Legal: Bet now

South Dakota Sports Betting And Sportsbook Apps 2024

South Dakota sports betting has been legal since September 2021 — albeit in a limited context. Legal sportsbooks are available at several locations in the city of Deadwood, or you can place a wager at any of the state’s tribal casinos that offer on-site sports betting.

So far, retail sports betting is the only option in the state. South Dakotans cannot bet through their mobile devices or computers, and legislative efforts to make online betting available statewide have failed. In theory, online sportsbooks could launch, but they would be limited to bets taking place on-site at Deadwood casinos.

As lawmakers move toward online legalization or new retail options appear, we will update this page with the latest about South Dakota sports betting.

Written by

Bart Shirley

Last updated:

Fact checked by

Dustin Gouker

As seen in

Is sports betting legal in South Dakota?

Yes. Sports betting is legal in casinos in Deadwood and tribal casinos in South Dakota. You must bet in person on the premises of one of the casinos in question. You also cannot place bets on high school games, bets on minor league games, prop bets on individual college athletes, or bets on any game involving athletes from South Dakota colleges.

Is online sports betting legal in South Dakota?

Yes, but only if the online bets are placed while at a Deadwood casino. No online sports betting site offering online sports betting promotions has launched in the state. 

According to Title 42, Chapter 7B of South Dakota’s Codified Laws, “any sports wagering may only be conducted on the premises of a licensed gaming establishment as approved by the commission within the city of Deadwood.” Technically, a sportsbook could offer an app, but it would only be valid for use when in its partner casino. Efforts to legalize online sports betting more broadly, as recently as 2022, have failed to move past the South Dakota Legislature.

In-person sportsbooks in South Dakota

As retail sports betting is, essentially, the only legal type of sports betting in South Dakota, here is a rundown of your options. Most sportsbooks in South Dakota are located in Deadwood, as the town is home to a number of commercial casinos. The other sportsbook locations in the state are tribal casinos, not in Deadwood.

SportsbookVenueOdds ProviderCity
The Book at Guadalajara’sCadillac Jack’s Gaming ResortBetMGMDeadwood
BetBodegaBuffalo-Bodega ComplexBetBodegaDeadwood
BetLodge SportsbookThe Lodge at Deadwood Gaming ResortBetLodge SportsbookDeadwood
Dale’s Sportsbook Bar & GrillHoliday Inn Resort Deadwood Mountain GrandDale’s SportsbookDeadwood
BetMGM Sportsbook at Tin LizzieTin Lizzie Gaming ResortBetMGMDeadwood
Gold Dust Casino and HotelGold Dust Casino and HotelN/ADeadwood
The LandmarkThe Landmark DeadwoodN/ADeadwood
Mineral Palace SportsbookMineral Palace Hotel & CasinoISI SportsDeadwood
Mustang Sally’sMustang Sally’s Sports Bar and GrillN/ADeadwood
Dakota Nation SportsbookDakota Connection CasinoDakota Nation Gaming EnterprisesSisseton
Dakota Nation SportsbookDakota Sioux Casino & HotelDakota Nation Gaming EnterprisesWatertown

The scope of the wagers that you can find at each book will vary. Call ahead if there is a particular type of wager you want to make.

South Dakota sports betting law

South Dakota offers retail sports betting under 2020’s SJR 501. The resolution simply amended the South Dakota Constitution to allow sports wagering. As the existing law confines most gambling to areas within the city limits of Deadwood, so too is sports betting restricted to retail sportsbooks in the town on the western edge of the state. The only exceptions are tribal locations, which can offer any game that is also available in Deadwood.

SJR 501 passed the South Dakota Legislature without much fanfare due to an affirmative vote the previous November. South Dakota voters approved the introduction of sports betting in Deadwood in 2019 by a margin of 58% to 42%. Thus, although the exact application of the law remained unclear for a few months, the passage of a sports betting law became a foregone conclusion.

South Dakota law prohibits betting on the following:

The state also prohibits anyone integrally involved with a particular sport or with gambling locations in South Dakota from betting. This means players, coaches, referees and trainers cannot bet on their sport’s games. Sportsbook employees in South Dakota also cannot wager, regardless of the sport or bet. It is also illegal to bet for someone else or under a false name.

Popular sports to bet on in South Dakota

South Dakota is not home to any major professional sports teams. The closest representative is the Sioux Falls Skyforce, which is the G League affiliate of the Miami Heat. Sioux Falls is also home to the Sioux Falls Canaries, a minor league baseball team with a general partnership with Major League Baseball but no dedicated franchise affiliation.

In any case, you cannot legally wager on either of these teams due to South Dakota sports betting law. So, in terms of the most popular sports teams to bet on in the state, most South Dakotans let their loyalties lie with the pro teams in nearby Minnesota. As the NFL is the most popular league in most areas of the United States, Minnesota Vikings odds are among the most popular bets in South Dakota.

