Milwaukee has found significant success as a sports town in recent years after several decades of mediocrity. The Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 NBA Championship and are now perennial contenders with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, committed to Milwaukee and locked in for at least three more seasons. The Brewers have also been fielding a competitive team in recent years, making the playoffs in four straight seasons from 2018 to 2021, before narrowly missing the playoffs last year after finishing second in the Central Division. Sports betting has picked up among Milwaukee residents as the local teams continue to have success.

On this page I will look at the legality of sports betting in Milwaukee, recommend two betting sites for Milwaukee residents and touch on the progress of legal offline betting in the state of Wisconsin.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Milwaukee?

Yes, but in a very restricted, non-traditional way. In Wisconsin, federally recognized tribes have the ability to negotiate with the state to make amendments to their state compacts. Tribes that successful negotiate amendments allowing for sports betting can then legally operate sportsbooks under the jurisdiction of their individual tribe.

Currently sports betting is allowed on Oneida Nation land, including the Oneida Casino complex north of the International Airport in Green Bay, and many of their One-Stop truck stops in the Green Bay area.

The Forest County Potawatomi Community tribe is expected to launch a sportsbook at their casino in Milwaukee in the near future.

All regulated sports bets in Wisconsin must be placed on reservation land or properties associated with the tribe offering the betting app (like the Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee).

Milwaukee residents also have the option to join and place bets through an offshore betting sites that are licensed and regulated outside of the United States. These sites accept Milwaukee residents and allow you to place bets from anywhere in the city/state (you don’t have to be on tribal land).

Best Betting Sites for Milwaukee Residents

Bovada and BetOnline are the best two offshore betting sites currently accepting American players.

Bovada.lv is our top rated betting site for Milwaukee residents.  Bovada is focused on the American sports betting market and they cater their bet offerings, bonuses, promotions, customer service and deposit/withdrawal options to best serve American players.

Bovada is the most popular online betting site for Americans.  Check out our full review here.

Legal Offline Sports Betting in Milwaukee

Potawatomi Casino

The Potawatomi Casino in downtown Milwaukee will be opening a sportsbook in spring of 2023. There will be 17 self-service betting kiosks, high definition televisions, and a full-service bar.

Pro Sports Teams in Milwaukee

Milwaukee is home to two professional sports teams from the big four North American sports leagues.  The Milwaukee Brewers of the MLB and the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers have made the playoffs four of the past five seasons, but they have only won one playoff series in that span.  The Brewers were established in 1969 and have been based in Milwaukee since 1970.  In that entire history the Brewers have 0 World Series title and 0 National League Pennants.  The team does have one American League Pennant from back in 1982 when the Brewers were apart of the American League, but it would be quite a feat for the city if the Brewers were able to win a World Series or even just the NLCS.  The Brewers had only made the playoffs four times in their entire history prior to their four seasons streak from 2018 to 2021.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks were founded in 1968 and have been in Milwaukee for their entire history.  The Bucks won the NBA Championship following the 2020-21 season. They have NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo locked up for a few more years, and they will be perennial contenders while he’s on the roster. The Bucks lost the Celtics in 7 games in 2022, and will look to make another deep run in 2023.