Wisconsin Sports Betting

Retail sports betting has been legal in Wisconsin since Governor Tony Evers renegotiated tribal gaming compacts to include sports betting in 2021. Online sports betting on tribal land is also available. The new gaming compact from Gov. Evers allowed each Native American tribe to renegotiate individual compacts and add sports betting. Several tribes have agreed to new deals, and there are three retail sportsbooks in WI.

The Oneida Nation was the first tribe to confirm a new gaming compact and to take legal bets in Wisconsin at the Oneida Casino. However, it was also the first tribe to launch an online sportsbook in WI, which you can use at several Oneida Nation locations. You must enable your geolocation services while playing with Oneida Sportsbook to confirm you are on tribal land.

To learn more about the sports betting rules in Wisconsin, read this complete guide to Wisconsin betting written by our experts. You will find which sportsbooks are available, where you can bet, and the best sports for betting in the Badger State.

Wisconsin Legislation Timeline

May 14, 2018: The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is thrown out by the US Supreme Court. PASPA had effectively made sports betting illegal in all US states except for Nevada. PASPA being overturned means that each state can decide whether to legalize sports betting. 

July 1, 2021: After two years of negotiations, Governor Tony Evers legalizes sports betting in Wisconsin when he publishes and signs a new gaming compact agreement that applies to 11 recognized tribes. While each tribe has to negotiate an amendment to each individual compact, this overall gaming compact legalizes sports betting in WI. 

July 14, 2021: The Oneida Nation agrees to a renegotiated gaming compact, allowing the tribe to launch a retail sportsbook. The Oneida Nation targets a fall 2021 launch.

August 20, 2021: The gaming compact signed by Gov. Evers is approved by the US Bureau of Indian Affairs, which is the final approval required for the Oneida Nation to go ahead with a sportsbook launch. 

November 30, 2021: The Oneida Nation opens a sportsbook at the Oneida Casino near the Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport.

December 18, 2021: The St. Croix Chippewa Indians agree to an amendment to the gaming compacts that will allow sports betting. 

April 15, 2022: The St. Croix Chippewa Indians open The Book Sportsbook at casinos in Turtle Lake and Danbury.

October 2022: The state signs gaming amendments with the Sokaogon Chippewa Community and the Menominee Tribe, with the expectation that both tribes will launch retail sportsbooks in 2023.

Popular Sports to Bet on in Wisconsin

Wisconsin is home to three teams in the big four leagues and also hosts plenty of college sports events yearly. Sportsbooks in WI allow you to bet on a wide range of sports and events with lots of different bet types. We’ve listed some of the most popular below.

NFL Betting in Wisconsin

The Green Bay Packers are Wisconsin’s NFL franchise and are one of the most successful teams in professional football history. The team won 11 pre-AFL-NFL merger championships and has won four Super Bowls since then. The franchise has also collected 21 division titles while hosting some of the best players ever to play football, including Don Hutson, Bart Starr, and Brett Favre. 

Packers fans have flocked to Oneida Sportsbooks in Wisconsin to place bets on their local teams. You can place season-long futures on the team to add to its list of four Super Bowl victories, along with individual bets on each game.

NBA Betting in Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Bucks were founded in 1968 and won an NBA Championship after only three years in the league. The team has contended for division titles throughout its history but has recently become a dominant force in the Eastern Central Division. The franchise won four division titles back-to-back from 2019 to 2022. This included a successful trip to the NBA Finals in 2021, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the team to glory.

NBA fans in Wisconsin can place a range of bets at retail sportsbooks on NBA games, including moneylines, point spreads, and totals. You’ll also find futures on players to win the NBA MVP award and other season-long bets. 

MLB Betting in Wisconsin

The MLB is a popular betting market in Wisconsin thanks to the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers. The team has been based in WI since 1970 but has had limited success. However, the team made it to the World Series in 1982, losing over seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals. In the 2010s, the team earned multiple appearances in the postseason thanks to star outfielder Christian Yelich. 

You can find a wide range of betting markets for the Brewers and other MLB teams at Wisconsin’s retail sportsbooks, with player and team props available. 

NHL Betting in Wisconsin

While Wisconsin does not have a team in the NHL, local fans often pick teams from nearby states, like the Minnesota Wild or Chicago Blackhawks, to support. There are also plenty of markets for the NHL at Wisconsin sportsbooks. You can find a full range of pre-game wagers, but there are also loads of in-play options for when NHL games are live.

NCAA Betting in Wisconsin

College sports have different restrictions from professional sports to protect young athletes from the pressure caused by betting. In Wisconsin, you can’t place bets on in-state teams like the University of Wisconsin Badgers. However, you can place any type of bet on NCAA teams from other states on sports like college football and college basketball.

