Comparing Indiana Mobile Sportsbook Apps

One of the newer sports betting brands in North America, Barstool chose to make its presence known on land before venturing into the online and mobile realm. Once they did, it was easy to pick up new customers. Unfortunately, the Android app has had a lot of issues with bugs and random crashing. Over in the Apple corner, Barstool has received mixed reviews. Some love it, others hate it. When it does work, users have access to a respectable range of sports, with tons of live betting options.

For new depositors, Barstool offers 100% cash back if your first bet loses, up to $1,000. Your first wager must be a single or parlay bet to qualify. Bonus cash is subject to sportsbook play through requirements. See promotional details on the website for more information.

The BetMGM mobile app is available for download on Android devices (via Google Play Store) and iOS devices (via Apple Store). A link to download the app directly from the website won’t appear until you sign up an account, so don’t bother searching for it beforehand. Once you get the app installed, you’ll find it works almost exactly the same as the website. It’s nothing fancy, but it is easy to navigate, and has been stable and reliable since a late-2019 update. More recently, individual state apps were merged into one app, so you’ll need to choose your state each time before you log in.

UPDATE: BetAmerica has been CLOSED. After 17 months coming in dead last in sports betting handle, the owner, Churchill Downs, scrapped BetAmerica and rebranded to TwinSpires.

BetAmerica promotes itself as a “Desktop Only ” sportsbook. You can access the mobile edition of the website from any smartphone or tablet, but you won’t be able to place a bet. BetAmerica published this comment on its Facebook page on December 30, 2019. To date, no additional information has been published.

“Hey Indiana, we’re LIVE! We are available via desktop only at https://in.betamerica.com/sports/ and will make an announcement when our iOS and Android apps are available.”

After receiving a license way back in January of 2020, BetIndiana has still failed to get a website or mobile app up and running in the state. The problem is that BetIndiana Mobile was meant to launch alongside the grand opening of its land-based casino partner, Majestic Star. The opening of that property has been complicated by legal troubles with a high-ranking member of its biggest investment group. It’s not the sportsbook’s fault, but the fact remains – BetIndiana is not available in Indiana at this time, and it’s anyone’s guess if/when it will be.

The BetMGM mobile app is available for download on Android devices (via Google Play Store) and iOS devices (via Apple Store). A link to download the app directly from the website won’t appear until you sign up an account, so don’t bother searching for it beforehand. Once you get the app installed, you’ll find it works almost exactly the same as the website. It’s nothing fancy, but it is easy to navigate, and has been stable and reliable since a late-2019 update. More recently, individual state apps were merged into one app, so you’ll need to choose your state each time before you log in.

Rush Street Interactive, developer of the BetRivers Mobile App, has been listening closely to their Apple users and finally made some very necessary changes to the iOS app. While the BetRivvers mobile app for Android has been receiving rave reviews for more than a year, the iOS version was considered the worst betting app in Indiana, with reviews to match. Following the update on April 8, 2021, the Apple edition is finally worthy of download.

Not only does it offer the same great betting experience as the Android version, it also comes with a variety of home-screen widgets avid bettors should love. New features offer better overall usability, and faster performance. Most importantly, it’s no longer a geo-locating app that redirects to the BetRivers website (in-browser). It’s a real app, with genuine in-app betting.

The latest addition to Indiana’s mobile betting line-up is Betway. Although this operator launched late in the game, arriving at the tail-end of June 2021, it does have a lot of potential. Unfortunately, Betway has yet to develop and launch a mobile application for Android and/or iOS users. It’s not that they don’t have one. They do, and it’s readily available to European customers. It’s got mostly rave reviews, too. But until it comes to the US market, there’s much to say.

For in-browser betting, Betway has a lot to offer. They cover all the major sports, plus a few niche markets. New members can take advantage of a risk-free bet, if all the right conditions are met. First, you have to make an initial deposit of at least $10. Then, if your first bet is placed within 7 days of opening your account, at odds of -330 or greater, and you happen to lose that bet, you’ll get a refund in the form of a risk-free bet; that is, a 100% match of your first wager, to be bet on more odds of -330 or greater. Should you win your first bet, you get no bonus at all.

Caesars is a household name in America, harvesting great respect from Atlantic City, to Las Vegas, and everywhere in between. Its mobile app, however, fails to impress. The user interface can’t compete with many of its rivals. Some of the most common complaints we’ve heard, and experienced ourselves, relate to the app refreshing every time you try to scroll up, and the links for pairing your mobile and land-based Caesars Rewards accounts not working properly.

First things first – the iOS mobile app logo (shown right) is misleading. Mobile casino games are not available in Indiana – they’re illegal. But when you click the iOS app link from the Indiana website, this is what you’ll see in the Apple Store. This is because DraftKings offers one app to serve all states, including those where casino gaming is legal. 

