Montana Sports Betting

montana sports betting

The second sports betting was put on the table as a possibility, Montana sports betting fans said, “Yes please”. Read on for all the details on where you can get your fill of sports betting, including how to pick a sport betting site, what teams to bet on, and how you can bet.

Legal Online Montana Sports Betting

Montana sports betting fans can rejoice: sports betting is legal in The Treasure State. These are the country’s most prominent sports betting fans since they were the first to get the writing on the wall for Montana sports betting. Although bettors must visit a retail sports betting site to gamble, even if they’re legally on their phone, for Montana sports betting fans, the nearest sports betting site is a quick drive away.

How To Pick A Montana Sports Betting Site

There is a lot of choice in the state since the option for sports betting became legal in Montana. The top Montana sports betting sites include brands like BetOnline, XBet, MyBookie, Bovada, BetUS, Sportsbetting.ag, BUSR, Everygame, Jazz, and Betanysports.

But if you’re going to get involved with Montana sports betting, you must look out for a few factors to be sure that you’re gambling safely. The first is to check the regulator or authority on the site. You’re looking for the seal of approval from the Gambling Control Division of Montana Department of Justice, the Montana Lottery Commission, or another US state gambling authority, like the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Another tip is to look out for an operator with a reputation for fairness in its platform. Online betting regulations are often changing in this era of states converting to legalizing sports betting. It helps to ensure that the operator of your choice has its policies laid out on its website to ensure a fair game.

In addition, you might want to look at the betting odds on various Montana sports betting websites to ensure that you are getting the best odds in your sports betting endeavors.

History / Timeline Of Sports Betting in Montana

In May 2018, the Supreme Court agreed to abolish the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. That was the firing gun Montana needed to get sports betting legalized in the state. As a result, Montana was the first state to legalize sports betting, prompting all other states in the US to follow suit, to varying degrees of success.

Almost a year later, Governor Steve Bullock signed the bill into law that legalized Montana sports betting with the Montana State Lottery Act of 1985 and Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment of 2019.

However, it’s not all sun and roses. A second bill allowing bars and taverns to offer sports betting was vetoed, which meant that only establishments with a license to sell alcohol could apply for a sports betting license. A year after the legalization of sports betting in November 2020, this rule was overturned, and Montana sports betting could expand into other venues. However, from the player’s side of things, online sports betting was legal from the offset, so there is nothing to stop them from downloading an online sportsbook and enjoying some Montana sports betting in any venue they choose.

The first legal sports wagers were made in March 2020, and Montana sports betting has thrived ever since.

Montana Sports Teams

There aren’t a lot of professional sports teams for Montana sports betting fans to get behind. Their state teams are centered around the MLB and NHL, with teams like the Billings Mustangs, Helena Brewers, and Great Falls Voyagers for baseball, and the Billings Bullheads, the Montana Magma, the Montana Magic, and the Billings Roughnecks for hockey.

As for the staple American sports of football, basketball, and soccer, which are all hugely popular in Montana sports betting, we will have to look elsewhere to find teams that Montana sports fans can bet on. This means looking at the surrounding states.

There are no state NFL teams for miles from Montana, so it’s common for Montana sports fans to support the Denver Broncos or the Seattle Seahawks as their nearest team geographically. For the NBA, Montana tends to support Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns as their most popular choices.

And, of course, there are all the teams across the border. Sure, there is some friendly rivalry between the two nations regarding world sports. Still, many people are interested in Canadian professional leagues, as the rise in popularity of the CFL would demonstrate. So, all the teams that the Great White North can offer to add to that list.

Retail Sports Betting in Montana

Montana has a whopping 116 casinos, eight of which are tribal casinos, making Montana the place for people to come from far and wide for Montana sports betting. Given that, in comparison, the surrounding states of the Treasure State share 35 casinos between them, Montana is far ahead in making itself a sports betting hub.

The problem is that Montana sports betting is still a new concept, so many casinos are still awaiting their sports betting licenses. Keep an eye on your favorite casinos to see if they have had their application accepted. Some names include Luck Lil’s Casinos, the Fort Belknap Casino, the Magic Diamond Casino, and the Charging Horse Casino. Most of these casinos are small and make for a great night out if you just fancy playing the slots or table games, but the best is the Kwataqnuk.

The Kwataqnuk resort has 200 slot machines, a spa and indoor pool, two dining experiences, and offers lake cruises and water sports to entertain. Even if you want Montana sports betting, you can download a sportsbook and bet in your chosen facilities.

There is only one retail casino in North Dakota, the Southgate Casino Bar and Grill, and it is more of a good restaurant that offers table games. 

There are 22 retail casinos in South Dakota, including a riverboat casino, the Buffalo Bodega Gaming Complex. The best retail casinos in South Dakota include the Deadwood Mountain Grand Casino and Hotel, the Silverado Franklin Historic Hotel and Gaming Complex, and the Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort.

