Iowa sports wagers rise as bettors see bigger payouts

DES MOINES, Iowa — Sports betting activity in Iowa increased in August, both from the previous month and compared with a year ago, but sportsbooks kept less of the money wagered according to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission's latest report, released Monday, September 14th.

Iowa sportsbooks reported a total August handle of $185.5 million, up 1.4% from $182.9 million in July and 2.1% from $181.6 million in August 2025.

Despite the increase in betting, sportsbook net receipts fell to $17.1 million in August. That was down 4.7% from July’s $18 million and nearly 22.5% below the $22.1 million reported in August 2025.

The difference came as bettors received more money back. Sportsbooks paid out $168.4 million during August, up 2.1% from July and 5.6% from the same month last year. The sportsbooks’ hold — the percentage of wagers retained as revenue — fell to about 9.2%, compared with 9.8% in July and 12.2% in August 2025.

Online wagering continued to dominate the Iowa market. More than $178.2 million, or about 96% of all August bets, were placed online. Internet wagering increased 2.9% from July and 3.5% year over year. Retail sportsbook betting dropped to $7.3 million, down 25% from July and 22% from August 2025.

The state collected nearly $1.15 million in sports wagering taxes during August, down from $1.21 million in July and $1.48 million a year earlier.

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