Aside from this questionable oversight on DraftKings part, their app is considered one of the best out there. It’s easy to understand, easy to see, and very easy to navigate. It’s also got the largest sports variety in Indiana. If you’re into Volleyball, this is the only place to bet on it. However, don’t expect to get the sports ball rolling just because you already have a DFS account with DraftKings. You’ll need to download a separate app, and sign up a second account, as your deposit balances must be segregated.

For all who think FanDuel and DraftKings are different sides of the same coin, here’s proof that it’s not true. FanDuel has a far smaller variety of sports betting markets than its long-time DFS rival; only 16 compared to DK’s 20. Then again, at least they were smart enough not to put the word “casino” on their universal U.S. mobile app logo. That’s about where the differences stop.

All in all, FanDuel’s app is a fantastic one, in terms of easy UI and straight-forward navigation. Plus, it was developed by decades-old iGaming software giant, Betfair.  But again, don’t choose FanDuel just because you have a DFS account with them. They are separate apps, requiring separate accounts and monetary balances.

There’s honestly not a lot to brag about when it comes to PointsBet. Most other apps are superior in a multitude of ways. However, there is one thing PointsBet users have access to that no one else does – the operator’s distinct ‘Points Betting’ system.

Unlike traditional sports betting (which they also offer), Points Betting is based on spread and totals betting, where the number of points over or under determines the multiplier on your win or loss. Let’s say you bet an NBA game will end with ‘Over 180 points’. The game ends with 195 total points. You don’t just win the bet – you win 15x the bet. The danger is that, if the total ends at 170, you lose 15x your bet.

SBK is another IGC-licensed betting operator that has yet to launch its services onto the world wide web. If and when it does, SBK will be available as a mobile-app-only betting platform. There is no website to place wagers from – only a landing page that promotes the app and its features. That business model hasn’t hurt them in the UK, where they have a well-established customer base. But for now, we’ll have to wait and see how Hoosiers react to it. No indication yet of how long that wait might be.

Do not confuse “theScore” mobile app with “theScore Bet” mobile app. One is the original sports news app, and offers no form of real money betting. The other is the mobile sports betting app, now legal in Indiana.

theScore Bet is the only sportsbook in the state that offers its wager services via mobile app only. The website – like the original app – is for sports news only. While the betting app itself does function very well, you won’t find too many betting markets to choose from. They only support wagers on the five most popular sports categories (listed below). If that’s all you want, theScore Bet may be  all you’ll need.

TwinSpires is the rebranding effort of Churchill Downs, who shut down its BetAmerica Sportsbook in April 2021 for a number of reasons, including the glaring fact that BetAmerica didn’t offer a mobile app at all. the new TwinSpires sportsbook, named after Churchill Down’s universally famous race wagering platform, does indeed offer an app, both for Android and iOS users.

The mobile betting app is a good one, having received rave reviews on the Apple Store. It’s got all the usual bells and whistles, with simple navigation and easy UI. ITs a refreshing change, and could be just the boost their parent company needed to gain traction in the Indiana market. As for Android users, please note that there is a mobile app for you. It’s not on the Google Play Store yet, and you won’t find it on the website either – at least, not at first. You must register an account with TwinSpires Sports and log in before you can access the link to download the app.

Note: The app logo, as displayed on the Apple App Store (see image right) states that TwinSpires offers “Casino” and “Sports”. Please know that users in Indiana are only getting access to the sportsbook. As of writing, online casino games are illegal in Indiana.

Unibet has been in operation for more than 20 years, earning a reputation as a premier international iGaming supplier. They’ve brought the same quality to the US market, delivering an Android and iOS mobile sports app that is as reliable as it is user-friendly. Everything you need is easy to find, bets are simple, and promotions are honored.

The only people we would not recommend Unibet Indiana to are those who live outside the state, but commute regularly. Most Indiana sportsbooks allow members to access all basic services, except betting of course, from outside Indiana. Unibet, on the other hand, does not allow users to enjoy basic features, like accessing the cashier or even viewing bet results, unless they are physically located in the state.

William Hill is the world’s oldest sportsbook, and claims to be the largest in America. We can’t verify or disprove that claim, but we do know it’s favored by a lot of U.S. bettors – especially those who previously accessed international sportsbooks before the legal climate changed over a decade ago. This brand’s experience shows in the development of a full-feature, easily navigable mobile app for iOS and Android. However, the range of sports is truncated compared to their rivals. And, like their international colleagues at Unibet, William Hill won’t let you access any of its basic features while physically located outside the state. Not recommended for commuters.

From the ultra-famous Las Vegas Strip, to the heart of America, Wynn Resorts International is making sure to get its fingers into every profitable gambling market the US has to offer. WynnBet  launched its Indiana website and mobile app in April of 2021, just weeks after receiving approval from the IGC. The WynnBet mobile app is pretty easy to use and navigate, without trying to cram too much information onto a small screen. That’s especially good news, since WynnBet is only available via mobile app for Android and iOS; no wagering is available via the website at this time.

The list of available sports is rather short, but all the major stuff is there. For first-time depositors, losing your first bet gets you a 100% match bet worth up to $1,000. Conditions apply; see website for promotional details.