Iowa sports betting apps

• bet365 betting app Iowa - Best live streaming & player-friendly odds
• Caesars betting app Iowa - Generous welcome bonuses & elite rewards program
• DraftKings betting app Iowa - Extensive live-betting markets & renowned DFS origin
• FanDuel betting app Iowa - Competitive odds & best for same game parlays
• BetMGM betting app Iowa - Elite rewards program & great live betting features

1. bet365 betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: bet365 has loads of live streaming options available within the app.

bet365 is a live bettor’s dream, with a copious amount of markets and live streaming frequently available to supplement. The bookmaker launched its Iowa operations in June 2023, making bet365 one of the newer kids on the block.

While it certainly has a tough road ahead to catch up with the rest of the pack, bet365 packs the heat to be competitive. You’ll find the odds are frequently among the most player-friendly available.

2. Caesars betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: Caesars frequently has one of the most generous, player-friendly welcome bonus offers available in the industry.

An extension of the Caesars casino empire, Caesars’ sports betting platform is one of the top options in the Iowa market. The top-notch customer service extends beyond the courteous and knowledgeable support teams; Caesars makes playing easier than ever for app users with one of the largest lists of banking methods you’ll find in the industry.

It was one of the first gambling operators to launch in the state as the sportsbook was live on the first day of legal online sports betting in Iowa.

3. DraftKings betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: DraftKings has one of the largest selections of live-betting markets.

DraftKings burst onto the scene as a daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator in 2012. In many states, DFS contests were determined to be skill-based and not luck-based, sites like DraftKings were allowed to operate even before sports betting was fully legalized in those jurisdictions.

This gave DraftKings a huge advantage once the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) as their brand recognition made them a fan favorite once the sportsbook launched.

4. FanDuel betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: FanDuel’s same game parlay offering far exceeds the volume available at other bookmakers.

FanDuel jockeys with DraftKings for the “top dog” spot in virtually every state where both are legal. The operator also has DFS roots, but it was the introduction of the same game parlay (SGP) where FanDuel separated from the pack.

Traditionally, parlays were required to come from different games, or even different sports, to be accepted. However, by introducing SGPs, FanDuel’s markets have become expansive and are ever-growing. You’ll also be hard-pressed to find a more reliable mobile app.

5. BetMGM betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: BetMGM’s rewards program is the gold standard for the sports betting industry, offering rewards ranging from bonus bets and profits boosts at the lower tiers to hotel stays and entertainment tickets in the higher tiers.

Since its January 2021 launch in the Hawkeye State through a partnership with Diamond Jo Casino, BetMGM has risen to become one of the top operators in the state. The frequency of bonus offerings truly stands out, giving returning players something new to look forward to every week.

Additionally, the live betting section is well-organized and carries an extensive array of markets, and live streaming of those same events is often available through both the website and mobile apps.

BetRivers betting app Iowa

Like Caesars, BetRivers has its roots in the casino space, forming out of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, PA. The sportsbook has slowly expanded across the country and is now live in 14 states, including Iowa.

While it wasn’t one of the first sportsbooks to launch in that state (opening in January 2021), BetRivers has carved out a niche for its iRush Rewards program, which lets players earn points towards bonus bets with every wager they place.

Fanatics betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: FanCash is a fantastic loyalty program for players.

Fanatics Sportsbook launched in Iowa on February 6, 2024, marking its entry into its twelfth state. The launch follows the acquisition of PointsBet's U.S. operations in August 2023. Fanatics Sportsbook offers a seamless betting experience with features such as fast signup, easy betting, transparent withdrawals, and the unique FanCash system, which gives users up to 5% of their wager back for use on bonus bets or Fanatics merchandise.

The platform also includes advanced search functionality and a Discover feed for key stats and trending bets. The retail sportsbook at Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington has also been rebranded to Fanatics Sportsbook​

Bally Bet betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: Bally Bet’s new mobile app is incredibly fast and easy to navigate.

Bally Bet relaunched its sports betting platform in September 2023 and things already appear more successful than the initial launch in June 2021. Because Bally’s purchased many regional sports networks (RSNs), the company is uniquely positioned to offer a local angle to many of its players.

As of writing, the relaunch has only come to mobile devices with no browser-based platform available yet.

ESPN Bet betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: Barstool’s loyalty program gave players frequent and lucrative betting bonuses.

