Indiana Online Sports Betting: Sportsbook Indiana Guide

Indiana Online Sports Betting Legislation

Is sports betting legal in Indiana? The short answer is yes. It was House Enrolled Act 1015 that made sports betting legal in Indiana. But more than that, it brought about a complete change in how Indiana handled its gaming industry. For the first time, Indiana online sports betting, along with mobile betting, was legal. And for the first time, it allowed a gaming license to transfer to another county.

What that means for the future of the industry in Indiana can't be overstated. When innovations come, Indiana has proven that it has the will to act. And that is exactly how legal online sports betting Indiana came to be.

When the Supreme Court made its ruling in 2018 that removed the federal government from the sports betting equation, it was just a matter of months before Indiana had debated, written, and passed new sports betting legislation. In May of 2019, the governor signed it into law, and by September, regulations were in place, licenses had been granted, and bets were being placed at online sportsbooks.

If only everything in government could work so efficiently.

Indiana Online Sports Betting Rules

• Is sports betting legal in Indiana for everyone? No. You must be at least 21 years old to participate in Indiana online sports betting.

• When placing bets with an online sports betting Indiana operator, the customer must be inside state lines. This will be verified through an IP address or geolocation technology located in a customer’s mobile device.

• Statewide mobile wagering is legal.

• All licensed Indiana sports betting sites must be a land-based gaming facility or in a partnership with a land-based gaming facility (casino, racino or off-track betting parlor).

• Betting on high school sports, esports, and all amateur athletes under the age of 18 is not permitted.

• Limits on Indiana legal sports betting in-play and live wagering are left to the discretion of the Indiana Gaming Commission.

• Sportsbooks pay a tax rate of 9.5% on gross gaming revenue.

Indiana Online Sports Betting Opportunities

You can place wagers on almost any sport you can imagine at Indiana sportsbooks. From the NFL and NBA, right through to MMA, lacrosse, sailing, softball, golf, and bowling. You can also wager on all the big sporting events of the year. For example, the Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, and the NCAA Tournament.

The variety of wagers that you can make at Indiana online sports betting sites is similarly impressive. The main types of bets that can be placed are as follows:

Point Spread

Take the points, or lay them. A point spread is used to determine the favorite and the underdog. True tension is a two-point game, and you laid three, and someone is about to hit a last-second meaningless basket that kills your bet.

Moneyline

A win/loss bet that uses odds to determine the difference between the favorite and the underdog. No spreads to stress over - just win, and you’re in the money. By how much is determined by the oddsmaker.

Over/Under

Also known as a totals bet, this bet is on the total combined points scored, and if the number will go over or under the posted line. This bet also comes with uncontrolled late-game shouting.

Parlays

Small bets combined into one large bet, which, if it wins, pays off big. The big potential payoff is why players love them, but since it takes just one loss to sink the entire bet, bookmakers love them too.

Teasers

Teasers are parlay bets of two or more games that allow you to adjust the point spread in your favor. This gives you a better chance of winning with a teaser than with a regular parlay, but the odds paid for a winning teaser will be correspondingly smaller.

Round Robin

Pick some teams and bet them as parlays in every possible combination. Each winning combo is a win for the player. Unlike an actual parlay bet, not all bets must win.

Proposition Bets

These are individual or team bets inside an event. Prop bets may include the first team to score, which starting running back finishes with the most yards, or how many strikeouts a pitcher records. These are most fun to play on big events like the Super Bowl.

Futures Bets

These are bets on events that have yet to take place, like the winner of the World Series or Stanley Cup Finals.

Live Betting

These are bets placed on sporting events that have already started. Also called in-play betting, these games have multiple buyout options, automatically updated odds and points spreads as the game plays out, and quarter and halftime lines.

Indiana Online Sports Betting Sites

Per capita, Indiana is one of the most casino-rich states in the country. And the same can be said about the number of sportsbooks that call the state home. 

If you want options in your online sports betting Indiana is great. But narrowing down that list into the best of the best can be a little more challenging. That’s where we come in.

Features of Indiana Online Sports Betting Sites

Indiana online sports betting sites have some great features that you'll appreciate no matter what kind of sports you like to bet on. While every online sports betting Indiana site is unique, you'll find several of these features present at all of them. Here are just some of the things you can expect:

Ease of Use

All of the best Indiana online sports betting operators have worked hard to design sites that are as easy to use as possible. Their user-friendly designs and layouts allow you to find what you want to bet on quickly, and to place your bets with a minimum of fuss.

