Best Sports Betting Bonuses and Promos in Montana

Montana sports betting exists, but barely. The Treasure State was the first state to legalize sports betting in May 2019 and launched in March 2020. However, Montana created a state lottery monopoly rather than an open market, meaning no welcome bonuses exist. The only legal operator is Sports Bet Montana, run by the Montana Lottery through Intralot, with no competition and no need for aggressive promotions. At Shurzy, we keep it real: Montana's sports betting situation is the worst in America.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Montana?

Yes, sports betting has been legal in Montana since May 3, 2019, when Governor Steve Bullock signed House Bill 725 into law. Montana was the first state to legalize sports betting after the Supreme Court's 2018 PASPA decision. However, Montana legalized sports betting under a state lottery monopoly model rather than opening the market to commercial operators like other states.

Montana taxes retail sports betting at 15% of adjusted gross revenue and online sports betting at 20%.

Read more: NFL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Football Season

Sports Bet Montana: The Only Operator

Bonuses: None to minimal

Sports Bet Montana offers virtually no welcome bonuses. The official signup offer is sometimes advertised as a $10 bonus or account credit, but terms are vague and this offer is not consistently available.

Why No Bonuses? Montana's state lottery monopoly means no competition. Without competing operators like FanDuel or DraftKings offering massive bonuses, Montana bettors have no promotional incentives.

Montana Sports Bet Features:

• Kiosks at 2,000+ licensed retailers
• Mobile app (geofenced to licensed retail locations only)
• Website (accessible only from licensed retail locations)
• Live betting available
• Limited betting markets compared to competitive states
• Notoriously weak odds (initial launch had drastically worse lines than national competitors)
• No advanced features like same-game parlays (or limited availability)

Shurzy tip: There are no bonuses in Montana. Period. Sports Bet Montana is a state lottery monopoly with no reason to compete for customers because they're the only game in town. If you're looking for welcome bonuses, you're in the wrong state.

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Retail Sportsbook Locations

Montana has 2,000+ licensed retail locations where you can place sports bets, including bars and restaurants (majority of locations), casinos (tribal casinos, Lucky Dragon Casino, Copper King Casino), racetracks (Montana Lottery racetracks), lottery retailers, and veterans clubs.

Major Cities with Multiple Locations: Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula

Betting Procedure at Retail:

1. Visit a licensed location with the kiosk
2. Register account (18+ only)
3. Deposit funds via cash, debit card, or other payment methods
4. Place wagers at kiosk ($250 maximum) or via mobile app ($1,000 maximum, must be on-premise)
5. Collect winnings or reinvest

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

Mobile Betting Restrictions

The Sports Bet Montana app is available in Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and the website is accessible at sportsbetmontana.com. However, you cannot place fully legal wagers through the app from anywhere in Montana.

• Must physically be present at a licensed retail location to place wagers through the app
• Geofencing technology confirms you're on-premise
• The app only works within the licensed location's boundaries

This is not "statewide mobile betting" in the traditional sense.

Shurzy tip: Montana's "mobile betting" is a joke. You have to physically be inside a bar or casino to place bets on the app. That's not mobile betting, that's just using your phone at a bar instead of walking to the kiosk.

What Can Montana Bettors Do?

Montana residents who want sports betting have extremely limited legal options:

• Option 1: Sports Bet Montana at Licensed Retail Locations. Visit one of 2,000+ locations offering Sports Bet Montana kiosks and place bets in person. Maximum $250 per kiosk bet, $1,000 per online bet (at location).
• Option 2: Travel to Neighboring States. Washington has offered legal mobile betting since 2021. Wyoming and Idaho have no legal sports betting.

Do not use offshore sportsbooks or illegal gambling websites. While many Montana residents turn to licensed offshore operators like Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie for competitive bonuses and statewide mobile betting, these sites are not regulated by Montana and operate in a legal gray area with no consumer protections.

Responsible Betting in Montana

The Montana Lottery oversees responsible gaming programs for Sports Bet Montana. The platform offers self-exclusion options and limits on deposits and losses.

If you need help, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700, available 24/7.

The Bottom Line

Montana was the first state to legalize sports betting in 2019, but the state's decision to create a lottery monopoly instead of an open market has resulted in the least competitive sports betting landscape in America.

Montana generated $8.1 million in handle in September 2025 and $610,000 in tax revenue for 2024, steady but unspectacular compared to competitive states. The monopoly system prioritizes state control and tax revenue over customer experience and operator competition.

Shurzy tip: Montana sports betting is the worst in America. No bonuses, no real mobile betting, weak odds, and a monopoly operator with no reason to compete. If you're serious about sports betting, this isn't the place to be. Sorry, Montana.