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Minnesota Sports Betting

Minnesota is a state with complex feelings towards gambling and sports betting. When the opportunity for sports betting opened up for many states in the US, Minnesota opted to remain on the sidelines, maintaining its illegal status. The legislative body was of the opinion that the existing horse racing and daily fantasy sports sectors sufficed. Yet, the tide of opinion appeared to turn following the announcement that neighboring Iowa had legalized sports betting.

• Sports betting remains illegal onshore except for offshore online sports books.
• Strong political opposition to current proposed sports betting laws.
• Unknown when differences will be resolved, or even if sports betting will become legal on shore.

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Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Minnesota?

Currently, sports betting is considered an illegal form of gambling in Iowa, though there has been an increase in support to make it legal and regulated across the state. As lawmakers begin to experience more pressure to open up the sports betting market, players can eagerly wait for that to happen, but in the meantime, there are a few options available to anyone wanting to participate in gambling entertainment.

Pari-mutuel Betting

Available to Minnesota gamblers since the early 1980s, pari-mutuel betting has been a popular form of entertainment, even though it is only available on horse races. Unlike many other states that have banned horse racing, Minnesota has several racinos that provide a good range of gambling. 

Over the years, horse race popularity has been on a decline, with gamblers looking to other entertainment options. Should Minnesota follow other states that have banned live horse races, there will be a serious need to offer something new to satisfy Minnesotans who are in need of some fun. 

Daily Fantasy Sports

Often considered the same as sports betting, daily fantasy sports (DFS) is an online betting service that is not officially accepted as a legal form of betting, though the current gray area leaves a lot to be interpreted. Because of this, players are free to participate without a real fear of being prosecuted.

With millions of players from all over the country, it has been a major talking point to add it to state law. 

People who are in favor of sports betting often use DFS as an example to legalize and regulate online sports betting. Due to the similar nature of the games, when one is accepted, the other should as well. 

Daily Fantasy Sports versus Online Sports Betting

There is a clear split down the middle in the debate over DFS and online sports betting, but the general thought among players is that both offer a good range of betting options, entertainment, and help boost the local economy.  

Daily Fantasy Sports require players to register their information online and from there, they are free to select real players to assemble a fantasy team that is to compete against other players’ fantasy teams. Real money is wagered in bets and the amounts that players are able to win can reach heights in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  

Online sports betting on the other hand is limited to real players and teams, without the ability to pick and choose a few favorites for a bet. The types of bets are also similar to DFS, though the amount of money a player can bet is generally higher, with the opportunity to win in the millions.

While both DFS and sports betting require some research and skill to play, they are often considered different by lawmakers, with sports betting losing out more often than not. With the renewed interest in expanding online betting, there is little doubt that sports betting is on its way to becoming a legal and regulated form of gambling entertainment in Minnesota.  

Online Offshore Sports Betting Legality      

While lawmakers take their time to figure out the pros and cons of both DFS and sports betting in the state, millions of players are choosing to get their fix on offshore sports betting sites in the meantime. There are plenty of offshore sites that accept players from the US, with lots of sports options to keep everyone happy.

Unlike many local sports betting options in states that have legalized and regulated the game, offshore sports betting sites will generally have a wider range of games, players, and betting options.

Common Sports Offered on Offshore Sports Betting Sites

• American Football
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Hockey
• Golf
• Soccer
• Rugby
• Cricket
• Tennis
• Boxing
• Auto Racing
• Mixed Martial Arts
• eSports

Although these are just a few of the options that some sports betting sites offer, there are plenty of other options that range from the mainstream sports to obscure sports that are only popular in certain regions around the world. This variety is what keeps player interest high and offers a range of challenging bets. 

How to Find the Best Online Sports Betting Sites

As with anything online, there are thousands of sites out there that promise endless entertainment and the possibility for big wins, but new players to the scene will naturally worry about their safety on the site.

Before players are able to place a bet on an online sports betting site, they will have to go through a registration process. To make sure a site is worth going through the registration process, there are a few things that players should look for.

Accessible for All US Players

The first thing that all US players should look for is country restrictions on a sports betting site. Not all offshore sites will accept players from the US, and the site will often have a page to list all restricted locations around the world. This page is generally located in the help pages or the information will be listed within the terms and conditions of the site.

Alternatively, if the information is difficult to find, sending a message to customer support should get players the answer quickly.   

Promotions

A great perk of online sports betting sites is the special promotions players get after becoming a member. On top of a welcome bonus that will generally earn players extra money into their player account, sites will have bonuses throughout the year to give community members a boost in their bets and give them a better chance to earn bigger wins with a lower investment.

Payment Options

Every player will need to make a deposit to fill their player account and place a bet, to do this, they will need to transfer real money into their account online. The same is needed for withdrawals of player winnings. Most online offshore sports betting sites will accept major international payment options like Visa and MasterCard, wire transfers, prepaid cards, and cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.

Customer Support

When players need help, it is important to have a strong customer support team that is available when needed. Before signing up to a site, players can test out the customer support team by sending a simple inquiry and see how long it takes to get a reply.

The method of contacting support is also an important note to make. The top sports betting sites will offer multiple ways of getting in touch, including live chat, phone, email, and an online contact form. Check out the contact or support page to see how players can get in touch. Some sites even mention reply timelines to give everyone an idea of how quickly they can expect a response.          

What are the Different Types of Bets I Can Make?

Moneyline

A quick and easy wager that anyone can understand, the Moneyline bet is perfect for new players in sports betting. This bet is made on a specific person or team that players think will win a game or tournament. Moneyline bets seem like an easy win, but players should always take time to think about all of the different factors that could affect the outcome of a game (players having a good run, how a team has been playing recently, and so on).

Point Spread

Players make a bet on the team that will win within a specific range of points that are predicted by the sportsbook. The same applies to the team losing the game. A point spread is done to help even odds between two teams, where one team is the favorite and one is considered to be the underdog. 

Over-under

A bet against the official sportsbook. The sportsbook lists a number they think will be the total number of goals or points in a specific game. The player making the bet has to decide if the final goal total or points will be over or under the sportsbook’s prediction.

Futures

This is a future bet that players wager on a person or team that will be the winner of a specific tournament, competition, pool, or even a league. Futures are bet in advance before the game or tournament begins. This gives players a chance to carefully think about their options, and they should always be carefully thought out.

Parlay

A wager that is easy for even the newest players to understand. It has attractive returns, but players can have a hard time winning. To place a parlay bet, players have to make a few selections from different games, and they will then count as one single wager. The number of bets players can make is anything between 2 and 12 selections, although players should remember that more selections mean the bet is tougher to win.

Summary

The future of sports betting reform in Minnesota is grim. There are too many strong organizations against it. First and foremost are the native American casinos who generate significant revenue per year. Their “donations” to fund Republican Senators lend them a strong voice in dictating Sports Betting laws. And their voice is unfortunately in opposition unless they have exclusive rights to offering sports betting.

If the sports betting laws are not strongly in their favor to enforce a cornering of the market, it is highly unlikely the sports betting laws will change.

The organizations that want sports betting legalized and open to entrants besides native American tribes are many, but as a collective are weak. They cannot compete against the clout of the native American casinos.

Bordering States

North Dakota | South Dakota | Wisconsin | Iowa | Michigan

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