Montana Sports Betting Returns as Gov. Bullock Reopens State

• Sports betting in Montana is beginning coming back with the return of sports and the reopening of bars and restaurants.
• There has been an increase in traffic towards the Sports Bet Montana app, showing that residents are getting in on the action.
• The UFC specifically has garnered a lot of betting favor from Montana sports bettors.

HELENA, Mont. – Montana is heading into the second phase of reopening the state, bringing good news for sports betting. With the return of many sporting events, Montana sports bettors are quickly getting in on the action.

There has been a major increase in traffic on the Sports Bet Montana app as sporting leagues begin to resume their season nationwide.

Many residents are taking action at the Sports Bet Montana app as well as on betting kiosks.

The most wagers that are being made on by Montana residents are on mixed martial arts UFC fights. The UFC has been the most aggressive league in returning from the COVID-19 shutdowns.

Montana Sports Betting Returns

The return on sports betting in Montana has seen a massive increase in the amount of bets being taken in the recent weeks.

“We’ve seen steady growth in sales the last three weeks and many hundreds of downloads of our app,” said Jennifer McKee, Montana Lottery communications manager. “We knew Montanans were excited for Sports Bet Montana earlier this spring and now that folks are getting more access to it, we’re seeing them use it more and more.”

The UFC has taken in the biggest betting handle, with just over $30k wagered last month.

Baseball and golf have also garnered a lot of traffic on the Sports Bet Montana app. With Montana sports bettors wagering an average of $34 a bet.

With the return of major sports like the NBA on the horizon, Montana is expecting even more sports betting traffic.

Even with the large boom in sports bettors downloading the Sports Bet Montana app, the bulk of the wagers being made are from touch-screen kiosks at physical sportsbooks like the Caesars Palace.

Governor Steve Bullock has slowly been reopening public locales in the state. The Caesars Palace, along with restaurants and bars, have begun to reopen to some capacity. Sports bettors in Montana have been traveling and taking action.

“Most of our bets – just a bit over 82% – have come in on the terminals,” said McKee. “That’s definitely what we expected in the beginning as Montanans tried it out first before committing to downloading the app and creating an account.”

The sports betting future for Montana residents and tourists is looking like a bright one. Legal sports betting sites are hosting betting lines for all the major sporting leagues as they return.

News tags: Caesars Palace | Helena | Jeff Davis | Jennifer McKee | Montana | Sports Bet Montana | Steve Bullock