ESPN Bet was born after taking over Barstool Sportsbook which reached the end of its lifespan after parent company PENN Entertainment sold the Barstool company back to founder Dave Portnoy then promptly turned around to sign a 10-year, $2B deal with ESPN to become the new brand of its betting platform.

Now that ESPN Bet launched in November 2023, Iowa bettors have a new platform to play on.

Circa betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS ONLY
• Top feature: Circa’s high-limit betting markets allow players to make far more extravagant wagers than what they could with other apps.

Circa Sports is only available to iOS users as of writing, as the operator has chosen to release new versions of the app in each state where it holds a license. The Android app is only available to players in Colorado, Illinois, and Nevada, leaving non-Apple players out in the cold for now.

The bookmaker also doesn’t offer any bonuses on the platform, but their contention that the higher-than-usual betting limits will render bonuses unnecessary could prove to be fruitful for Circa and its bettors alike.

ClutchBet betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: ClutchBet offers odds boosts for Iowa and Iowa State spread bets, which is further evidence of the heavy state-level focus of the platform.

ClutchBet is the first entry on this list that is exclusively available to Iowa-based players. It covers the top North American sports and leagues, tailoring its platform to the sports that matter most to Hawkeye gamblers.

The platform itself is clean and basic, but this also makes it supremely navigable and easy to find your favorites. ClutchBet is a subsidiary of Australian company BlueBet and reflects this lineage in the color scheme of its display. It operates out of the Q Casino in Dubuque after launching in November of 2022.

Q betting app Iowa

• Available on: iOS & Android
• Top feature: Q Sportsbook’s loyalty program certainly carries some appeal, especially if you’re planning to visit to play in person. You can earn rewards points with every wager you make on the app.

Rounding out our list, Q Sportsbook is an Iowa-only option headquartered at the Q Casino in Dubuque. Q only offers nine sports on its sportsbook, and the list of prop bets is rather small. Compounding the drawbacks, there aren’t bonuses available, even though a “promotions” tab exists in the app.

Perhaps they’re on the way, but given Q’s launch in 2019, we aren’t exactly holding our breath.

• Bonus bets/bet credits: Bonus bets and bet credits are functionally quite similar. Both allow you to place wagers using additional “funds” without having to tap into your bankroll. Credits have a bit more flexibility in how you use them while bonus bets are typically locked in at a predetermined amount. Keep in mind that both bonus bets and bet credits will expire after a given time period if not used.
• Deposit matches: When funding your account, usually as part of a welcome bonus, sportsbooks may offer to match your deposit with bonus bets or bet credits in an equal amount to your deposit. This is most often a dollar-for-dollar match, capped at a given value, but there have been rare instances where the match was at greater than a 100% rate.
• Odds boosts: One of the more common bonuses available to returning players is the odds boost, which many betting apps will offer daily. These boosts frequently add between +25 and +100 to a given line, though we’ve seen instances where the boosts added +250 or more. These boosts increase your winnings without requiring you to increase your stake, making them a favorite of hardcore and casual bettors alike.

• Spread bets: Unlike the moneyline bet that simply involves picking the winner of a sporting event, spread bets are wagers based on the projected margin of victory (the spread). For example, if the Chicago Bears are playing the Green Bay Packers, the line may be set at 6.5, favoring the Packers. A bet on Green Bay would only hit if the Packers win and outscore the Bears by at least seven points. Conversely, a bet on Chicago would win if the Bears won outright or lost by six points or fewer.
• Prop bets: Prop bets are wagers that don’t necessarily have a direct tie to the outcome of a game. Following our football example, prop bets could include which team will score the first touchdown, how many passing yards the Packers quarterback has, or the number of receptions from the Bears’ leading receiver. Because these numbers don’t also require the team/player involved to win the game, they are considered prop bets.
• Parlays: Parlays can be a fun way to win big, as they combine multiple wagers into a single bet with multiplied odds for each outcome, or “leg,” included on the slip. Typically, sportsbooks will let you choose between 2-10 legs for your parlay. Adding more legs can lead to massive wins even for a relatively low initial stake, but if even one leg doesn’t hit, the entire wager is scored as a loss. You will also see “same game parlays,” or “SGPs,” which are parlays that contain outcomes from one match; traditionally, parlays had to be outcomes from different contests, but SGPs have exploded in popularity in recent years.

