Legal Sports Betting For Montana Residents
Residents often have questions about their legal Montana sports betting options, and our goal is to provide answers. We can without a doubt tell that sports betting in Montana are completely legal. Land-based sportsbooks are set to launch in the near future thanks to the governor signing off on a sports betting bill. However, if you are not wanting to wait for land-based sportsbooks to open, then there are other options available for you. Legal sports betting sites all over the internet and they have been taking bets from Montana residents for well over a decade.
You have access to hundreds of different sports and thousands of wagering options when you use these sites, but are they legal? We can definitely say that the online offshore sportsbooks that we often recommend to you are completely legal. There is no language in the Montana books that indicates that online sports gambling is against the law. Plus, with sports wagering laws being officially in the books, legal sports betting is easier than ever in Montana. If you are wondering about the various laws and legal sports betting sites in Montana, then continue to read this page to find that information.
With PASPA Overturned, Can We Now Legally Bet On Sports In Montana?
The short answer to this question is yes, you can now legally bet on sports in Montana. Although overturning the Professional Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) helped open the door towards legalizing sports betting, a couple of more steps were needed to legally bet on sports. Montana lawmakers first had to draft and pass a bill through Congress. Then, they had to have the governor sign the bill before sports betting became legal. All of these steps have been accomplished in Montana and now sports betting is now legal in the Treasure State. Land-based sports betting is now legal in Montana and you will continue to be allowed to use online sportsbooks for your sports bets as well.
Montana is one of a handful of states that has online sports betting laws. Montana has passed MT HB 725 to not only legalize land-based sports betting, but mobile and online wagering as well. You will soon have state-licensed sports wagering options available for you. You can still use our recommended online sportsbooks even after the local online sports betting sites launch.
Sports Betting Laws in Montana
The new basis for all sports betting laws in Montana is going to be MT HB 725. Sports betting is now completely legal in the Treasure State. The rules and regulations for sports betting are all laid out within this law. The law notes that the state lottery will run all sports betting operations in Montana. They will now use the bill as a basis on how security, policies around responsible gaming, and how to make sports betting as transparent as they possibly can.
The short answer to this question is going to be no, you will not go to jail for online sports betting in Montana. This is largely due to the fact that online sports wagering is now considered legal. By passing sports betting legislation, online sports betting has also become legal. Not only will you have state-licensed online options available for you, but online offshore sportsbooks will also have no restrictions placed on them. This is because if there are any restrictions for online sports betting, state-operated options would not be able to happen. These new laws have essentially greenlit our recommended online offshore sportsbooks.
Bovada Sportsbook is one of the most trusted online sportsbooks for Montana residents. The legal sports betting site has the best odds, special features, and customer service. As one of the only online sportsbooks that cater specifically to American bettors, you will find plenty of NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and NCAA betting lines. When you want to start betting on your favorite sports, you will first need to make a deposit. Bovada only accepts the most secure payment methods, including Bitcoin, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
SportsBetting Sportsbook is one of the best online sportsbooks for Montanans. You will always find that odds are posted quickly, with MLB dime lines being one of the specialties of the sportsbook. In addition, you will able to bet on basketball, hockey, tennis, rugby, football, and numerous other sports. There are even political and entertainment betting odds on upcoming elections and TV show competitions. To make betting on sports even more exciting, SportsBetting has a live betting section. When you visit the live betting section, you can bet on live odds as you watch every play of the game. There will be plenty of props, game totals, point spreads, team totals, and more to wager on in real-time.
BetOnline Sportsbook is all about providing the most exciting sports betting action. When you join BetOnline, you will instantly have access to more than 1,000 different betting options that cover hundreds of sports. You can bet on football, baseball, hockey, basketball, tennis, golf, and any other sport that comes to mind. To make wagering even more fun, BetOnline has a mobile betting platform that allows you to take your sportsbook on the go. You can be waiting in line or out meeting a few friends, and your sportsbook will be available at your fingertips.
It is known that most players like their MyBookie account and there are multiple reasons for that. The bonuses and promotions offered on this site can vary for all players. There are bonuses for signing up and for many different banking methods offered on MyBookie. With these methods come different prop bets and other betting options for players to check out to make some money on their favorite teams. There are also live betting options as well for players so this means that more prop bets will pop up during the game. Signing up for a MyBookie account is a good idea so sports fans in Montana need to do this as quick as possible.
