Des Moines Sportsbooks
One of the most fortunate aspects of being a sports fan in Iowa is that, if you call the capital city (and the Hawkeye State’s most populous city at that) home, you are likely to have access to any physical land-based Des Moines sportsbooks. This is especially true considering the fact that there are several successful and popular casinos and other gambling centers within an easy drive of the city that have excellent sportsbooks in Des Moines now that the state’s laws were changed to allow for the legalization of sports betting in Iowa. Not everyone can take time out of their day to go to one of these land-based sportsbooks though. Thankfully, there are other options that are available as well.
All the top operators in the fast-moving and highly competitive online sports betting segment of the broader internet gambling industry – those top-rated sites being Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, BetDSI, and MyBookie – have the advantage of being 100 percent legal and fully prepared to accept players from all over the United States, Iowa included. These sites have a reputation for reliability and security to back up some of the best odds and the biggest variety of betting odds in the business, and they have actually been serving as the de facto Des Moines sportsbooks for more than two decades in some cases. You simply cannot go wrong if you stick to any one of those sites, which makes any (or all) of them an ideal place to bet on sports. Now that sportsbooks are open in Des Moines, there are a multitude of options that are available for you.
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Is Sports Betting Currently Legal In Des Moines?
Yes, sports betting in Des Moines is currently legal. That is because only a year after the US Supreme Court repealed the federal law known as PASPA, Iowa lawmakers took to regulate a sports betting industry themselves. The legislation that Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law allows for gaming facilities to apply to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) to host both retail and mobile sportsbooks. Each approved gambling establishment can have 2 skins available to partner with mobile sports wagering companies to develop a statewide app. There are a couple of locations in Des Moines that are currently taking sports bets.
But you can also legally bet on sports by accessing online offshore sportsbooks such as Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, BetDSI or MyBookie, the leading operators in the online offshore sportsbook industry. All of those sites are fully licensed and regulated in their respective countries which makes them immeasurably safer and more reliable than any shady local bookie you might know of. Stick to one of these offshore Des Moines sportsbooks and you will not be disappointed, nor will you be breaking the law either.
Minimum Legal Age To Bet At Des Moines Sportsbooks
The minimum legal age to bet on sports will be 21 years old or older. This falls in line with any other casino-style games that are offered in the state. This was the age requirement set in the Iowa sports betting laws and will be held by both retail sports gambling venues and mobile sports betting apps in Des Moines. It’s important to note that online offshore sportsbooks will often time accept players as young as 18, as this is the age limit set by their home countries. However, if you live in Iowa and you choose to use one of these sites we highly recommend that you stick the age limit set by your state. This is to avoid any potential trouble down the line with either your local government or with these sites.
Best Des Moines Sportsbooks
Although we have mentioned it numerous times throughout this preview of the best Des Moines sportsbooks, it definitely bears repeating that the absolute best places to go for the kind of sports betting Iowa residents are after, for now, is to head online. Legal offshore sportsbook sites such as Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, BetDSI, and MyBookie all serve Iowa sports bettors with no problem, and they combine the best elements of a solid sports wagering outlet, from unbeatable odds to the utmost security and features that land-based casino sportsbooks can’t match: just try making a deposit with Bitcoin in Las Vegas or try to gain access to a nationwide free mobile sports wagering app and you will see what we mean.
However, even though these online operators have been the best in the business and have served as local’s favorite sportsbooks in Des Moines, it is still worth pointing out that there are several local casinos that take place now that Iowa has changed its stance on sports betting legalization. Prairie Meadows alone underwent a $1.5 million dollar renovation to build a sportsbook in its former simulcast horse racing area. Flat screen TVs, food and drink, along with comfortable seating are all expected. Below you will see some of the highlights of the top casino properties in the Des Moines area, which will hopefully give you some insight into why we believe that these are the top sportsbooks in Des Moines for sports betting in Iowa.
