Wisconsin Online Sports Betting

BetOnline.ag has one of the best mobile sports betting apps in Wisconsin, awarding players with a $50 mobile free bet just for using the feature. It is good for any sport, and any straight or exotic wager. For online bettors who like to wager, but are not the typical sports fan, will find that there are a number of categories open to bettors through legal Wisconsin online sports betting. Other Wisconsin Gambling. Between these two laws, US based online and offline sports betting is out of the question. State law in WI does not really address sports betting. There really is no need to include sports betting in your state. Sports betting in Wisconsin is not legal, and there haven’t been any attempts to legalize since PASPA ended in 2018. Wisconsin does not have commercial gambling but does have 27 gaming locations. The Current Online Sports Betting Situation in Wisconsin It is not currently legal to bet on sports in Wisconsin and given the state’s slow reactions in the past, legal sports betting is going to take some time. Thanks to a landmark Supreme Court ruling in May of 2018, every state has the freedom to create its own laws around sports gambling.

Sports betting in Wisconsin is not legal, and there haven’t been any attempts to legalize since PASPA ended in 2018.

Wisconsin does not have commercial gambling but does have 27 gaming locations operated by 11NativeAmerican tribes.

It also has a state lottery, so there are a few options to legalize Wisconsin sports betting if the discussion ever arises.

When will online sports betting launch in Wisconsin?

Considering there have been no bills submitted to legalize sports betting, it’s impossible to say when legal online sports betting could launch in Wisconsin. It does not appear likely in the near future.

Recent Wisconsin sports betting and DFS stories

None at this time

Legal betting options in Wisconsin

There are currently no legal betting options in the state of Wisconsin.

Depending on where you are in the state, however, you may not have a far drive to Iowa or Illinois to place a legal bet.

Iowa currently requires signing up in person at one of their casinos to open an online betting account. Illinois will operate the same way when it launches online betting later in 2020.

Offshores operate illegally

There are, however, operators that say it is legal to bet on their sportsbook websites and apps from within Wisconsin or anywhere else in the United States. These are offshore sportsbook operators that do not have a license to run a legal gambling business in the US.

There are no federally-licensed gambling businesses in the United States, so any legal operator in Wisconsin would have to be licensed by the state’s gaming regulator.

Gambling with these offshore sportsbooks can have some unfortunate consequences, as consumers have no protection with these operators. That means an operator could decide to not pay out a winning bet or could close their site without returning customer funds.

Most popular sports to bet on in Wisconsin

Wisconsin, like many other states, is a football state.

NFL betting in Wisconsin

Consider this: the NFL‘s Green Bay Packers are the only publicly-owned major league sports team in the United States. The Packers are owned by more than 350,000 fans instead of one owner or a handful of partners, which is the typical setup.

So there’s no doubt an appetite to support the Packers in multiple ways, including at the betting window. One interesting caveat would be whether those stock owners would legally be allowed to bet on the Packers.

NCAA betting in Wisconsin

Can You Bet On Sports In Wisconsin

There’s also the University of Wisconsin-Madison football team. The Badgers compete in the Big 10 Conference and typically find themselves in a big-name bowl game at the end of the season. The 2019 season ended with a one-point loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

NBA betting in Wisconsin

The Packers aren’t the only major league team that would be supported by local bettors, however. The NBA‘s Milwaukee Bucks will be in the running for an NBA Championship for as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo decides to remain with the team.

MLB betting in Wisconsin

The MLB‘s Milwaukee Brewers also had consecutive postseason appearances in 2018 and 2019. Outfielder ChristianYelich is a former National League MVP.

Wisconsin and Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports are not illegal in Wisconsin, though they aren’t on the books as legal, either. This is how many states operate concerning DFS contests, however.

That means interested customers within the state of Wisconsin can take part in DFS contests and tournaments. That includes some of the biggest operators including DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo.

The legality of DFS contests in Wisconsin isn’t for a lack of trying, however. Rep. Tyler Vorpagel has written a few bills to legalize and regulate DFS in the state, though none have passed.

Is horse racing legal in Wisconsin?

Horse racing is legal in Wisconsin.

Harness racing takes place at multiple spots throughout the state, mostly at county fairs throughout Wisconsin. There are no tracks open permanently in the state.

Betting on horse racing is also legal in the state, with some of the state’s tribal casinos offering racebooks.

Advance-deposit wagering operators aren’t universally operating in Wisconsin, however. TVG does not operate in the state but BetAmerica and TwinSpires both do.

Wisconsin sports betting timeline

2020: There was no attempt to legalize sports betting in 2020.

2019: There was no attempt to legalize sports betting in 2019, though Rep. Vorpagel told local news outlet NBC 26 he intended to start conversations about legalizing sports betting in the state.

“People are doing it, and I think it’s just better for us if we make sure that they’re doing it in as safe and responsible manner as possible,” he said.

Wisconsin sports betting FAQ

Is sports betting legal in Wisconsin?

No, sports betting is not currently legal in Wisconsin. There is no estimate as to when it might be legalized going forward.

Where can I bet on sports in Wisconsin?

