There may be no NFL team for us to call our own here in Iowa, but there are still scores of pigskin fans across the state. While there’s no one single squad that fans are pledging their allegiance to, plenty of options are available from neighboring states.
If we look toward the north, we find the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have a strong following in the Hawkeye State, and now you can legally place bets in Iowa on all of their games.
You can be ready to bet online on the NFL in mere minutes. Read on for the best places to play, some outstanding sign-up offers and where to get the latest odds. Here’s our guide to betting on the Vikings in Iowa.
NFL futures odds let you bet on the Vikings to win the Super Bowl, NFC or NFC North well in advance of and during the season. Check our live odds from Iowa online sportsbooks below to see the best current odds on the Vikings. Click the odds to go straight to the sportsbook, claim your bonus and lock in your bet.
There are plenty of ways to bet on the NFL, including a range of props for each game. There are also season-long props to consider on all of the top Vikings stars, including Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook. See below for any current prop or individual awards odd at IA online sportsbook. Click the odds to go right to the sportsbook and claim you bonus.
You can bet on all of the Vikings games from the preseason through to the playoffs. Get the best available lines on every Vikings game below with our live odds feed from online sportsbooks in Iowa. Click any odds to go directly to the sportsbook, claim your bonus and get started on your Vikings bets.
Las Vegas remains entrenched as a sports betting mecca. The oddsmakers out in Sin City are talented, and the books attract lots of betting action. The odds for the biggest games and events are still viewed as the standard.
That said, the times are changing rapidly. Now that sports betting has been legalized in multiple states, there are a lot more options available. For example, there are a number of top sportsbooks here in Iowa that are completely legal.
They’re doing a fantastic job with the odds and lines, as well. In fact, they’re right in line with what you’ll see out west. That doesn’t mean they’ll always be the same, but it does mean that local oddsmakers are providing us with an efficient market.
While researching sports you want to bet on, there’s nothing wrong with checking out the latest numbers from Vegas. This will give you a baseline to compare things too, but there’s a good chance that you’ll find comparable numbers here at home.
When you’re getting set for a Vikings game, there will be plenty of betting opportunities for you to consider. Two of the more intriguing ones have emerged as popular options at online sportsbooks. Live betting lets you wager along as the game plays out, while props open the door to even more ways to bet on the proceedings.
For live betting, the best place to make it happen is with an app. All the top sportsbooks feature dedicated sections for current and upcoming offerings. As you enjoy the game, you can simply check out the app to scout for intriguing wagers. You’ll see updated Vikings odds for the spread, total and moneyline, as well as opportunities like this:
In advance of kickoff, you can find the available props for the game by clicking the main listing for the Vikings and their opponent. There will be some that are based on team performance or the game outcome, as well as plenty that revolve around player statistics.
As you can see, there’s a lot of crossover between prop betting and fantasy sports, so it’s a great entry point for those with experience with the latter. There will be plenty of options for each game during the season, so be sure to check them out.
Options are a good thing, and there are several when it comes to mobile sports betting in Iowa. Two of our top choices are William Hill and DraftKings, a pair of industry leaders that have been at the top of the charts in a number of legal states to date.
For years, William Hill was the top bookmaking operator across the pond. The company has been expanding its operations in the US for some time now and has been well-received. The odds and lines are always right in line with what the betting market supports, and the platform is laid out in clearly.
DraftKings burst onto the daily fantasy sports scene about a decade ago. It took some time, but the company emerged as the top destination for DFS. DraftKings had a close eye on developments with legal sports betting, and the company has been going all-in when states have legalized. The app is highly regarded across the industry.
For comparison purposes, it’s a close call. The William Hill app is a bit cleaner and smoother, but the DraftKings app does a better job with live betting and promotions. Bettors looking to get down to business may prefer the William Hill app, while those who like more features should look to DraftKings.
When there’s a Vikings game on tap, legal sportsbooks will be on standby with odds and lines for bettors to consider. The standard game listing covers three of the most popular ways to bet on the NFL. Here’s what you can expect to see:
Detroit Lions | +4.5 (-110) | +180 | O 52.5 (-110) |
Minnesota Vikings | -4.5 (-110) | -220 | U 52.5 (-110) |
Next to the two team names are the numbers for the point spread, moneyline and totals. A negative number points to a favorite, while underdogs get positive digits. For spreads and totals, you’ll see the number posted by the sportsbook as well as the odds for the wager.
In this example, Minnesota is favored by 4.5 points and is the moneyline favorite in a game with a projected total of 52.5 points. Here’s a quick runthrough of the three bet types:
NFL games are heavily bet, so you can safely assume that all three bet types will attract a lot of action for Vikings games. Make sure you take the time to shop around at different sportsbooks, as the odds can be slightly different. While it may seem minor, those small shifts can make a big difference to your overall betting success.