Prominent Betting Odds

The betting odds at the best Indiana sportsbooks are prominently displayed so that you can see what's available at a glance. Actual odds will obviously differ between sites, but their prominent display makes it easy to compare the odds available at all the sportsbooks you choose to sign up with.

Live Betting with Video

Betting as the event is taking place is very popular, so all of the best sportsbooks allow you to participate in live betting on all of the biggest events. Many sites will also let you watch the game being played via live video streams, which is useful if you can't watch it on TV for any reason.

Support When You Need It

Most Indiana legal sports betting sites are, as we've said, easy and intuitive to use. But it's still possible that you might have an issue or question that you need assistance with. The best sportsbooks have dedicated customer service teams standing by to provide whatever help you need when you need it.

How We Choose the Best Sportsbooks

Ranking the online sports betting Indiana operators isn’t an exact science, but it is fairly intuitive. The first thing you care about is sports and lots of sports. And then even more sports. 

Football and basketball are obvious. You also want to bet on darts, cricket, cycling, and Australian rugby in the middle of the night.

Along with lots of sports, you need lots of banking options. Ways to make deposits and withdrawals, plus the speed at which those transfers are made is critical to the ranking of a sportsbook.

Finally, you want bonuses. Indiana online sports betting sites are going to fight for your business, and the weapon they use is free money. If a sportsbook gives you lots of free money, and easy-to-use free money, that is obviously a huge plus.

DraftKings Sportsbook Indiana

DraftKings has been active as an Indiana legal sports betting site since Oct. 3, 2019. In fact, they were the very first online sportsbook to open in the state. DraftKings also operates the sportsbook at Ameristar Casino and operates online using the Ameristar license.

DraftKings is at the top of our rankings because there is a huge selection of available sports, an easy-to-use app that is also lightning fast, and up to $1,000 in free bets and bonuses. At DraftKings in Indiana, new customers can get both $500 in free bets and $500 in deposit bonuses.

This longtime daily fantasy sports operator has remade itself into one of the top sportsbooks anywhere in the country, and it’s No. 1 in Indiana.

FanDuel Sportsbook Indiana

Normally, FanDuel is right there with its DFS cousin, opening the same day that DraftKings does in almost every state in the country. In Indiana, they opened three weeks after DraftKings. Although really, that’s about the only difference between the two.

FanDuel Sportsbook Indiana has a great website and mobile app and a platform that is perfect for in-play wagering. When it comes to the sports they offer, there is almost nothing going on in the world that you can’t play. FanDuel also offers $500 in potential free bets and deposit bonuses.

If the extra bonus money isn’t that important to you then FanDuel might be your choice. It is a terrific sportsbook. But since we like the additional free money, FanDuel in Indiana comes in second place for us.

PointsBet Sportsbook Indiana

A newer sportsbook overall - they opened operations in Australia in 2017 - and newer to the Indiana market - they began online operations in the Hoosier State in March 2020. PointsBet Sportsbook Indiana gives a $250 deposit bonus, has a huge selection of sports, and great banking options.

What we like most about PointsBet, however, is its new take on online sports betting Indiana enthusiasts can enjoy. Instead of just winning and losing a bet, with PointsBetting, you can have big wins and big losses. 

Let’s say you take the Cowboys -3 points. They win the game by seven, meaning you won your bet by four points. With PointsBetting, you are actually wagering on each point that you win by, so if you bet $20 on the Cowboys, you win $80.

On the flip side, you can also experience bigger losses, but all sports betting is weighing risk and reward. As something unique and new, PointsBet gets a big thumbs up from us.

Caesars Sportsbook Indiana

Caesars Sportsbook needs little introduction. This operator launched in the state in 2020, giving Indiana sports betting fans a huge range of markets to consider for almost any sport you care to mention.

One of the perks of betting with Caesars Sportsbook Indiana is the ability to earn Caesars Rewards with every bet you place. The Caesars Sportsbook app also boasts that feature, so if you bet here regularly you can look forward to free play, sports tickets, dining vouchers, and a whole lot more.