- Meskwaki Casino
- https://www.meskwaki.com/
- Address: 1504 305th Street, Tama, Iowa 52339
- First Opened: 1996
- Number of Rooms: 404
- Total Gaming Space: 127,669 square feet (1,415 slot machines, 40 table games, poker room with 16 tables, bingo hall)
- Gaming Age: 21
- Top Attractions: Winding Stream Spa and Salon, whirlpool suites in hotel, live entertainment at Meskwaki theatre concert venue, RV camping park
- Best Restaurants: Prime Cuts (steakhouse, fine dining), Jackpot (buffet), Full House (café), food court (fast food and fast casual chain restaurants)
- Owner: Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
- Phone: 1 (800) 728-4263
Located about 50 or so miles from Des Moines, Iowa, is the Meskwaki Casino, one of the largest tribal land-based casinos in the entire Midwest region and one of the nicest too. With a huge gaming space totaling out at nearly 130,000 square feet and boasted more than 1,400 slot machines and table game station to go along with an amply sized poker room and bingo hall, this Tama, IA, property could easily become one of the top Des Moines sportsbooks in the comparatively near term. With 404 hotel rooms and suites and plenty of amenities and attractions in the form of a popular day spa, live entertainment venue hosting prominent musical acts all throughout the year and even a successful RV park nestled amidst the beautiful natural scenery of the Hawkeye State, this casino truly has something for everyone. With hundreds of thousands of visitors already coming to the casino annually, it is no wonder why we think this would be a prime spot and, honestly, our top pick for one of the Des Moines sportsbooks we think could be coming within a few years at the latest.
- Terrible’s Lakeside Hotel And Casino
- https://www.lakesidehotelcasino.com/
- Address: 777 Casino Drive, Osceola, Iowa 50213
- First Opened: January 1, 2000
- Number of Rooms: 150
- Total Gaming Space: 37,500 square feet (1,000 slot machines, 24 table games, poker room with two table)
- Gaming Age: 21
- Top Attractions: Live outdoor amphitheater - entertainment and concert venue with accommodations for 1,200 people
- Best Restaurants: West Lake Bar & Grill (casual dining), Heartland Buffet, Lakeside Sports Bar
- Owner: Z Capital Partners, Z Capital Group LLC
- Phone: (641) 342-9511
Lakeside Hotel and Casino in Osceola – about 45 miles outside the capital city – is easily one of the best sportsbooks in Des Moines. The Sportsbook in Lakeside is operated by William Hill, which is one of the best sportsbook providers in the entire world. That’s not the only reason why this sportsbook is amazing. In our opinion, that comes down to its cozy environs coupled with a sizeable outdoor amphitheater that always seems to be hosting some of the top names in popular music and favorites from yesterday throughout the year.
Oh yeah, and the Lakeside Casino also has a fairly wide selection of 1,000 slot machines and more than 30 table and card game stations to keep even the most serious bettors busy well into the early hours of the morning after the big show of the night is over. In conclusion, Terrible’s Lakeside Hotel and Casino are absolutely one of the best locations you can head to bet on your favorite teams.
- Prairie Meadows Racetrack
- https://www.prairiemeadows.com/
- Address: 1 Prairie Meadows Drive, Altoona, Iowa 50009
- First Opened: March 1, 1989
- Number of Rooms: none (not a hotel)
- Total Gaming Space: 85,000 square feet (1,900 slot machines, 40 table games, poker room with 11 tables, 1 mile dirt oval horse racing track – harness, quarterhorse and thoroughbred racing, off site betting terminals, simulcast options, etc.)
- Gaming Age: 21
- Top Attractions: Live horse racing events throughout the year, live entertainment nightly, regular poker tournaments
- Best Restaurants: AJ’s Steakhouse, Café at the Meadows, Triple Crown Buffet, Champions (sports bar), Quick Bites (four fast food vendors and snack bars)
- Owner: Polk County, Iowa
- Phone: (515) 967-1000
As one of the top combination casinos and horse racing tracks in the entire state of Iowa, and possibly in the rest of the Midwest region as well, the Prairie Meadows is also something of a unique find in the world of future Des Moines sportsbooks. That is because, unlike most other places in the same category, this racino (which boasts a combined gaming space of more than 85,000 square feet and an impressive array of nearly 2,000 slot machines, table games, poker and card tables as well as a mile-long thoroughbred track and simulcast betting facilities to match) is 100 percent owned by Polk County, Iowa. This is likely why William Hill partnered with this casino to open their sportsbooks.
Prairie Meadows Racetrack’s sportsbooks have plenty of amenities to offer. When visitors walk in they will be met with a large jumbotron featuring all the latest sports matchups of the day. After that, they can expect top class service, odds for all their favorite professional and collegiate teams, and comfortable seating throughout. Prairie Meadows was one of the state’s first sportsbooks to launch and is one of the best sportsbooks you will find in Des Moines.