You Can’t Bet On The Colts’ Next QB Because Indiana Sportsbooks Didn’t Ask

Indiana football fans find themselves in a unique situation.

The state’s favorite NFL teams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears, are both on the hunt for a new quarterback this offseason.

Both franchises could be in for a change as key players, Carson Wentz and Deshaun Watson, may potentially switch teams. The possible transfers of these two could greatly influence the future course of both teams.

While you can bet on the future of these quarterbacks in other states, Indiana does not permit it.

Why haven’t sportsbooks provided odds on Wentz and Watson trades? It appears to be simply because nobody has inquired.

Betting on Wentz or Watson is prohibited in Indiana.

Gamblers in Colorado and Illinois are now allowed to place bets on the future teams of Wentz and Watson.

At FanDuel in Colorado, the Colts and Bears are at the forefront of the race to secure Wentz.

• Indianapolis Colts: +125
• Chicago Bears: +150
• Houston Texans: +450
• Philadelphia Eagles: +450
• Washington Football Team: +900

Betting is not yet open in these player trade markets in Indiana because sportsbooks have not pursued the necessary permissions.

What is causing the holdup? What obstacles are stopping sportsbooks from quickly accepting Wentz bets from Colts fans?

There appears to be some uncertainty about the procedure for sanctioning new forms of gambling in Indiana.

Indiana introduces new options for sports betting

FanDuel has confirmed to Play Indiana that the odds for Wentz or Watson are not available in the Hoosier State because “it’s not sanctioned according to Indiana’s regulations”.

The sportsbook conveyed that PointsBet gave a similar explanation, saying “Unfortunately, we are currently not permitted to list these bets in Indiana”.

While the state’s approved sports betting markets currently do not include player trade markets, incorporating trades involving Wentz and Watson into this list would not be a major hurdle.

In Indiana, a new kind of sports bet can receive approval by submitting a request to the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC). If the request complies with regulatory standards, the IGC will grant approval.

The issue isn’t a bottleneck of any sort at the IGC, but rather that none of the 10 online sportsbooks in Indiana have put in a request yet.

Sara Gonso Tait, the Executive Director of IGC, has stated that the commission would consider approving player trade markets if they receive a request. However, no sportsbook has yet put forth such a request.

The IGC has already set the market boundaries. However, despite the commission’s readiness to approve, it cannot move forward until a sportsbook initiates the process.

“We aim to scrutinize specific player movement markets in professional sports leagues. We’ve also set up betting limits, which include a maximum stake of $1,000 or a cap on winnings of $1,000, whichever is higher. This implies that there is a $1,000 constraint on plus odds bets (bets that could possibly yield more than $1,000), but no constraint on minus odds bets (bets where the winnings won’t exceed $1,000).”

If a sportsbook ever applies for approval, it’s likely that the process wouldn’t take long, given that the IGC is already ready for such a request.

Colts and Bears acquire new quarterback.

If you’re a supporter of either the Colts or Bears, the idea of betting on your preferred team’s future probably intrigues you.

It’s surprising that Indiana’s sportsbooks haven’t actively pursued these player trade markets, particularly given the significant role of the Colts.

If the idea of betting on a Wentz or Watson trade piques your interest, the best current option would be to travel to Illinois to place your wager. However, this isn’t a feasible option for most residents of Indiana.

If you’re interested in betting on these trades in Indiana, inform your preferred sportsbook. The IGC cannot expedite the process until a sportsbook submits a request.