Other types of legal gambling in South Dakota

There are a number of other ways to gamble in South Dakota besides sports betting, including the following options:

Casinos

The most obvious venues for wagering in South Dakota are its casinos. All of the commercial casinos in the state are clustered in Deadwood, and there are quite a few of them. In addition to these properties, there are also several Native American-owned casino locations in the state. 
According to state gambling regulations, you can play blackjack, craps, keno, poker, roulette and slot machines at these locations. State regulations limit the maximum amount you can wager on a single bet to $1,000. Here are the casino locations in South Dakota:

Horse betting

South Dakota has a full slate of horse betting opportunities within its state lines. While the options aren’t incredibly numerous, you can bet on horse races from wherever you are in South Dakota. 

For live racing, South Dakota Gaming mentions that both the Stanley County Fair and the Brown County Fair traditionally hold races during their summer meets. 

There is a single off-track betting location in South Dakota. The Triple Crown Casino in North Sioux City offers both simulcast wagering and video lottery options to any patrons who visit.

Finally, it is possible to wager on horse races across the country through online horse betting sites in South Dakota. Sites offer odds to any South Dakotan who is over the age of 18. 

Lottery

The South Dakota Lottery offers options for both draw games (“lotto games”) and scratchers. The available draw games include the big multi-state jackpot games — Mega Millions and Powerball — but also several smaller in-state draws. 

The third type of lottery game in South Dakota is through the many video lottery terminals available in the state. The games that you can play on these machines are instant win games, which either act like scratchers or keno-like options.

South Dakota lottery games are also available through the lottery app, where players can scan tickets and redeem winnings.

Daily fantasy sports in South Dakota

There is no explicit law permitting or banning daily fantasy sports contests in South Dakota. Furthermore, the last statement on DFS from South Dakota law enforcement occurred in 2015, and it indicated that DFS players would not be subject to criminal penalties. 

That means sites like Underdog, PrizePicks, DraftKings, and FanDuel can offer DFS contests to people in the state.

South Dakota Sports Betting Alternatives

Daily fantasy sports and social sportsbooks are available in South Dakota. Learn more about South Dakota DFS, social sportsbooks, and the available promotions and bonus codes from operators like PrizePicks, Underdog, and Fliff by clicking the links below.

Underdog Promo code
PrizePicks Promo code 
fliff social sportsbook

South Dakota sports betting timeline

2023: International Gaming Technology (IGT) signed a five-year contract extension with the South Dakota Lottery in November.

South Dakota sports betting handle hit a record high with $1,021,660 in October.

2022: A ballot proposal that could allow South Dakotans to approve mobile sports betting in November 2022 was passed by the Senate in February. It faced an uphill battle in the House after barely escaping the Senate.

A House committee voted against the proposal, keeping South Dakota sports betting limited to Deadwood casinos.

SJR 502, which proposed an amendment to the Constitution of South Dakota to provide online sports betting, passed the Senate but came up short in the House before the end of the 2022 legislative session.

2021: With voter wishes behind them, legislators passed legislation legalizing sports betting in Deadwood.

With Gov. Kristi Noem‘s signature, the state’s regulators worked quickly on industry rules. A first set was approved in June, while a second, more detailed set received legislative approval Aug. 2.

A ceremonial first sports bet was placed at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort on Sept. 9, 2021, just in time for the 2021 NFL season.

2020: The Senate tried again with a similar sports betting resolution in 2020, and this time it received a better reception in the House.

The House passed SJR 501 by a single vote, putting the issue of legalizing sports betting in South Dakota in front of voters in November. Nearly 60% of voters approved sports wagering in Deadwood.

2019: The effort to put South Dakota sports betting at Deadwood casinos in front of voters began in 2019. The ballot question introduced by a bipartisan group of state senators would have been part of a larger proposal.

A fiscal note by the state Legislative Research Council estimated that Deadwood sports betting revenue would amount to about $2 million annually with about $185,000 going to the state in taxes.

The Senate passed SJR 2 but a House committee opted not to recommend the bill.

South Dakota sports betting FAQ

Is sports betting legal in South Dakota?

Yes, on casino properties in Deadwood.

What agency oversees sports betting in South Dakota?

The South Dakota Commission on Gaming. All of the sports betting locations in Deadwood are under its oversight.

What is the legal sports betting age in South Dakota?

Sports bettors must be 21 or older in South Dakota.

Are these sportsbooks the only ones active in South Dakota?

Yes. The only sportsbooks available for play in South Dakota are the retail locations in Deadwood or at tribal casinos in the state.

Is online sports betting on the way to South Dakota?

Not at the moment, and not until 2023 at the very earliest. Although limited online sports betting is theoretically possible within the confines of each sports betting location, broader online sports betting is not particularly imminent in South Dakota. Efforts in both the House (HB 1148) and Senate (SJR 502) fell flat at the end of the 2022 legislative session. 

That means it’s best to avoid any online sportsbooks that offer service to you in South Dakota. These sites, though they may seem legitimate, are neither monitored nor managed by any governmental agency in South Dakota. 

In fact, their offices and servers are located outside the US. The lack of oversight means you could find yourself short on options if you encounter a dispute. As frustrating as it might be to have to travel to place a wager, don’t take the risk with one of these offshore sportsbooks. Your financial information and identity could be at risk if you do.