Sports Betting in Montana 2025

Is Sports Betting Legal in Montana?

Here you can stay up to date about the latest Montana gambling laws and get connected to the best sportsbooks available in Montana! The state legalized sports betting years ago, so the state now has a nice history with the industry. Bettors in Montana can sign up at online sportsbooks like the ones we recommend below!

Top 5 Montana Sportsbooks

After our review process, we come up with the best sportsbooks in Montana. Here are our favorite sportsbooks available in Montana!

Bovada

Bovada has great name recognition and is always on the top of lists about the best sportsbooks in any state in the US. Montana bettors also flock here!

Bonus:

50% up to $250

Bet now

BetOnline

We love BetOnline not only for having a 100% welcome bonus but also for their reload promotion. You can get an additional 25% on all qualifying deposits.

Bonus:

50% up to $250

Bet now

Sportsetting.ag

With SportsBetting.ag, you can enjoy a great refer-a-friend promotion. In addition to your friend getting their sign-up bonus, you will receive 200% of their initial deposit, up to $200.

Bonus:

50% up to $250

Bet now

MyBookie

MyBookie has great seasonal promotions. This means they are always coming up with creative ways to keep us entertained. Here you will not get bored by any means

Bonus:

50% up to $1,000

Bet now

XBet

XBet is a great mobile sports betting platform. Montana bettors who will be accessing their sportsbooks mainly from their smartphones will be in good hands here!

Bonus:

50% up to $200

Bet now

Legal Sportsbooks in Montana

Sports betting has been legal in Montana since 2019, but access is extremely limited. The state only offers betting through a single government-run operator (Sports Bet Montana), and even mobile bets must be placed within licensed retail locations. That means there’s no true statewide mobile betting experience. Because of these restrictions, the sportsbooks we recommend — licensed offshore — remain the most accessible and feature-rich way to bet online in Montana.

Montana Quick Facts

Here’s a quick overview of everything you need to know about sports betting in Montana. Legal since 2019, the state runs a single-operator system through the Montana Lottery. While mobile betting is technically available, it’s restricted to licensed retail locations — meaning you still have to be on-site to place a wager. From legal limitations to mobile access, this summary covers the essentials for Montana sports bettors.

Montana’s Betting Landscape – Legal, but Still Limited

Montana legalized sports betting in 2019, but instead of opening the market to competition, the state created a monopoly system operated by the Montana Lottery under the name Sports Bet Montana. While that may sound convenient, the reality is far from it. Even mobile betting is geofenced — you can only place bets when you’re physically inside a licensed retail venue. For bettors used to full online access, this setup feels outdated and unnecessarily restrictive.

Why Montana Bettors Are Choosing Offshore Sportsbooks

The state-run system may offer the basics, but it lacks the features and flexibility many bettors now expect. That’s why so many in Montana are turning to offshore sportsbooks. These platforms aren’t bound by local location rules, and they consistently deliver better odds, faster payouts, and more betting variety.

What Offshore Sportsbooks Do Better Than Montana’s Legal Option

Here’s why Montana bettors are opting for offshore sites:

• True Mobile Access – Bet from home, a bar, or the backcountry — no need to stand in a licensed bar to place a wager.
• Competitive Lines – Offshore books don’t operate under government pricing, so you’ll often find sharper odds and higher limits.
• Wider Betting Markets – Legal options in Montana exclude in-state college teams, politics, and entertainment — offshore sportsbooks don’t.
• Faster, Easier Payouts – Get paid in crypto or via other fast methods without long waits or complicated withdrawal processes.
• No App Hassles – No downloads, no registration delays, and no forced geolocation — offshore platforms are built for ease and privacy.

Montana’s Regulated Betting — The Drawbacks

Even though betting is legal, Montana’s model is one of the most restricted in the country:

• Only One Legal Operator – Sports Bet Montana has no competition, so odds and promos are usually weaker than in open markets.
• No True Online Betting – Mobile betting only works inside licensed locations like bars and restaurants.
• Limited Betting Menu – Certain bet types and events (like local college games) are off-limits.
• Low Betting Limits – Maximum bets are often capped, making it less appealing for high-stakes bettors.
• No Crypto or Advanced Payment Options – You’re stuck with old-school payment methods, with no privacy-focused alternatives.

Who Can Bet in Montana?