The Deadwood Mountain Grand Casino and Hotel hosts 163 slot machines, 10 table games and 2 poker tables, plus it has its own sportsbook. The casino also houses three dining experiences, two bars, an entertainment event center, and a spa.

The Silverado Franklin Historic Hotel and Gaming Complex has 360 slot machines, 26 table games, five poker tables, and a buffet and steakhouse to dine at. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to offer Montana sports betting with a sportsbook. Still, with online sports betting legalized in the state, and keeping in mind it’s the biggest retail casino that isn’t tribal owned in the state, you’re bound to find a lot to love about the place.

The Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort offers 276 slot machines, seven table games, and two poker tables. It is also partnered with BetMGM for its sportsbook, offering three restaurants, a Starbucks, and an Irish pub to enjoy the live gigs and entertainment from.

There are eight casinos in Idaho and four in Wyoming, but they are tribal casinos, which we cover in depth further down.

And we can’t forget that sports betting is legal in Canada. So if Montana sports betting fans were looking to get involved with some sports betting, their closest neighbor would be, depending on where they are in the state, either Calgary or Regina, where plenty of retail casinos can be found with sports betting as an option.

Tribal Casinos

Montana has a few Indian reservations, resulting in eight tribal casinos. The three most prominent are the Glacier Peaks Casino, just 12 miles outside Glacier National Park, the Charging Horse in Lame Deer, and the Silver Wolf in Billings.

Glacier Peaks Casino is run by the Blackfeet Browr Tribe and offers 300 slot machines and 2 table games. There is also a pool, a fitness center to enjoy, a restaurant, a coffee house, and a lounge. Take in a show or a gig, or just try out some fishing as a novel idea for a casino weekend away.

Charging Horse is run by the Northern Lame Cheyenne Deer Tribe, offering 127 slot machines to play. It’s a purely slot-focused casino with a restaurant and bar to enjoy in between your slot spinning.

The Silver Wolf is owned and managed by the Fort Peck Sioux and Assiniboine Tribes and offers 110 slot machines in its slot-focused venue. If you’re looking for something to eat you can’t go wrong with the Wolf Den, making it a great place to stop.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports have always occupied a legal grey area. The concept is still sports betting and was considered illegal under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. Still, the opposition argued heavily that it is a game of skill, as logic and analysis are involved, so it should be considered an exception. No one was buying it.

But now that Montana sports betting is legal, Montana daily fantasy sports betting is legal. As a result, Montana has seen a rise in daily fantasy sportsbook providers entering the state. DraftKings and FanDuel are available for all your daily fantasy and typical sports betting needs, too, since they both offer a sportsbook. However, FanDuel is still working on getting its sportsbook to Montana.

DraftKings offers Montana sports betting on all the most popular sports in the state, including American football, basketball, baseball, college leagues, and even a few more niche sports like eSports, CFL, and UFC.

Offshore Sports Betting

Offshore betting is never encouraged, but it is an option open to you if you want to do some Montana sports betting while the licenses are handed out.

However, offshore sports betting is risky as they are not permitted to offer gambling services anywhere in the United States. If you are going to partake in offshore sports betting, make sure it is licensed by a regulatory authority recognized by the US government, leaving you with the options of the Curacao Gaming Authority and the Costa Rica Gaming Authority. These two are better but are still risky. Other offshore casinos without a regulatory body have no repercussions for unfairly taking your money. This means that if you bet with an offshore online casino and unfairly lose your money, you would have no one in your corner fighting to get your money back.

There is not much use in offshore sports betting sites now that Montana sports betting is legal. A little patience and you will soon see sportsbooks opening up all over the state, and you can bet on any Montana team you wish with safety.

Montana Horse Racing & Off-Track Betting

Horse racing fans might have a problem if they’re coming from Montana. Montana and all its immediately next-door neighbor states are all empty of racinos.

Horse racing was one of the few exceptions to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, which allowed several racinos, a combination of horse racing tracks and casinos, to open across the country. But unfortunately, Montana wasn’t a state that took them up on that offer, and neither was North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, or Idaho.

To find a racing track near them, Montana sports betting fans must cross the border into Canada. The closest would be the Rocky Mountain Turf Club, located at Lethbridge. It is also “Home of Bullys Casino” and offers slots, food, and music.

Final Thoughts / Summary

Montana sports betting is more established than most states, but this industry has room for growth. Feverish fans are looking for teams to support and plenty of casinos that could use a sportsbook partner, proving that the idea of gambling is appealing to the population. Montana has the scope to get more into the sports betting sector.

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About Joe Kizlauskas

Joe is a seasoned iGaming copywriter and speaker who has been in the business since 2015. He's written more words on all elements of Casinos, Slots, Bingo & Sports Betting than he likes to remember, and he's contributed material to a number of well-known brands. Joe may be seen playing 5 a side, at the gym or playing games on his Playstation when he is not writing.