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MLB Betting in Iowa

On May 13, 2019, Governor Kim Reynolds put pen to paper to sign Senate File 617, legalizing sports betting for the first time in the state’s history. The landmark legislation would allow for both retail and online sports betting, with the first sportsbooks popping up in Iowa on August 15, 2019.

Johnny Covers By: Johnny Covers
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Since then, it’s been a gold rush for national sports betting operators, as there are now 17 online sportsbooks available in the Hawkeye State. Let’s take a closer look at the best online sportsbooks for MLB betting in Iowa today.

Best IA sportsbooks for MLB betting

Despite having no professional teams anywhere in the state, residents of Iowa have long been fans of America’s favorite pastime; baseball. With sports betting now legal across the state, let’s take a closer look at the best IA sportsbooks for MLB betting.

DraftKings Iowa

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings Sportsbook IA has become well-known for their extensive MLB betting options which include all of the most popular bet types including money lines, run lines, totals, pitcher props, and more. There is also a robust menu of live betting options, and promotions specifically tailored to MLB Betting in Iowa. The mobile app at DraftKings Sportsbook is also one of the best in the industry, giving bettors statistics and analytics to help make the best MLB wager possible.

FanDuel Iowa

FanDuel Sportsbook

One of the first sportsbooks in Iowa, along with DraftKings, FanDuel Sportsbook IA has already made a last impact as one of the best IA sportsbooks for MLB betting. Everything from MLB future bets on the World Series and more, to live betting on every single MLB game, FanDuel has you covered. Using the FanDuel Sportsbook mobile app, customers can also take advantage of daily odds boosts on MLB games which are easy to use with FanDuel’s sleek user interface.

BetMGM Iowa

BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM Sportsbook has also become a favorite of MLB bettors in Iowa, as they offer a unique Edit Bet feature that allows for editing parlays already in action. Constantly running MLB-focused promotions such as risk-free bets and odds boosts, BetMGM Sportsbook IA is a must-have for all MLB bettors in the Hawkeye state. The BetMGM Sportsbook IA app is also amongst the best-in-class, offering live streaming of games with real-time updates and statistics available.

Caesars Iowa

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Entertainment’s Caesars Sportsbook IA is another great option for MLB betting in Iowa, as they offer a robust menu of MLB options including MLB prop bets and live betting. With regular promotions and bonuses for MLB bettors, the Caesars Sportsbook IA mobile app is friendly for new and experienced bettors alike. In terms of loyalty programs, the Caesars Rewards system is amongst the best in the industry, allowing customers to rack up points.

Getting started betting on the MLB in Iowa

With online sports betting now legal in Iowa for just under four years, plenty of the residents in the Hawkeye State have already signed up. If you’ve yet to, we've put together a few steps to get started betting on the MLB in Iowa today.

  1. Select Welcome Offer: Starting right here at IABetting.com, all of the online sportsbooks in Iowa operating today will have lengthy reviews detailing each. Choose the online sports betting app that works best for you and click the “Get Bonus” link at the top of the review. From here, you will be redirected to the sportsbook with the best welcome offer already applied.
  2. Determine Login Credentials: Now that you’ve chosen your new online sportsbook, the time has come to set up your account starting with some basic login credentials. This will include a username, email address, and password.
  3. Enter Personal Information: Now that your login information is entered, the online sportsbook in Iowa will need to verify your identity. This will include entering information such as first and last name, home address, phone number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number.
  4. Deposit Money: Thanks to the regulation provided by the Iowa Horse Racing Commission, you will have no shortage of ways to fund your account. This includes popular payment methods such as Venmo, Debit Card, PayPal, and more.
  5. Begin Betting on the MLB in Iowa: Your account is now set up and funds are deposited into your account. From here, navigate to the MLB section on the All Sports menu to find the bet type of your choosing. From here, you are set up for MLB betting in Iowa as soon as today.

MLB betting promos Iowa sportsbooks offer

With 17 online sportsbooks in Iowa to choose from, all of which offer MLB betting, there is no shortage of competition among them. In order to entice new customers, each of the sportsbooks offers promotions, some centered around baseball. Let’s take a look at a few of the MLB betting promos Iowa sportsbooks offer to lure in new customers.