There are currently no legal betting options in Wisconsin. The closest legal betting options reside in Wisconsin’s border states, Iowa and Illinois.

Can I bet on sports on my phone in Wisconsin?

Since sports betting is not legal in Wisconsin, you cannot legally bet on your phone in the state. There are nearby options for legal phone betting for Wisconsin in Iowa and eventually Illinois.

There are some sportsbook websites and apps that suggest they can take bets from within the state of Wisconsin. These are not legally-licensed operators in the United States, however.

All websites that involve real-money gambling are licensed at the state or jurisdictional level in the United States. That means there are no legal options that include taking bets from anywhere in the US.

Gambling on these websites include risks that bettors wouldn’t encounter with legally-licensed websites. Since these websites are taking bets illegally, there is no consumer protection for anyone that bets with these operations.

That means should a sportsbook operator choose not to pay out a winning bet or close their website without returning customer funds, the bettor has no legal options to reclaim that cash.

Which online sportsbooks will launch in Wisconsin first?

It’s difficult to determine which online sportsbooks will launch in Wisconsin, given that sports betting is still illegal. However, we can provide a best guess by looking at nearby states and other jurisdictions across the country that have sportsbooks.

We can build a list of potential online operators just by looking at other states like Illinois, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Some names you would be most likely to see launch are:

These are some (but not all) of the potential online sportsbooks that could show up in the Badger State once a bill is passed.

How online sports betting would work in Wisconsin

Online sports betting tends to work the same in every state. Odds are, when it arrives in Wisconsin, it will function as it does in other states where it’s legal.

Geolocation will ensure sports betting will only work if you are within state borders. So the minute you leave Wisconsin, you will no longer be able to place bets.

Depending on the type of legislation passed, there will be two ways to activate an online account.

  • Traditional — in-person sign-up: Customers sign up at a physical location like a casino.
  • Preferred — remote registration: Customers download an app or use a desktop computer to sign up anywhere in the state.

Wisconsin is home to several tribal casinos, so it’s highly unlikely in-person registration will be the method. Most state gambling control boards do not have authority over tribal facilities; therefore there is no way to enforce an in-person sign-up method.

Downloading a sports betting app

Once online sports betting is legal, the first thing to do is to follow one of our links to the sportsbook you’re interested in. There should be buttons for both iOS (Apple) and Android users.

  • For iPhone users, download the app through the usual process to get started. Make sure to double-check whether there is an app specific to residents of Wisconsin on your sportsbook of choice.
  • Android users need to set their phones to allow installations from other sources, then visit the site through their browsers (Chrome) to get the download started.

Registering for a new account and depositing money

You will need to provide some information to activate your account; this goes for in-person and remote registration. Various bits of personal information will be required in order to generate your new sports betting account. Be sure to have a username and password picked out, as well.

Information you may have to provide includes:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Date of birth
  • Cell phone number
  • Address
  • Social Security number (or last four digits)

There may be an optional box for a bonus code somewhere in the registration area. If our link indicates that there is a code, make sure to enter it here.

Once you sign up and have an active account, you will be able to transfer funds in and out of your account to place bets. Some operators might try to get you to do this immediately after registering, but don’t proceed until you are comfortable doing so.

There are a variety of options for transferring and withdrawing money online.

Wisconsin Online Sports Betting

Some of the options to fund and withdraw from your account include:

  • Credit or debit cards
  • Online bank transfers
  • Wire transfers
  • Electronic checks
  • Prepaid cards
  • Electronic wallets
  • Cash at the cage of a partner land-based casino
  • Checks or money orders

Not all sportsbooks will have all of these options. Furthermore, the options at a particular site can change as it negotiates new deals with vendors.

Retail sports betting in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has zero commercial casinos. However, it does have 11 Native American tribes that operate 27 gambling locations spread across the state. Due to this, should retail sports betting be legalized, it will operate at tribal facilities.

There is a possibility, and it has been done before, that operators like DraftKings, FanDuel and William Hill could partner with these casinos in order to launch in the state.

Michigan Online Sports Betting Start Date

But just because there is a gambling facility does not mean there will automatically be sports betting. That decision will be left up to each individual tribe and how the law is written.

Betting on pro, collegiate teams in Wisconsin

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The only major sport missing in Wisconsin, surprisingly, is hockey. The state does have major franchises for MLB, NBA and NFL. Additionally, the state is home to 30 colleges of various divisions, most notably the University of Wisconsin and Marquette University.

Once sports betting is legalized, customers will have a number of local teams to place wagers on.

  • Milwaukee Brewers (MLB)
  • Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)
  • Green Bay Packers (NFL)
  • Wisconsin Badgers (Big 10)
  • Marquette Golden Eagles (Big East)

Depending on how lawmakers structure a bill, betting on collegiate sports may or may not be available. In states like New Jersey, it’s illegal to wager on in-state schools.

What can you bet on at future Wisconsin sportsbooks?

Odds are, traditional bets like single-match outcomes, parlays and professional props will be available at WI sportsbooks.

Here is a brief list of traditional bets expected to be available in Wisconsin one day.

Background on Wisconsin sports betting laws

At the moment, there are no official laws to govern sports betting in Wisconsin.