Sports Bet Montana has paid out more than $11.4m to sports bettors in the state since wagering began in March, with small businesses offering the Sports Bet Montana service have earned more than $718,000 in commission.
The sports betting brand, operated by the Montana Lottery and powered by Intralot, was launched in March after legislation passed in 2019 came into effect. The operator said it was designed to benefit Montana’s players, businesses and citizens.
Montana became the first state to legalize sports betting in 2019, following the approval of House Bill 725, also known as the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2019 in May. The bill established the Montana Lottery as the sole operator of sports wagering in the state, allowing it to offer betting via mobile devices and land-based channels.
Rules for sports betting were subsequently approved and published in the Montana Administrative Register in November 2019.
The regulations allowed for anonymous retail sports betting, however all mobile bettors were required to sign up for an account, while retail players would still have to verify their identity before they could bet.
The regulations also provided for a voluntary self-exclusion program, as well as the option to set personal deposit, spending and time limits.
Sales agents who offer sports wagers are entitled to a 6% base commission of the value of sports wagers made, with a series of potential bonuses for sales targets.
The operator began accepting license applications from businesses looking to offer Sports Bet Montana products from December 2019.
The roll-out of retail sports betting terminals began in March 2020, with the Montana Lottery providing training to all staff that were to work with the machines.