• Sports offered: The number of sports available on a betting app can be a factor, especially if you prefer some of the international markets or more obscure sports like table tennis, handball, darts, or jai alai. All Iowa sportsbooks will carry the “Big Four” North American sports (football, basketball, baseball, and hockey), so if you mostly keep to those four, the variety may not be as important to you.
• Bonus frequency, value, and variety: Even before you sign up for a sportsbook account, you can check to see what bonuses they have available for returning players. The easiest ways to do this are to check our bonus listings on IABetting.com and on the “Promotions” page of the specific platform’s website.
• Navigability and customizability: It should always be easy to find your favorite players, teams, leagues, and sports to bet on while browsing the app, but do you have the option to designate favorites to find things more quickly? Do you want to adjust the size, brightness, or color intensity of your app display? Have you found moving through the menus to be intuitive or infuriating? Unfortunately, this one requires more hands-on testing, but it’s truly the best way to get a feel for the betting app.

1. Open the app store: Iowa sports betting apps will be available for both iOS and Android users. If you search for the sportsbook’s name, you may find it helpful to include “IA” or “Iowa” in your search, as some bookmakers will release versions of the app that are specific to each state where they hold a license.
2. Press “Install” and let the download run: Once you’ve located the correct application, Provided you have a steady internet connection, the download process shouldn’t take more than a minute.
3. Open the app and tap “Join Now”: The exact wording on this step may be slightly different; you may see “Join Now,” “Register,” or “Sign Up” as the button, but any of these should be enough to get you to the registration page.
4. Create your account: After you’ve accessed the signup form, you’ll need to create an account. At a minimum, you’ll need to enter an email address and password you would like to use when accessing your account. You may also need to enter your phone number for two-factor authentication, as well as choose a security question and answer to help keep your account safe.
5. Enter your personal information and agree to the terms: Finally, you’ll need to enter some identifying info, including your legal first and last name, date of birth, address, and the last four digits of your social security number. This information will be encrypted during transmission and secure at all times. After that, you can check the boxes agreeing to the terms of use, the privacy policy, and that the information you submitted is complete and accurate.

• Convenience: Placing wagers through a betting app can be done anywhere in the state, provided you’ve got a reliable internet connection. This can be cost-effective as well, as you aren’t spending time and money to drive to a casino to place a bet and/or cash your wagers.
• Live betting enhancement: Many sportsbooks will still allow in-play wagers to be placed in person, but these odds can shift while you’re standing in line and waiting to place your bet. Not only is placing a live bet through the app a more reliable option, but you may also be able to live stream the game, depending on operator, as well as access unique live stats to help make smarter wagers.
• Bonuses and loyalty programs: Sportsbooks give bonuses somewhat regularly to returning players, and loyalty programs are an excellent way to reward bettors for every wager they place through the platform. Rewards can include perks ranging from bonus bets and sportsbook merchandise on the lower end to discounted hotel stays and entertainment tickets on the higher end. You won’t be able to access these rewards while betting in person.

• Phones have a more user-friendly interface: Because the majority of online wagers are placed using a mobile app, many sportsbooks have prioritized the look and feel of their app over a browser version. FanDuel in particular points this out on its website, citing the importance of having a reliable mobile app “irrespective of the brand or the operating system.”
• Personalization: Beyond customizing your sportsbook app to display a personalized feed of your favorite teams, leagues, and players, you may also have greater control over the app display in a way that you can’t through a web browser.
• Notifications: While you can set some notifications to alert you on your computer, these notifications won’t work if you’ve closed out of your browser; you may also not get the notification right away if you’ve switched to another tab, window, or program. On your phone, the notifications will come immediately, as long as you’ve got an internet connection or cell signal.

• Smaller display: Viewing lines or creating your betslip may be a bit more of a hassle if you’re crafting a same game parlay on a mobile device, and the smaller size of the screen can be to blame.
• Compatibility: As mentioned earlier, betting apps may not be available for your given mobile device, especially if you’re running an Android OS. The browser-based platform will work regardless of which browser you use or which OS your computer runs.
• Updates: Key components of the app, especially the geolocation technology, will regularly require updates and fine-tuning. Failing to update the app can cause the program to stop working. Accessing the bookie from your computer will always give you access to the latest version of the platform.