Where Can I Bet on Sports in Wisconsin?

You can visit three retail sportsbooks at brick-and-mortar casinos in Wisconsin to place bets. The Oneida Nation opened the first sportsbook at the Oneida Casino near the Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport on November 30, 2021.

The other two retail sportsbooks in Wisconsin launched in April 2022, with the St Croix Chippewa Indians opening two betting locations. You can visit the St Croix casinos in Turtle Lake and Danbury to wager on your favorite sports.

Along with its retail sportsbook at Oneida Casino, the Oneida Tribe launched a betting app you can use at licensed Oneida locations. You’ll find a list of where you can use this betting app in WI below.

• IMAC Casino
• W. Mason Casino
• HWY. 54 One-Stop
• Four Paths One-Stop
• Westwind One-Stop
• Packerland Casino & One-Stop
• HWY. 29 Travel Center Casino & One-Stop
• HWY E & HWY EE One-Stop
• Larsen One-Stop
• Oneida Casino

More retail sportsbooks at tribal casinos are expected to open in Wisconsin in the future. The state has agreed on gaming compacts with the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe, the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, the Menominee Tribe, and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community. Each of these tribes operates casinos and is expected to launch retail sports betting in the near future.

Bordering States

Wisconsin has no state-wide online sports betting, but three of its four neighboring states offer this type of wagering. You can visit these jurisdictions, download licensed sportsbooks, and bet legally if you follow local regulations. Find out more about the sports betting rules in each state below.

Michigan

Sports betting in Michigan was legalized when Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 4917 in December 2019. Retail sports betting went live in March 2020, with the MGM Grand Detroit taking the first legal bets. Online sports betting launched in January 2021.

There are more than 20 sportsbooks in Michigan at tribal and commercial casinos. In addition, there are 15 online sportsbooks, including platforms like BetMGM, PointsBet, and BetRivers.

Illinois

Illinois sports betting was legalized in June 2019, with retail sports betting going live on March 9, 2020. The BetRivers sportsbook at Rivers Des Plaines took the first bets. Online sports betting went live in June 2020. Originally, Illinois betting legislation required bettors to visit retail sportsbooks to sign up in person before playing. However, lawmakers removed this requirement in March 2022. 

There are 11 retail sportsbooks at brick-and-mortar casinos where you can place bets. Seven online sportsbooks are also licensed, including DraftKings, FanDuel, and PointsBet. The Illinois sports betting market is one of the biggest in the US, with almost $1 billion in bets placed during March Madness 2022.

Iowa

The Iowa sports betting market launched in August 2019, with retail and online sports betting going live simultaneously. There are 18 online sportsbooks you can use anywhere within state lines, including DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars. There are also 18 retail sportsbooks at land-based casinos. Much like Illinois, Iowa used to have an in-person registration requirement for online sportsbooks, but this was removed in 2021.

Minnesota

Online and retail sports betting are both illegal in Minnesota, but lawmakers have been trying to pass legislation. Representative Pat Garafolo, Senator Roger Chamberlain, and Senator Karla Bigham have all submitted sports betting bills without success. This is because the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has stalled any legislation, citing concerns about tribal gaming revenues.

Wisconsin Sporting Events

Along with its major league sports and college teams, events held regularly in Wisconsin attract plenty of sports fans. You can bet on many of these events by visiting retail sportsbooks in WI. Here are some of the most popular.

Road America Motor Racing

Road America is a famous road racing course located between Green Bay and Milwaukee, which has held racing events since 1955. The racecourse sometimes hosts more than 400 events a year, including top events like the NASCAR Cup Series. You will regularly see NASCAR Xfinity Series events and IndyCar Series events at the track, along with many other races. 

The venue can hold up to 150,000 people, with open seating, meaning you can move around the course to see the race. The fastest IndyCar time at the track was set by Josef Newgardens in 2017, who completed a lap in 1:43.4651.

Minnesota – Wisconsin Football

The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and the University of  Wisconsin Badgers regularly compete in a college football game called the Border Battle. The teams have met more than any others in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The first game was in 1890, and it has been played every year since 1906. That first game was also the largest victory in Border Battle history, with Minnesota demolishing Wisconsin 63-0.

The Badgers play home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, which offers a capacity of 80,000. Many top NFL players have played a part in the Border Battle for the Badgers, with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson playing in the game.

World Championship Snowmobile Derby

The World Championship Snowmobile Derby is the most prestigious snowmobile race held in the world. Wisconsin hosts the event every year at the World Championship Derby Complex in Eagle River, the snowmobile capital of the world. The World Championship has been held in WI since 1964 and features more than 1000 entrants and up to 30,000 spectators. Usually, the event is held on the third weekend in January.