Minnesota has had a good run of success in reaching the postseason in recent times. The club made the playoffs in three of five seasons between 2015-19. It made it the furthest in 2017 with a loss in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Entering 2020, some of the faces had changed, but the Vikings were still viewed as having enough talent to be a factor. Unfortunately, that didn’t end up being the case. An up-and-down season eventually saw the Vikings with a 7-9 record and on the outside come playoff time.
The NFL schedule release is one of the most highly anticipated events of the offseason. Fans get their first official glimpse of what the season ahead holds for their team. There’s still some time before we have complete clarity on what it’ll mean for the Vikings next season, but we do have a handle on who the majority of opponents will be.
One potential wild card is the addition of a 17th game to each team’s schedule. The NFL’s latest collective bargaining agreement allows for such an addition, though there hasn’t been an official decision for 2021. With 16 games, the Vikings’ schedule would break down as follows. If a 17th game does get added, it would be an additional interconference game.
The NFL scheduling formula requires a rotation of which divisions will square off against one another each season. Next time around, games with the AFC North and NFC West are on tap for the Vikings. Since we know that, we can say for certain that 14 of the games line up like this:
The actual dates of when the Vikings will face each opponent also remain up in the air. In the interim, we can look ahead to some quality contests against lots of other potential playoff contenders in the coming campaign.
The Vikings have been an entertaining bunch in recent years. There has been a lot of star power on offense, as well as talent on defense. Add it all up, and it’s not too tough to see why the team has been in contention more often than not. Here’s a look at the leaders in some key stats over recent seasons:
Year | Pass Yds | Rush Yds | Receiving Yds | Tackles | Sacks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Cousins - 3,603 | Cook - 1,135 | Diggs - 1,130 | Kendricks - 110 | Hunter - 14.5 |
2018 | Cousins - 4,298 | Cook - 615 | Thielen - 1,373 | Kendricks - 108 | Hunter - 14.5 |
2017 | Keenum - 3,547 | Murray - 842 | Thielen - 1,276 | Kendricks - 113 | Griffen - 13 |
2016 | Bradford - 3,877 | McKinnon - 539 | Thielen - 967 | Kendricks - 109 | Hunter - 12.5 |
2015 | Bridgewater - 3,231 | Peterson - 1,485 | Diggs - 720 | Kendricks - 92 | Griffen - 10.5 |
Kirk Cousins has been the man behind center for the Vikings recently. Prior to that, the club spent some time looking for a long-term answer. Here’s a look back at the starting QBs over the past decade in Minnesota and how the team fared in each season:
As a team that has regularly been in postseason contention, it’s clear that the Vikings have done a solid job in the NFL draft. Of course, there have been some swings and misses along the way. Here’s a look at the last five players who have been drafted in the first round by Minnesota:
Year | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Justin Jefferson | WR | LSU |
2020 | Jeff Gladney | CB | TCU |
2019 | Garrett Bradbury | C | North Carolina State |
2018 | Mike Hughes | CB | Central Florida |
2016 | Laquon Treadwell | WR | Mississippi |
Mike Zimmer has served as the head coach of the Vikings since 2014. This is a franchise that doesn’t switch things up as much as others might. In Minnesota history, only nine coaches have had the top job. Let’s take a look at the current staff that Zimmer put together:
The Vikings have been playing home games at US Bank Stadium since 2016. When the franchise came into the league, games were played at Metropolitan Stadium, followed by a stint at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Minnesota played two seasons at TCF Bank Stadium while its current home stadium was being built.
If you’ve got plans to be out in the Twin Cities during NFL season but don’t have tickets to see the game, there are some solid alternatives to consider. There are a number of fantastic bars in the area that offer a festive game-day atmosphere. Here’s a few places to check out.
There are 55 screens and a great selection of food and beverages, but this is much more than your average sports bar. There’s a nightclub attached for some after-hours fun and victory celebrations.
In downtown Minneapolis, the Crooked Pint has that local watering hole-feel. Just a few blocks from the stadium, the joint is jumping on game day. There’s an expansive menu and a big beer list to boot.
If you’re looking to head out to watch the games here in Iowa, the same applies. There are a number of quality watering holes that are awesome spots to catch all of the action. Even better, you can log in on mobile and bet whenever you want. Here are two to consider.
Noted for being the place to go for Vikings games in Waterloo, the Screaming Eagle is a fun spot with plenty of food and drink specials. Game days are awesome, while the venue is also known for being a great spot to check out live bands.
