5 Step Guide to Placing Your First Bet

How to Bet on Sports in Indiana

Follow these quick steps, and you’ll be cheering your team to hopeful victory in no time.

1. Choose Your Sportsbook
2. Register an Account
3. Verify Your Identity
4. Deposit Money
5. Place a Bet

1. Choosing the Right Online Sportsbook

The first step to betting online is to choose which sportsbook will receive your business. There are several factors to consider here. Obviously, the operator needs to support all of the sports your interested in betting on. If you just like the most popular stuff – football, baseball, basketball, etc. – any sportsbook will check off that box. If you’re into niche-market stuff, like Aussie rules, handball or yachting, you’ll need to do a little more research into sports line availability.

Other important factors include things like eligible payment methods, promotional value, Android / iOS mobile app availability, and customer support quality.

One thing you should never compromise on is your ability to access a safe, secure, state-regulated bookmaker. For decades, online sports gambling was illegal in Indiana. Lawmakers went to great lengths to ensure Hoosiers have legal access to a locally licensed market with all the bells and whistles, driven by worthy competition. To flaunt the law by betting with an offshore and/or underground bookmaker would be to take far more risk than sports betting naturally incurs.

Pro Tip: Indiana currently supports an impressive list of state-licensed online sportsbook operators. It’s your right and privilege to compare brands and choose the one that suits you best. You can learn more about them and their defining features here:

• Authorized and Legal Sportsbooks of Indiana
• Indiana Online Sportsbook Payments Review
• Comparison of Indiana Mobile Sportsbook Apps

2. Register a New User Account

Once you’ve chosen your sportsbook, the hard part is over. It’s all smooth sailing from here, and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to get the ball rolling. The next thing you’ll need to do is sign up an account. Look on the website for a new-user account link. It’s usually in the top right corner, next to the Login button. It should say ‘Join’, or ‘Create Account’, or something to that affect. Click on that button and follow the instructions.

During sign-up, you’re going to have to enter some personal information. This is all standard. Input your name, address, email, and everything else deemed requisite. This will most likely include your Social Security Number – if not now, during the verification process. That’s because Americans almost always have to pay taxes on gambling winnings. Just follow the instructions provided and your account will be active in a minute or two.

Pro Tip: Double check your info before submitting. Make sure you don’t misspell anything. The next step (ID verification) will be a real pain if you do. Also, be sure to choose a highly secure password, and never, ever give it out to anyone, for any reason.

3. Verify Your Identity

The next step is to verify that your account information is accurate. Some online sportsbooks might let you do this after depositing and betting (i.e. before your first withdrawal), but it’s best to get it out of the way now. It only takes a few extra minutes, and will save you a headache down the line – especially if you accidentally typo-ed your information during registration.

The first step to verification is to open your email and look for something from the sportsbook operator. Within, you’ll find an email verification link. Click that link to confirm that your email address is correct. If you signed up with a phone number, you’ll probably have to verify that as well. You’ll receive a text msg with a numerical code, and you’ll have to enter that code on the sportsbook website, as instructed. Again, just follow the directions. It’s all very straight forward.

Verifying your identity will take a little more effort. At this point, the sportsbook will want you to submit a picture of your current, government-issued photo ID. Next is verification of your physical address. You can send a picture of a recent bank statement or utility bill that’s in your name. Again, follow the instructions, and it’s a painless process. If you do run into trouble, refer to the following link:

• What to do if Sportsbook ID Verification Fails

Pro Tip: I know this whole process seems invasive, but you have to realize that this is a state-regulated market with a lot of legal constraints. Operators are obligated, under threat of great penalty, to thwart everything from underage gambling, to identity fraud, to money-laundering. Try looking at it this way – if some random crook were trying to sign up an account in your name, wouldn’t you want them to be unable to verify their identity as yours? It really is for your own safety.

4. Make a Deposit

We’re almost ready to start betting. First, you have to upload some money to bet with. There are many different ways to make a deposit, depending on which online sportsbook you’ve signed up with. Most of them advertise credit and debit card acceptance – Visa, MasterCard, etc. Unfortunately, it’s common for these cards to be rejected, because banks and credit card companies spent years avoiding mix-ups with illegal online gambling. So, if your card payment doesn’t go through, simply choose another method of payment.

Common alternatives include web wallets, like Paypal and Skrill, bank transfers, eChecks, Pay Near Me / Vanilla Direct pre-paid options, and more. Some sportsbooks such as BetRivers offer a unique Play+ account, where users can deposit and withdrawal online or in person via the cashier cage of the online operator’s land-based affiliate casino (i.e. deposit at French Lick Casino for BetRivers Online Sportsbook).

The act of depositing is another simple process. Choose a method that works for you and follow the instructions provided, entering your card or account information as required. Most payment options are instant, so you’ll have access to your funds the moment you complete the purchase.

Pro Tip: If you’re looking for the easiest method for both deposits and withdrawals, may we suggest a direct bank transfer? All you’ll need is your bank account information and the bank’s routing number. The benefit here is that, after depositing by bank transfer, your withdrawals can automatically go right back to your bank, instead of going back onto a card or into a web wallet. Easy in – easy out.

5. Place Your First Sports Bet

Now for the grand finale – the moment you’ve all been waiting for – it’s time to place your bets! Every sportsbook is a little different, but not by much. Whether you’re using a computer or mobile device, the sports line-up should be the primary focus of the viewing screen.

Navigate your way to the sport of your choice. Sift through the available lines, and click on the one you are interested in to add it to your bet slip. Then on the your bet slip, enter the amount you wish to wager. Press the appropriate button to submit the bet. You should get a confirmation notice that the bet was successfully placed.

Pro Tip: If you’re new to sports betting, make sure you know what you’re getting into before you dive in head first. Our 10 Tips for Beginner Sports Bettors should help you get started.