with plenty of options for sports and types of bets.
- Best feature: Caesars Rewards
- Indiana bonus: $1,250
3. BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM Sportsbook stands out for its number of sports available for betting and for its “Edit My Bet” function, which allows for greater flexibility for the bettor than most other sites. At the same time, the biggest nitpick is that there are so many options. It can be a bit difficult to navigate.
- App rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.4 (Android)
- Key takeaway: Great for both its choice of sports and its open-wager flexibility.
- Best feature: Ability to edit your bet
- Indiana bonus: $1,000
4. BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers Sportsbook is part of Rush Street Interactive, a gambling company based in nearby Illinois. BetRivers has a popular tiered rewards system called iRush Rewards. The more you play, the more bet credits, store credits and other perks you can receive. BetRivers could stand to refine its app, however, as some of the features are still a bit rudimentary.
- App rating: 3.1 (iOS), 3.1 (Android)
- Key takeaway: Plenty of sports to offer and will trumpet big wins across a feed in the lobby.
- Best feature: iRush Rewards
- Indiana bonus: $500
5. FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbook is one of the top sportsbooks in Indiana thanks in no small part to its smooth navigation. The user experience on FanDuel exceeds that of almost any other sportsbook app. FanDuel also stands out for its same-game parlay offers. The one nitpick is the few areas where FanDuel’s navigation is a bit clunky — we probably wouldn’t notice if the rest of the app wasn’t sleek.
- App rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.7 (Android)
- Key takeaway: Offers the smoothest “ride” of any Indiana sportsbook app.
- Best feature: App navigation
- Indiana bonus: $1,000
6. Betway Sportsbook
Already a top international sportsbook, Betway is quickly gaining momentum in North America. The app is easy to use and is known for providing some of the most competitive odds around. Betway also has a great menu of live betting options and even allows live streaming of some events right on the app. While Betway does have many deposit options available, some users complain of low withdrawal limits and sessions that expire too quickly, making the user sign in repeatedly.
- App rating: 4.7 (iOS), 4.4 (Android)
- Key takeaway: A solid app with competitive odds and easy deposit options.
- Best feature: Live betting and live streaming.
- Indiana bonus: $250
New sports betting apps in Indiana
Indiana is already well-equipped with sports betting apps. The debut of Bally Bet in December 2021 brought the number of online sportsbooks in the state to 13, but TheScore Bet shut its doors in 2022.
In the second half of 2022, Hard Rock Sportsbook and MaximBet both launched in the Hoosier state.
Interest remains high for new books to launch, as well. Here are some that we expect to debut in Indiana soon:
- Tipico Sportsbook
- FOX Bet
One casino in Indiana that will not be hosting a sportsbook app anytime soon is the lone tribal casino in the state, Four Winds South Bend. The tribe’s compact does not include provisions for online sports betting off reservation lands, and it will take a renegotiation between the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and the state before an app can launch on behalf of the tribe.
How to get started with best Indiana sportsbook bonuses
By now, you probably know how to sign up at an online sportsbook in Indiana. Download the app, register for an account, make a deposit and start betting. This should take only a few minutes, and as long as you consider the welcome bonuses that are available for each site, you won’t miss out on anything.
Here are some of the best promotions for new players at Indiana sports betting apps:
- BetMGM Bonus Code: LSR50 yields $1,000 in bonus bets.
- Caesars Promo Code: LSRFULL will get you up to $1,250 on Caesars.
- BetRivers Bonus Code: Use affiliate code LSRRIV to receive a 2nd chance bet up to $500.
- Betway Promo Code: None – Use Links to get up to a $250 bonus bet with first wager.
Betting sites tend to offer a few different types of sportsbook bonuses and promos. Although they may have different names, they are usually in one of these categories:
- Deposit bonuses: Sportsbooks match a portion of your deposit with additional money. The portion can be anywhere from a smaller percentage all the way up to a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Odds boosts — These bonuses are so common that they are often not identified as promotions, but rather another feature on the app. An odds boost pumps the potential payout on certain bets in favor of the bettor in order to generate interest in wagering. The boost is usually somewhere between 15% and 35%. Odds boosts often have their own tab, possibly separate from the main promotions page.