  • MLB Same Game Parlay Profit Boosts: Offered by the bigger sportsbooks in Iowa such as DraftKings and FanDuel, MLB Same Game Parlay Profit Boosts allow bettors to receive boosted odds for SGPs focused on individual baseball games. For example, if the SGP you have cooked up comes out with odds of +1000, a 20% profit boost will move those odds to +1200, giving your potential winnings a 20% boost.
  • MLB Parlay Insurance: Offered by DraftKings and other Iowa sportsbooks on select MLB games, parlay insurance promotions will refund your parlay if one leg doesn’t win. Returned in the form of bonus bets, MLB parlay insurance is a good way to ensure you receive some form of compensation if you don’t fully win an MLB parlay.
  • MLB Odds Boosts: Most of the sportsbooks offering MLB betting in Iowa will routinely offer MLB odds boosts on select games or different betting markets. MLB odds boosts are great for adding better value on popular MLB bets, increasing your potential winnings on selected bets.

While some bettors think you can just bet on which team will win an MLB game, there are many other ways to bet on baseball. Let's take a closer look at the popular bet types in baseball betting you can take advantage of in Iowa.

  • Run Line: Known as a point spread in other forms of sports betting, the Run Line is by how many runs an oddsmaker expects a team to win (or lose) by at the end of the game. We give some examples of run-line betting below under the “MLB betting odds” section.
  • Total: Known as an “over/under” in other forms of sports betting, the Total is the total number of runs an oddsmaker expects to be scored in a game when both team’s scores are combined. If more runs than the posted total are scored, “over” bettors will win their bet, while the converse is true for “under” bettors.
  • Moneyline: The most straightforward way to get involved in sports betting of any kind is the moneyline, which means you are simply betting on which team will win. The odds with a negative (-) next to them imply the favorite (team expected to win), while a positive (+) sign indicates the underdog (team expected to lose).
  • MLB Prop Bets: MLB prop bets have exploded in popularity in recent seasons, as they offer a game within a game. For example, you can bet on how many strikeouts a starting pitcher will have in a game, how many hits a batter will accrue in a game, how many stolen bases there will be, and much more.
  • MLB Futures: As the name suggests, an MLB Futures bet is a wager on an outcome that will happen in the future, such as who will win the 2024 World Series. MLB Futures also include which team will win each division, who will win AL/NL MVP and much more.

Expert advice for MLB wagering in Iowa

Whether you are new to MLB betting in Iowa or a seasoned bettor just looking for some tips, we have you covered with more than 10+ years of baseball betting experience. Let’s take a closer look at a few pieces of expert advice for MLB wagering.

  • Multiple Sportsbook Accounts: With 17 online sportsbooks in Iowa to choose from, you can have an account with each of them once you go through the signup process. For MLB betting in Iowa, each of the 17 sportsbooks will have slightly different odds for each of their markets. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to have more than one Iowa sportsbook at your fingertips, to ensure you are finding the best odds currently available.
  • Statistical Research: With anywhere from 10-15 different players for each team seeing the field 162+ times per season, there is no shortage of statistical data to make your bets with. Once you are aware of the day’s lineups, published well before the game starts, do your research using the plethora of data available online at your fingertips.
  • Ballpark Differences: With 30 MLB teams, each having a different ballpark, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the differences of each. For example, the Colorado Rockies Coors Field is known for being prone to home runs given its altitude and short right field fence. Keep this in mind when betting on totals and different player props that could be affected.

MLB betting odds

Despite there being no MLB team in Iowa, bettors in the Hawkeye State have still made MLB betting in Iowa a popular endeavor. With the Kansas City Royals being the closest team to Iowa’s state lines, let’s take a look at a few examples reading MLB betting odds using them.

Run Line

Kansas City Royals -1.5 (-110) vs. New York Yankees +1.5 (+115)

In this example, the Royals would have beat the Yankees by a minimum of two runs for Royals Run Line bettors to win their bets. For example, if the Royals won 5-4 or 9-8, Yankees bettors would be winners. But, if the Royals won by say 5-3 or 8-1, they would have won by more than 1.5 runs, and thus Royals Run Line bettors would be winners.

Total

Kansas City Royals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates - Over 8.5 (-110) Under 8.5 (-110)

In this example, both teams would have to score a combined nine runs or more for “Over” bettors to win their wager. Conversely, if it was a low-scoring game, say Royals 2 Pirates 1, the “Under” bettors would be celebrating a win.

Money Line

Kansas City Royals (-170) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (+150)

In this example, the Royals are heavy favorites to beat the Tampa Bay Rays. For a bettor to win $100 betting on the Royals, they would have to risk $170. If you are betting on the Rays to win, however, you would have to bet just $100 for the chance to win $150. The higher the number next to the favorite (-), the more money you have to risk to win the same amount.

Author Details

Johnny Covers

Johnny Covers

Johnny Covers is an author at IA Betting and a seasoned sports bettor with years of expertise in providing picks. His insights has been shared on many prominent platforms, including Sportsbook Review, OddsChecker, and Betting Pros.