Federal laws have impacted legal Montana sports betting in different ways than most states. This is because Montana was one of the four states excluded from the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), which outlawed creating land-based sportsbooks. Montana has always been permitted to offer legal sports betting - even prior to the 2018 repeal. Now that PASPA has been completely repealed, Montana decided to take the opportunity to legalize and regulate sports betting in the state.
The Wire Act of 1961 impacts Montana in the same ways that it affects other states. The act prevents the transmission of interstates sports wagering information. This is why states that do have online and mobile sports betting legalize must geofence their sites to only accept bets within a casino or within state borders. The specific wires this act has been interpreted with is telegraphs and the internet. It is important to note that this federal law doesn’t outlaw online sports betting.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is the final federal law to become familiar with. The UIGEA does not make internet gambling illegal in any form. It is a banking regulation that prevents U.S banks from processing online betting transactions from unregulated offshore sites. State-licensed sportsbooks will not run into this problem. Designated payment systems such as credit cards, checks, ACH, and wire transfers are monitored. The UIGEA is a requirement for payment processors, not casual bettors. Although this does affect the online offshore sportsbooks we recommend to you, you will still receive your winnings through these websites. The online sportsbooks are dedicated to make sure that if you win your bet, you will receive your winnings.
The legal betting age in Montana is 18 years old. This includes all forms of sports betting in the state of Montana. This is earlier than most states because many other states require you to be 21 years old to place your bets. If you want to get started early, then head on over to Montana to place your bets.
The sites that accept Montana residents also offer mobile sports betting platforms. These platforms allow residents to take their sportsbook to the gym, the bar, a restaurant, or anywhere else you may go. You have the same wide selection of sports to bet on with both straight and exotic wagers accepted. When you want to join a mobile sportsbook, you will not have to download a third-party app. Instead, just visit the online sports betting site from your iOS, Android, or BlackBerry device to be directed to the mobile betting platform. On top of the online offshore sportsbooks, state licensed sportsbooks will also offer action through your mobile device. You will be able to register your account remotely and make a bet anywhere you want in the state. So, you could sign up for both the offshore sportsbook and the state-regulated sportsbook using your mobile device.
Are Online Sportsbooks Safe And Trusted?
The sites featured in our legal online sportsbook reviews are all 100% safe. We have thoroughly vetted each site to ensure that they have the appropriate licensure and regulatory standards. These online sportsbooks also use the latest technology to encrypt your financial information. All of your contact information is also protected and never sold to third parties.
What Is Bitcoin?
If you are going to wager at an online sports betting site, you will want to use the most reliable banking method possible. Bitcoin is a digital currency that has become the #1 way to make deposits and withdrawals at online sportsbooks. The transactions are extremely fast and you never have to worry about the payment getting declined. It is also the only banking method that never has banking fees. All you have to do is find a wallet, purchase bitcoins, and you can start making deposits or receiving payouts at online sports betting sites.
What Types Of Bonuses Are At Online Sportsbooks?
Online sports betting sites are risky to use, but should you chose to you can redeem certain bonuses. Deposit bonuses will match your initial or reload deposit by a certain percentage when you use a specific promo code. There are also free bets for when you use special features such as mobile or live betting. With free bets, you can place a wager up to a certain amount and should it lose, the cashier will refund the bet.
What Sort Of Wagers Are Available At Legal Montana Sports Betting Sites?
One of the main advantages of having an online sportsbook at your disposal is the different wager types available to you. You’ll see things like straight moneylines, spreads, and totals for the whole game, a half or quarter, or even available for live betting. You’ll also find adjustable lines for certain games as well. This is in addition to a wide variety of props, futures, parlays, round robins, and if-bets.
How Do You Read American Odds?
American odds might look confusing but are actually quite simple to understand once you know what everything means. The (+) and (-) symbols denote the favorite (-) and the underdog (+) when you’re looking at a moneyline. When you look at the number behind the symbols, it shows what you stand to gain (+) based on a $100 bet or what you have to stake (-) to earn $100.
- Montana Cardinals -130
- New York Jets +170
In this example, you’ll see that the Cardinals are favored. If you bet on them, you’d need to put down $130 to win $100. Conversely, if you bet on the underdog and they win, you’d only have to stake $100 to win $170. American betting odds are the most common style of odds you’ll see at any legal Montana sports betting site.
Professional:
- Montana Cardinals (NFL)
- Phoenix Suns (NBA)
- Montana Diamondbacks (MLB)
College:
- University of Montana
- Montana State University
- Grand Canyon University
- Northern Montana University