Which Sport is Gambled On The Most in Iowa?

In 2019 the state of Iowa joined many others when gambling on sports became legal. Iowa residents and Iowa's state tax revenue should benefit from this for many years to come. Whether you enjoy spending an afternoon at the nearest sports book or place your bets with your favorite gambling app, it's important to always remember to gamble responsibly.

I have some buddies who live in Minnesota where sports gambling has not been legalized, so every year at the start of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament, we'll meet up in Dubuque, and enjoy the first round of the tournament while placing a few bets on some of the games. It's really just an easy excuse for us to meet up, eat some food, have a few beers, and hang out for a couple of days.

Not surprisingly, it's a pretty popular time for sports gambling at The Q Casino. There are always a lot of people hanging out in the sports book area watching and talking about sports. Thinking about that has me wondering, which sport or team is gambled on the most in the state of Iowa?

The top answer shouldn't surprise you much but I'd be curious to see if this changes anytime soon with the success of the Hawkeye women's basketball team.

The Team Gambled On The Most In Iowa is...

The University of Iowa football team is "by far, the most popular team to bet on in Iowa," according to The Sports Geek. The Hawkeye football team has fans in all corners of the state and college football in general is gambled on the most. While college football reigns supreme for sports gambling in Iowa, it's not the most gambled-on sport in America.

Most Gambled On Sport In America

According to Roto Wire, the NFL has either won or lost Americans the most money. In October of 2022, 81% of bettors who were 18 or older placed a wager on an NFL game. The second closest...isn't very close. The NBA came in at 54%.

Roto Wire believes that a big factor in the popularity of the NFL comes from our childhoods. This sport has continuously grown over the years and it's one of the least complicated sports to follow, even if you aren't very interested. Even fans who would call themselves "fair-weather fans" or "fly-by fans," likely have tuned into a Superbowl at least once in their lives.

As fun as it can be to bet a few bucks on your favorite Iowa team/s, gambling can be addicting and 14% of Iowans will experience a problem related to their gambling, according to Your Life Iowa. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-662-4357.