Wyoming

Wyoming has one of the smallest population densities in the U.S., but its online sports betting market features five of the biggest mobile operators in the country and could host plenty more.

Finding a team to root for in Wyoming can be difficult due to the absence of professional sports teams. This leaves local college teams like the Wyoming Cowboys as the primary source of high-level basketball and football in the Equality State. With Wyoming's current sports betting layout, bettors can also bet on their favorite in-state colleges without restriction.

Wyoming offers other markets that some states do not, including the ability to wager on the NFL Draft or eSports contests. The two biggest markets unavailable to bet on are politics and entertainment-based events like award shows. Residents or tourists of Wyoming looking for a sports betting alternative can download and use daily fantasy sports apps, which are not regulated by the state but are still allowed.

Online sports betting in The Equality State

Some states need an existing gambling infrastructure to pass a sports betting bill. However, Wyoming lawmakers did not feel that was necessary, as they came out in 2020 with a bill proposal that would legalize online sports betting strictly. Two bills in favor of legal mobile sports wagering came to light in 2020, but neither survived past the committee stage.

After that attempt failed, Wyoming lawmakers did not take long to try again. By early 2021, Governor Mark Gordon could sign HB133 into law, which made online sports betting legal.

With online sports betting given the green light, the Wyoming Gaming Commission hammered out all the rules and regulations for sports wagering in the state and began making applications for licensing open to operators. One of the specific aspects of HB133 was that the state needed to hand out at least five betting licenses.

The Wyoming Gaming Commission can issue unlimited licenses, which could lead to an extensive online betting market. Right now, though, five operators have access to the WY market: BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, DraftKings, and FanDuel.

Because there are no retail betting facilities in The Equality State, these operators did not need to partner with any betting location to access the market. The Barstool Sportsbook was attempting to enter the market, but with PENN selling Barstool and launching ESPN Bet, it is now anticipated that ESPN Bet will soon enter the state’s market along with Fanatics Sportsbook.

All legal WY sports betting apps in 2025 (from newest to oldest):

Sports betting & gambling legislation in WY

Wyoming has a lower legal sports betting age, with bettors required to be at least 18 to place a legal wager. All bettors aged 18 or older can remotely register to create accounts on the five mobile betting apps available in Wyoming. The Wyoming Gaming Commission upholds all rules and regulations concerning sports betting in the Equality State.

Now, for as frustrating as a limited market can be for bettors, there is one aspect of the Wyoming sports betting landscape that bettors should be thanking their lucky stars over, and that is the tax rate. The reason they should be thankful for the tax rate on gambling winnings is because there is no tax rate on winnings, so bettors are only subject to the 24% federal tax rate.

Over time, the state has made several amendments to the sports betting bill, but discussions regarding sports betting have not been especially frequent during legislative sessions. Consequently, it may take longer for the state to tackle issues such as the legality of iGaming or online poker.

Geyser Gamble: Fantasy Pools for Predicting Old Faithful’s Eruption Time Down to the Second

In the heart of Yellowstone, Old Faithful has long attracted thousands of visitors with its iconic eruptions. While nature lovers already get a high from watching these geysers, what if bettors could get a rush from this spectacle? A fantasy-style micro-betting concept based around this idea would entail players wagering on exact eruption times, down to the second.

The National Park Service already provides estimates with impressive precision, most of which are within a 10-minute window. Will it blow early? Late? Will a sudden wind gust redirect the splash zone and soak the unsuspecting front row? That’s where prop markets could come from. This would allow customers to dive into the height of the eruption or which quadrant of the boardwalk clears out first.

Families, park rangers, and tour groups could participate in casual pools via an app or kiosk, making this idea a quirky, educational method to gamify geology. In a world where fantasy leagues and survivor pools exist for everything from stock trends to hot dog eating contests, Old Faithful could be the next unlikely sports star.

Betting on bronc riding? Wyoming’s rodeos show wagering potential

Wyoming is renowned for its working ranch rodeos, where cowboys and cowgirls compete in events that showcase authentic ranching skills—such as wild cow milking, bronc riding, and team roping. Although traditional rodeo betting is still illegal, could Wyoming lead the way in establishing a legal betting market for ranch rodeo competitions?

Unlike mainstream rodeos governed by strict regulations, ranch rodeos emphasize authentic ranch work, often held at local fairs and other similar events. If betting were introduced, Wyoming could create parimutuel wagering systems similar to horse racing, where spectators place bets on riders, teams, or event outcomes.

