The NBA has become one of the most bet on sports league in the United States.
Minnesota and Wisconsin are both big NBA states with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks both popular teams in their respective state.
On this page I will look at the basic legal questions surrounding sports betting in Minnesota and Wisconsin, outline the 3 popular bets to make on an NBA game and explain where you can bet.
Where To Bet
Sports betting is not legal in Minnesota. Wisconsin only allows sports betting in person at tribal casinos, although a 2026 law will let the tribes offer online betting statewide once it launches. Where it is legal, you generally must be 21 or older and physically located in the state to place a bet.
Other options include prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket, daily fantasy sports apps where they are available, and offshore sportsbooks, which accept US customers but are not licensed or regulated by any state. Our guide to sports betting in the USA breaks down every option.
Sports Betting in Minnesota and Wisconsin
Minnesota does not allow sports betting, and Wisconsin only allows it at tribal casinos.
In Minnesota there have been attempts to legalize sports betting in each of the past five years, but disagreements between the state regulators and the Indian tribes that operate the casinos in the state have resulted in any attempted sports betting bill stalling out in the Senate. Regulated sports betting has still not arrived in Minnesota.
In Wisconsin, sports betting is legal, but in an unusual way. Four federally recognized tribes have negotiated amendments to their existing state compacts that allow for sports betting under the jurisdiction of each specific tribe. The Oneida Indian Nation made an agreement in 2021, while Forest County Potawatomi and St. Croix Chippewa tribes amended their state compacts in 2022, and the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians made an agreement in 2024. Thanks to these amendments sports betting is currently legal at six tribal casinos in the state. All sports betting must be done on location at a tribal casino or on tribal land. There is no statewide online sports betting in Wisconsin yet, although a 2026 law will allow the tribes to offer it once it launches. Stay up to date on our USA sports betting page.
Minnesota and Wisconsin residents can also place bets through offshore betting sites that are licensed and regulated outside of the USA.
NBA Betting Options
There are three NBA bets that soak up the majority of NBA betting action. These include the point spread, money line and over/under bets.
Here’s an example of how the odds will be displayed for an NBA game using the Timberwolves season opening game vs the Trail Blazers (odds from October 22nd, 2025):
In this example the Timberwolves are 4 point favorites at odds of -113. This means a $113 bet on the Twolves -4 would win $100 (pay $213) if the Timberwolves win the game by 5 or more points.
The middle odds are the ‘money line’ odds which are simply the “to win” odds. The Timberwolves have odds of -175 to win the game, which means a $175 bet on Minnesota would win $100 (pay $275). The Trail Blazers are +153 underdogs, which means a $100 bet on Portland would win $153 (pay $253).
The last column is the over/under odds. The total for the game is set at 220 points. If 221 or more points are scored by both teams the over bets would win, if 219 or fewer points are scored the under bets would win. If exactly 220 points are scored in the game then the total bets would be refunded.
Check out our basketball betting page for further breakdowns of these popular NBA bets.
Bet On The NBA in Minnesota or Wisconsin – 3 Step Guide
The process is similar on every regulated platform. Follow these three steps to get started.
Step 1. Pick Your Betting Option
In Wisconsin, you can bet on NBA games in person at a tribal casino sportsbook until online betting launches. From Minnesota, where there are no licensed sportsbooks, prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket and daily fantasy apps are the main options for NBA games. Residents who travel can also bet while visiting Wisconsin or nearby Iowa.
Step 2. Sign Up and Fund Your Account
Open an account with the platform you picked and complete its identity check, which usually asks for the last four digits of your Social Security number. Then make a deposit, most commonly with a debit card or bank transfer, and check how withdrawals work before you send any money.
Step 3. Place Your NBA Wagers
Open the NBA section and look for the NBA odds. Pick a market such as the point spread, money line or total, add it to your bet slip, and review the payout before confirming. Only bet what you can afford to lose, and use the deposit limits most regulated platforms offer. Free, confidential help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Tagged With : NBA betting