To place a legal sports bet in Montana under the current system:

• Minimum Age: 18 years old
• Location Rule: You must be physically inside a licensed Sports Bet Montana location
• Residency: No requirement — visitors can legally place bets in-state
• Prohibited Participants: League insiders, officials, and those on gambling exclusion lists

Bottom Line: Offshore Sportsbooks Deliver What Montana Doesn’t

Montana’s state-run betting system is legal, but it’s limited in scope, outdated in functionality, and lacking in choice. Offshore sportsbooks solve all of that — offering a full-featured, mobile-first, and flexible betting experience that legal options in the state just can’t match. If you want to bet without barriers, the offshore sites we recommend remain your best option.

Montana Sports Betting – Recent Updates

• May 27, 2025 – Montana became the first state to ban sweepstakes gambling with the passage of SB 555, drawing criticism from the SPGA over vague language that could impact traditional rewards programs.
• May 3, 2025 – Montana’s sports betting advocates are hoping that there will be additional legislation regarding the number of bookies allowed to operate in the state.
• December 17, 2024 – In November, the first full month of NFL betting, Montana sports bettors wagered $7.59 million, according to the Montana Lottery. Despite the strong activity, payouts totaled $7.62 million, leaving the state with a $26,938 deficit.
• February 13, 2024 – Montana Lottery reported a $5.9 million (18% decrease) in sports betting for January 2024, with American football leading at $3.1 million (52% of bets), basketball at $2.2 million (37%), and ice hockey at $281,579 (5%), resulting in a 13% decline in total sports betting gross win in the state.
• January 11, 2024 – Montana’s sports handle decreased by 15% to $6.2 million in December, marking the fourth consecutive month with wagers surpassing $6 million.

Four Reasons to Bet on These Montana Online Betting Sites

Our Montana sportsbook reviews take many criteria into account. Here are some of the most important ones, always with special attention to the needs of bettors in Montana!

Available to Montana Bettors

Of course, the most important aspect when evaluating Montana sportsbooks is to make sure they are legally and easily available for Montana bettors. We do this background. research, so you can trust the sportsbooks we recommend here!

Sports Betting Markets

Our recommended Montana sportsbooks will all have extensive sports betting markets. We know that collegiate sports are more important to many Monatan bettors, so these get special attention in our reviews.

Banking Options

Having the right banking options is essential. We do not want to have to create a whole new financial account just for this one site. Our recommendations accept a wide arrange of deposit options including Visa, Mastercard, and Bitcoin.

Fresh Odds

We evaluate odds quality very strictly. We want them to be timely and competitive. This factor says a lot about the competence of the sportsbook.

Casinos in Montana

Montana has many casinos. In addition to the ten Tribal casinos, where slot machines, blackjack, craos, and roulette are allowed, Montana also offers over one hundred electronic gaming machines, such as video poker.

The majority of Montana’s casinos are these smaller ones, though big stars like the Gray Wolf Casino really break this mold. It is the largest casino in Montana and a truly stat of the art example. They have new machines all the time, frequent events, a golf simulator, and more!

Gamblers can also use the casinos that are offered at online sportsbooks. Here is a complete list of all tribal casinos in Montana:

• Apsaalooke Nights Casino
• Charging Horse Casino
• Fort Belknap Casino
• Glacier Peaks Casino
• Gray Wolf Peak Casino
• KwaTaqNuk Casino Resort
• New Polson Casino Project
• Northern Winz Casino
• Northern Winz II
• Silver Wolf Casino

Montana Sports Betting Timeline

2023

Montana’s sports betting soared, with over 500 locations handling $59.1 million—up from $45 million in 2022 and $42.7 million in 2021. The goal, set by Iverson, is to reach $100 million in the next two years. From 2021 to June 2023, total sports betting amounted to $146.7 million, paying out $126.8 million to bettors and contributing $6 million to state coffers.

2020

Sports betting took off in Montana-licensed sportsbooks in March. Over 100 small retail establishments and the website Sports Bet Montana began taking sports bets. Montana is an outlier in that it legalized online sports betting at the same time as retail sports betting. This was good news during the height of the coronavirus pandemic when getting to physical casinos was impossible and even more undesirable for many. The state has ben enjoying revenue from sports betting ever since.

2019

It did not take long for Montana to make the most out of the opportunity opened up by the Supreme Court decision Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association. In May, Governor Steve Bullock signed the sports betting legalization bill, HB 725. This vested the state lottery with control of sports betting.

2018

The Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which limited which states could participate in sports betting. After this decision, each and every state could decide for itself if it wanted to regulate sportsbooks. The fight for sports betting legalization in Montana thus begins! Little did we know that in just two years, Montana would be handing out licenses to retail and online sportsbooks.