- First bet offers: For a first bet offer, you will first have to place a wager that meets the sportsbook’s conditions. If you win, then you simply collect the profit from your win. If you lose, however, the site will issue you site credits equivalent to a percentage of your lost bet.
10 quick facts about Indiana sports betting
- Indiana sports betting became legal when the governor signed HB 1015 in May 2019.
- The first Indiana sportsbook opened its doors in September 2019.
- Online sports betting began a month later in October 2019.
- Any online sportsbook app must have a partnership with an in-state casino.
- Only people over the age of 21 can legally wager on sports in Indiana.
- You must be inside state lines to play, but you do not have to be a resident.
- Indiana does not allow betting on esports or betting on athletes who are younger than 18.
- The Indiana Gaming Commission limits live betting to be available at its discretion only.
- Bets on in-state college teams and NCAA games that take place in Indiana are legal.
- Indiana sports bettors wagered more than $1 billion in the first year of service alone, and the industry has booked more than $5 billion in bets in its lifetime.
What to expect at a legal Indiana sports betting site
All of the sportsbooks that this page lists as legal in Indiana are licensed and operate under state regulations. The Indiana Gaming Commission handles oversight, and it has strict requirements for each sportsbook and its business operations. In particular, each app has to satisfy high standards with regard to account protection and fairness. Additionally, the IGC maintains control over permitted sources of data for sportsbooks.
All of this is to say that betting online in Indiana is safe, secure and convenient. There is no in-person registration requirement in the state, and the apps themselves are easy to use and available anywhere there’s an internet connection.
Indiana sports betting law and regulations
Sports betting became legal in Indiana by virtue of 2019’s HB 1015. The law made both online and retail sportsbooks possible at the state’s casinos, racetracks and off-track betting locations.
Online sportsbooks must be partnered with one of the casinos in order to become licensed. Here are a couple of additional tidbits about the law:
- The annual license fee for an operator is set at $50,000.
- The tax rate for both retail and online betting is 9.5%.
- Live betting is at the discretion of the Indiana Gaming Commission. Likewise, for sports data, the IGC maintains a high degree of control.
New casino locations in the state will be able to join the sports betting industry. That means the Terre Haute casino will likely bring both online and live sportsbook options when it finally opens.
Full list of legal sports betting apps in Indiana
The list of online sportsbooks in Indiana has a dozen names and is growing longer every few months. As more books join the fray, we will keep you informed. For now, these are the active apps in the Hoosier State as of 2023:
- Bally Bet
- Barstool Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- BetRivers
- Betway
- Caesars Sports
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- PointsBet Sportsbook
- Unibet
- WynnBET
- Hard Rock Sportsbook
- SBK Sportsbook
Popular sports to bet on in Indiana
Indiana is home to several major professional sports teams and quite a few college ones too. As such, local games are some of the most popular betting options on Indiana sportsbook apps and in retail sportsbooks in the state. Here are the main local teams in Indiana:
- NFL — Indianapolis Colts
- NBA — Indiana Pacers
- NCAA — Indiana Hoosiers
- NCAA — Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- NCAA — Purdue Boilermakers
In addition to these teams’ events, Indiana is also home to the most famous motorsports race in the US, the Indianapolis 500. There are, of course, plenty of ways to bet on this event in Indiana, too.
Entertainment bets are limited in Indiana, so bets on elections or the weather are prohibited. However, the IGC allows bets on the Academy Awards (Oscars), making it one of the few states with legal sports betting to do so.
Indiana sports betting history
Indiana’s journey from legalization to launch was rather short, with a scant four months separating the sports betting law’s passage from the first bet taken. The driving force behind the quick turnaround was the usual suspect for most states’ launch: the NFL betting season. Although online books missed the opening kickoff by about a month, retail books were ready for business when the first snap occurred.
Indiana sports betting is big business. More than $5 billion has been wagered in the Hoosier State so far. Here’s a brief history of Indiana sports betting since 2019.
2019: Indiana legalizes sports betting in both retail and online formats in May. The Hoosier State then embarks on one of the shortest law-to-launch periods in US history, with the first book opening its doors in September. One month later, DraftKings and BetRivers become the first online sportsbooks in Indiana. A few weeks later, FanDuel joins them. BetAmerica manages to become the fourth sportsbook app in the state hours before the end of 2019.