To get your Caesars Indiana sports betting experience off to the best possible start, you'll get a risk-free bet of up to $5,000 when you join.

BetMGM Sportsbook Indiana

The MGM name has been associated with betting for decades, and there are more than a dozen land-based casinos and resorts in the USA alone. The BetMGM Sportsbook gives Indiana sports betting enthusiasts the chance to bet on all kinds of events online, making visiting a land-based sportsbook an option rather than a necessity.

Both the main BetMGM Sportsbook website and mobile app are very well designed, allowing you to find your desire betting markets with ease. You can also sign up for a new account via the mobile app, making this a very useful sportsbook for anyone who has little need to use a desktop or laptop computer.

Register for a new account here and you can help yourself to an initial risk-free bet of up to $600.

Indiana Retail Sportsbooks

Where is sports betting legal in Indiana? Along with your Indiana online sports betting sits and mobile options, this is the list of retails sportsbooks if you prefer to place your bets in person.

There are also three off-track betting locations that have operating sportsbooks. Those are the Winner’s Circle Race Sports Pub in Shelbyville, the Winner’s Circle Sports Pub in Indianapolis, and Winner’s Circle Race Sports Pub in New Haven. All of those OTB sportsbooks are partnered with Caesars.

Indiana Online Sports Betting Bonuses

It’s important to know it is unlikely that you’ll find bonus offers when you visit a retail sportsbook. Since you don’t use an account that can track your wagering totals when wagering in person, it just doesn’t happen. 

But when betting online through one of the legal sportsbooks in Indiana, you will be offered several possible incentives to land your business.

Welcome Bonus

One of the easiest ways a sportsbook will attract new business is with a welcome bonus. Often this is in the form of a risk-free bet that only triggers in the event you lose your first time out, but even that can have a lot of value. Be sure to look for these when choosing an online sportsbook.

Deposit Bonus

Welcome bonuses are usually more modest sums of money, but a deposit matching bonus can be as high as $500 or even up to $1,000. It’s a great way to quickly add money to your account, so never pass it up.

It’s not free money, in the sense that you can’t just withdraw it as cash. But once you complete the playthrough requirement (often 5x the amount of the bonus), then the money is yours to do with what you want. 

One thing about these types of bonuses - often, they are only for your first deposit, so make sure you know the details before putting any money in your account. You’d hate to only deposit $100 when the sportsbook is willing to match your deposit up to $500.

Loyalty Programs

Typically you find loyalty and rewards programs through a casino. It’s not really a sportsbook offering, and almost never through a stand-alone sportsbook. 

But considering that Caesars is such a big player in the state, and they have Caesars Rewards as their loyalty program of choice, you might get lucky. Rush Street Interactive, which partners with the French Lick Casino and runs the BetRivers mobile app, also has a rewards program.

Definitely do your research. If you find a sportsbook that has what you want from online betting Indiana and offers rewards for the money you spend and the plays you make, that is a sportsbook worth joining.

Other Possible Promotions

You will also find sports-specific promotions, like boosted odds or game insurance. There will be special event promotions, like extra betting on the NBA Playoffs. 

You’re also likely to find a refer-a-friend bonus. In that case, for everyone that signs up for an account and makes a deposit and uses a code that you give them, you will get a free bet (of up to $50), and they will get a free bet.

Signing Up with an Indiana Sportsbook

Whether you are accessing an online sportsbook through its website or mobile app, signing up for your new account will be easy and user-friendly.

The information required in Indiana for registration is:

• Legal name
• Legal address
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Phone number 
• The last four digits of your Social Security number
• Username 
• Password 

You will choose your username and password at the time of registration for Indiana sports betting online. If there are any issues with confirming your identification through your address and social security number, you may be asked to submit a utility bill in your name as additional documentation. As a last resort, you may be asked to provide a photo ID.

You will also be asked to answer a pair of security questions and decide if you’d like to opt-in for two-factor notification. That means that anytime someone attempts to log in to your account, a PIN will be sent to the mobile number on file. That PIN is then required to gain access to the account and place any bets.

Indiana Sports Betting App

Is sports betting legal in Indiana using mobile phones? Yes. Those of you who might want to bet via your smartphone in this state will first need to install an Indiana sports betting app. You can probably bet with an Indiana online sports betting operator via a mobile web browser, but a dedicated Indiana sports betting app will deliver a much more user-friendly experience that will be available at the touch of an icon. The good news is that most operators offer a sports betting app Indiana residents and visitors can download with ease.