Such a system could boost tourism, generate revenue for smaller communities, and celebrate Wyoming’s deep-rooted cowboy culture. However, legal hurdles and concerns about a level playing field in skill-based events could complicate its implementation. Being able to find a group of people that could set lines and betting markets for these events could also be difficult, so for now, any wagers at these events will be of the friendly, under the table kind.

Most recent updates from the WY sports betting scene

• February 5, 2025: Wyoming lawmakers hesitate to advance HB 162, delaying the push for online casino legalization. With no motion to proceed, the bill faces uncertainty, though it could be revived before the legislative session ends.

• January 14, 2025: Wyoming lawmakers will revisit online casino legislation during the 2025 legislative meetings. Rep. Robert Davis is working on another bill to legalize the matter after his failed bill in 2024.

• November 26, 2024: To close out the regular season, the Wyoming Cowboys will head to Washington State where they are listed as (+17) point underdogs.

• November 19, 2024: The Wyoming Cowboys will look to spoil Boise State's season this weekend when they host the Broncos as (+23) point underdogs.

• November 18, 2024: Legendz Social Sportsbook & Casino launches in 43 states, including Wyoming, claiming high RTP and offering props and parlays. Players 18+ enjoy free play, daily rewards, and the chance to win real prizes.

• November 12, 2024: Coming off a bye week, the Wyoming Cowboys will head to Colorado State on Friday where they are (+10.5) point underdogs.

• October 30, 2024: The Wyoming Cowboys will be on the road this weekend. They will travel to New Mexico, where they are (+7.5) point underdogs.

In-person sports betting sites and locations

Wyoming lacks commercial casinos, meaning that the only option for residents and tourists who wish to gamble is tribal casinos. However, these tribal casinos cannot provide legal sports betting because of the discrepancy between gambling activities permitted on tribal lands and the regulations set forth in the state's sports betting legislation.

While legal sports wagers cannot be placed at them, Wyoming does have three racetracks for horse racing throughout the state and a dozen off-track betting facilities.

The Yellowstone effect: How TV drama may be driving Wyoming’s betting boom

Wyoming’s identity has been redefined in recent years by the immense popularity of TV shows such as Yellowstone, which highlight ranch life, Western values, and the high-stakes drama of the modern cowboy lifestyle. However, beyond the entertainment value, could fictional dramas like Yellowstone be subtly influencing Wyoming’s real-life sports betting economy?

There’s a growing case to say yes, particularly in regard to tourism-driven betting activity and increased interest in Western-themed sports. Since Yellowstone aired, Wyoming has experienced spikes in national park tourism, attracting more out-of-state visitors who may place wagers during their stay. Even modest conversion rates, around 5–10% of Yellowstone visitors using mobile sportsbooks, could translate to thousands of new users and millions in additional handle each tourist season.

On top of that, the show may indirectly elevate niche markets and sports such as rodeo, equestrian sports, and more. If Wyoming sportsbooks or DFS platforms capitalize on this trend with themed promotions or tourism-heavy marketing campaigns, the state could potentially unlock $2 to $ 5 million in new yearly wagers, equating to hundreds of thousands in additional tax revenue. In a competitive betting landscape, aligning with cultural phenomena like Yellowstone provides the perfect opportunity to stand out.

Cowboy poetry slam showdowns: Betting on rhymes, applause, and audience favorites

At Wyoming’s cowboy poetry gatherings, such as those in Dubois or Saratoga, verse and voice are as competitive as rodeo events. But could cowboy poetry slams be wagered on just like the rodeo? With judged categories like “Best Traditional Poem,” “Biggest Applause Line,” or even “Most Surprising Freestyle,” the layout is already in place for prop-style wagers during live events. These gatherings draw impressive crowds, and with the help of mobile apps, spectators could place low-stakes bets tied to crowd reactions or poet performance metrics.

If even a fraction of Wyoming’s annual betting handle were directed toward novelty events like this, it could generate thousands in wagers during cultural festival weekends. This means new tax revenue without the need for major infrastructure. Betting on cowboy poets may seem unconventional, but in the Cowboy State, where storytelling is revered, licensed sportsbooks might just feel like they are missing out on a ton of lost revenue through spoken word.