2020: The new industry continues to blossom in the Hoosier State. Five sportsbook apps join the market during the year, including notable brands like BetMGM, Caesars and PointsBet. Almost every retail location in the state eligible for a sportsbook has one by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the state’s two major pro sports teams enter into promotional deals. The Colts reach terms with DraftKings and PointsBet, while the Pacers become partners with both PointsBet and Caesars.
2021: Four more sportsbook apps launch in Indiana during 2021, including Bally Bet, Betway and WynnBET. The end of the year finishes in a flourish, with each of the final three months setting a new record for the handle. Overall, Indiana sports bettors place nearly $4 billion in wagers over the course of the second full year of service, roughly $2 billion more than they did in 2020. The Indiana sports betting market has already surpassed the $5 billion mark for handle in its short lifetime.
2022: The year began uneventful for Indiana sports betting. However, by June, things started to change with the announcement from TheScore Bet that it will put out of US markets (including Indiana) in July. Even so, Indiana sportsbook reported $256 million in bets in June, a 4% increase from the same month in 2021. Additionally, it was announced that Ohio would launch its sports betting industry on Jan. 1, 2023; soon Indiana will be surrounded by legal sports betting states.
Indiana sports betting FAQ
Is sports betting legal in Indiana?
Yes. Sports betting in Indiana started in September 2019, in time for betting on the NFL and college football season. Online sports betting began in October.
Where can I bet on sports in Indiana?
Indiana permits sports betting at casinos, racetracks and off-track betting locations in the state. Here are the active sportsbook locations in Indiana:
- Ameristar Casino Hotel East Chicago
- Belterra Casino Resort
- Blue Chip Casino Hotel & Spa
- French Lick Resort Casino
- Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino
- Hollywood Casino & Hotel Lawrenceburg
- Horseshoe Hammond Casino
- Horseshoe Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino
- Horseshoe Indianapolis
- Rising Star Casino Resort
- Bally’s Evansville Casino & Hotel
- Winner’s Circle Clarksville (OTB)
- Winner’s Circle Downtown Indianapolis (OTB)
- Winner’s Circle New Haven (OTB)
Is Bovada legal in Indiana?
No. Bovada is not legal in Indiana. All Indiana sportsbooks are legal, licensed and affiliated with casinos in the state. Bovada is housed outside of the United States and does not abide by the laws and business standards prescribed by the Indiana Gaming Commission or, for that matter, the United States. Playing on an offshore site bears extra risks. Legal Indiana sportsbooks offer security and peace of mind.
How old do I have to be to bet on sports in Indiana?
You must be 21 or older to bet at any of the sportsbooks in the state.
Is horse betting legal in Indiana?
Yes. There are two live horse racing venues in the state, Horseshoe Indianapolis and Harrah’s Hoosier Park. Caesars owns both facilities and also operates the three off-track betting locations in the state. In addition to these venues, advance deposit wagering websites like TVG also accept wagers. The Indiana Racing Commission maintains a list of the sites that have approval to take your bets through your mobile device or computer.
Can I play daily fantasy sports contests in Indiana?
Yes. In fact, Indiana was one of the first states to legalize DFS play by passing legislation approving it.
Who oversees sports betting in Indiana?
The Indiana Gaming Commission assumes primary responsibility for regulating sports betting throughout the Hoosier State.
Can I bet on sports in Indiana if I am from Chicago?
Yes, but you have to travel to Indiana in order to bet. You can download an app and deposit while in Chicago, or wait until you are in Indiana. But once you are within the state’s borders, you may place wagers. Of course, you can also legally bet on sports online in Illinois.
List of Indiana state resources
If you want more information about various elements of the Indiana sports betting industry, consult some of the resources below.
- Indiana Gaming Commission — State regulatory agency over Indiana sports betting.
- Indiana General Assembly — Lawmaking body of Indiana.
- Indiana Council on Problem Gambling — Primary resource for problem gamblers and their loved ones in Indiana.
- Voluntary exclusion program — Allows players to bar themselves from Indiana gambling locations.
- Indianapolis Star — Indianapolis’ main newspaper and best source of Indiana-related news.
- The Journal Gazette — Fort Wayne newspaper with information about Indiana.