If you use an iPhone, you will be able to download your chosen Indiana sports betting app from the App Store. Should you have any difficulty finding the app you want, check the main sportsbook site and you should be able to follow a link directly to the relevant App Store page.

Android users won't usually find a sports betting app Indiana sportsbooks make available in the Google Play store. Instead, you'll need to download the app from the sportsbook site itself. Your phone will probably ask for permission to download the app from an 'unknown source' but that is only because you aren't downloading from Google Play. Just make sure that you only download apps from legal sportsbooks that are licensed and regulated to operate in Indiana.

When your chosen Indiana sports betting app has finished downloading, it will install itself in a matter of seconds. You can then launch the app and log in to bet just as you would at the main betting site.

Banking at Indiana Sportsbooks

One of the most important aspects of an online gaming platform is how it processes banking. All of the sportsbooks in Indiana are required to have secure connections for your safety, and they will offer all or most of the following deposit and withdrawal options.

Methods of Deposit

• Online bill pay/bank transfer
• ACH/eCheck
• Credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard)
• PayPal
• Skrill
• Play+ prepaid card
• PayNearMe
• Personal check
• Cash paid in person at a retail sportsbook

It is important to note that although credit cards are one of the most popular methods of deposit, many credit card companies treat deposits to casinos and sportsbooks like cash advances. This means that you may get hit with an extra fee. Always check with the issuing bank before making any deposits just in case.

You’ll also find that even though standard e-wallet services like PayPal and Skrill are available in Indiana, not all Indiana sportsbooks will accept both.

Withdrawals

When able, we always recommend using a method of deposit that can be reversed for quick and easy withdrawal. If you aren’t able to do that, most sportsbooks in Indiana will accept the following means of account withdrawal.

• ACH/eCheck
• PayPal
• Prepaid card
• Personal check
• Cash received in person at the retail sportsbook

Not all sportsbooks will have a prepaid card - which works just like an ATM card. But if they do, this type of card is a great way to make online betting Indiana deposits and withdrawals. PayPal is another fast and easy option.

Obviously, if you have to opt for a personal check, there will be delays in processing the payment at the sportsbook and sending the check through the mail.

How Indiana Sports Betting Compares to Other States

Indiana online sports betting sites compare well with those in other states. You can bet on the widest range of sports, both domestic and international, and you'll be able to deposit funds into your sportsbook account online, which isn't always the case in all states. Betting on college games is perfectly legal, but college player props aren't, so bear that in mind.

The variety of sportsbooks operating in Indiana means that you'll have your pick of bonuses and promotions, and there is nothing to prevent you from signing up with several operators if you want to help yourself to multiple bonus offerings. Even more importantly, you'll be able to shop around for the odds available at all Indiana sports betting sites and get the best value every time you bet.

Of course, no state is perfect, and the big weakness in this one is that online casino and online poker gaming have not yet been made legal. This won't bother anyone who only wants to participate in sports betting, but it is something that casino and poker fans will want to see change at some point in the future.

Indiana Sports Betting Tips

Here are How to Bet we have plenty of guides that will help you to bet more effectively on almost any sport you care to mention. However, there are also a handful of more general tips that can be of use to anyone who participates in any kind of Indiana sports betting online. Here are the best Indiana sports betting tips to help you get off to the best possible start:

• Make life easy for yourself by downloading any sports betting app that is offered by the sportsbooks you bet at. Even if you mainly bet via their online betting Indiana website, having the app on your phone will give you easy access to your account - and the ability to place bets, should the need arise - when you're out and about.

• Before placing any bet, always shop around for the best odds. The more value you can get when betting, the more chance you will have of showing a profit over the long term.

• Help yourself to the best bonuses and promotions. If you're going to place a bet, see if there isn't a sportsbook with a risk-free offer that you haven't yet taken advantage of. Hopefully, your bet will win, but if it doesn't you'll at least be compensated with free bets to the same value as your loss (subject to stated maximum limits).

• Have at least two methods of deposit that are ready to use. For example, a credit card and a PayPal account. This will make it possible for you to make a deposit via the second method if your primary method can't be used for any reason.