Sports betting in neighboring states

Wyoming is amid a group of states that have limited betting markets. Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska all offer retail-only wagering and no online betting, while Colorado is the only neighboring state of WY that provides both.

If a Wyoming resident ends up in one of those states, they will find some form of sports betting. If they happen to venture into Utah or Idaho, they will find no sports betting at all. To find out more about why, you can click on the states’ names below.

Sports betting revenue impact on Wyoming's economy

There is no cap on the number of licenses the Wyoming Gaming Commission can issue, and each license has an initial fee of $100,000 and lasts five years. When those five years run out, the renewal fee is $50,000. All operators that receive their license are then subject to the state's sports betting tax rate of 10%.

Wyoming is one of the smallest states in the country in terms of population. Even though sports betting has been legal in Wyoming since 2021, the state's legal sportsbook operators have accumulated just over $63 million in revenue, leading to more than $3.6 million in paid taxes. In addition, Wyoming grossed the $600 million total betting handle landmark in February 2025. Between the low population and a market that contains only five mobile betting options, Wyoming's monthly numbers for handle, revenue, and tax income are pretty on par with what one would expect.

For as small as Wyoming is, The Equality State has still outperformed multiple other small states with limited markets. In fact, despite having the lowest estimated population in the country in 2024, Wyoming still produced more sports betting handle and revenue than, for example, Vermont and Montana.

Wyoming sports betting record months:

• Sports betting handle: January 2025 ($25,274,561)

• Revenue: November 2024 ($3,422,167)

• Tax income: November 2024 ($241,071)

• Biggest monthly online handle to date by a single WY sportsbook app:

  • DraftKings (Jan. 2025): $13,828,618

• Biggest recorded monthly revenue from online wagering:

  • DraftKings (Nov. 2024): $2,030,051

Latest WY sports betting revenue report breakdown (February 2025)

Reported by the Wyoming Gaming Commission.

• Total online betting handle: $16,831,678

• Cash payouts to players: $14,725,033

  • Non-cash payouts: $614,248

  • Hold: 12.52%

• Gross revenue: $2,106,645

  • Adjusted (taxable) revenue: $1,395,518

• Tax revenue for the state (10% on revenue): $139,552

Horse racing betting revenue data:

• Simulcast wagering handle: $392,974

  • Payouts to players: $276,534

• Historic horse racing total handle: $180,660,736

  • Payouts to players: $163,960,439

• Advance deposit wagering - total wagers placed: $424,409

Top 5 sportsbook apps in the state in February 2025:

1. DraftKings: Handle: $8.7m, Revenue: $988,648

2. BetMGM: Handle: $3.8m, Revenue: $380,716

3. FanDuel: Handle: $3.0m, Revenue: $609,547

4. Fanatics: Handle: $860,654, Revenue: $70,343

5. Caesars: Handle: $508,102, Revenue: $57,391

The current WY mobile sportsbook apps market shares - Feb. 2025

Let's compare: Wyoming online betting market shares - 2024 totals

Recent revenue report data - Compared to the previous year (YoY)

WY sports betting revenue in 2025

Wyoming Gaming Commission reports the state's sports betting handle, gained revenue, and the generated tax income for the state monthly, and all such data coming from the 2025 calendar year is summed up in the table below. In addition, the percentage in brackets in each cell indicates how the betting handle and gained revenue have evolved compared to the previous month.

2024 revenue data

Yearly revenue totals

From saloon style to state revenue: Betting on Wyoming mustache contests

Amid Wyoming’s frontier towns, where cowboy hats are worn for more than fashion reasons and tradition is thicker than a handlebar mustache, a new form of community competition could emerge: Old West Mustache Contest Betting. Already a popular feature at local heritage festivals and cowboy days, these facial hair competitions celebrate the art of the curl and are an ode to the historic facial hair style that is a staple of Westerns..

By adding novelty wagering to these already crowd-pleasing events, veterans of these get-togethers and sportsbooks could create prop betting pools based on categories like “Best Curl,” “Thickest ‘Stache,” “Most Historical Style,” or even “Crowd Favorite,” judged by a panel of mustache aficionados. 

Should Wyoming expand its gambling bill to prohibit niche betting markets like these, even a 0.01% slice of the state’s betting handle redirected to frontier-style events could generate thousands in wagers and additional tourism revenue. Which is needed since Wyoming is not necessarily a big earner amongst sports betting states.