A combination of an Irish pub and sports bar, Mickey Finn’s is a real crowd-pleaser in Des Moines. Food and beverage selections are outstanding, and there are plenty of screens to catch the games and even karaoke on the weekends.
When the Vikings are playing, you won’t have trouble finding the game on the dial. NFL Sunday afternoon games will be on either CBS or Fox. Both networks have affiliate stations across Iowa that you can tune into.
If Minnesota is playing in one of the night games, options vary based on the slot. Thursday Night Football appears on NFL Network, Fox and Amazon Prime. Sunday Night Football makes its home on NBC, while Monday Night Football is on ESPN.
You can pick up the broadcast networks with a simple antenna in some spots. All of the above channels are available in cable, streaming and satellite packages, but some caveats apply. NFL Network may be an add-on, while Amazon Prime is a separate option.
On Sunday afternoon, you can also find coverage on NFL RedZone and DirectTV’s Sunday Ticket, but both require separate subscriptions. Select local and primetime games may also be available on Yahoo or the NFL app.
The radio broadcast for Vikings games is available on several stations across the state, including WMT AM 600 in Cedar Rapids and KXNO AM 1460 in Des Moines. The audio feed is also available online or via the app with options such as TuneIn radio. Paul Allen takes care of play-by-play on radio broadcasts, while Pete Bercich chips in with color commentary.
The history of the Vikings goes back to 1960. The club was an expansion team that first began play in 1961. As a newer team, early seasons were a bit challenging, but fortunes began to change with the hiring of Bud Grant as head coach in 1967.
From 1968 through 1982, the team went on a phenomenal run of making the playoffs in 12 of 15 seasons. The Minnesota clubs of the 1970s were among the best of the decade and featured one of the most feared defensive units in NFL history, known affectionately as the Purple People Eaters.
The team made it to four Super Bowls over this stretch but came up short each time. After Grant hung it up for good in 1985, there was a natural transition, but another run of postseason appearances soon began. From 1987 through 2000, the club made the playoffs in all but two seasons.
The most memorable squad of this era was the 1998 team. The Vikings went 15-1 and featured an explosive offense that was spearheaded by QB Randall Cunningham. The team seemed destined for a Super Bowl appearance, but it would be stunned by the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game.
Since the turn of the century, the Vikings have had a decent amount of playoff appearances, but they haven’t been able to get any further than an appearance in the conference title game. The current crop of stars has made it to the playoffs in three of the six seasons in which Mike Zimmer has been roaming the sidelines.
Since its inception, the Minnesota franchise has not been lacking on the talent front. The club has retired six numbers, counts 25 members in its ring of honor and another 22 players and contributors enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team record book is filled with greats. Here’s a look at some of the top marks:
Minnesota had a solid 2017 season, going 13-3 and making it as far as the NFC Championship game. Case Keenum was behind center and did an excellent job, but the team was nonetheless intrigued by the free-agent status of Kirk Cousins in the offseason.
There was quite a battle for his services, but the Vikings managed to land him with a guaranteed $84 million contract for three seasons. Cousins has had some solid moments as the starter and helped lead the team to the postseason in 2019.
The Vikings have been owned by Zygi Wilf and family since 2005. Wilf, a successful real estate developer, acquired the team for a reported $600 million. The team was initially founded by a group of Minnesota businessmen led by Bill Boyer and Max Winter. The club changed hands three other times prior to the purchase by Wilf.
The latest NFL franchise valuations from Forbes peg the Vikings with a list price of $2.95 billion. That places them 17th out of 32 franchises. The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable on the list at $5.7 billion, while the Cincinnati Bengals are last at $2 billion.
Six Vikings players currently hold the captain designation — four on offense and two on defense:
A number of legendary Vikings players have served as team captains during franchise history, including Brett Favre and Jim Marshall.
On the low end, Vikings tickets can be had for around $80 or so, while the primo seats can climb over $1,000. Online ticket broker VividSeats lists an average price of $378 for team home games. Keep in mind that pricing will vary by section and that demand could lead to huge spikes on the resale market.
The Vikings have made it to the Super Bowl four times, but they’ve lost on each trip to the big game. The last appearance came in Super Bowl XI, a 32-14 loss to the Oakland Raiders. The team has a total of 30 playoff appearances, the last of which came in 2019.
To date, the Vikings franchise has retired only six numbers, but there are 25 names on the team’s ring of honor. Here are the players and numbers that have received the ultimate honor:
You can follow @Vikings on Twitter for the latest team news and notes. Vikings.com is the official home, while the club also has accounts on other top social media platforms, including Facebook. There’s also an official Vikings app available for Apple and Android users.