How to legally, responsibly bet on the Winter X Games
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Published:
Jan 15, 2025
,
07:02 p.m.
ET
Key Points:
Winter X Games returns to Aspen January 23-25.
Sports betting is legal in 38 states and Washington D.C., with Missouri in the process of becoming the 39th.
Colorado, home to the Winter X Games, allows both online and in-person sports betting.
Winter X Games bet types include: Money Line, Prop Bets, Head-to-Head, or Over/Under
Bet Smart: Set a budget, research odds, avoid chasing losses and stick to licensed sportsbooks.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Birches Health is a specialized provider of gambling addiction treatment nationwide. Care is available virtually from the comfort of home and is covered by insurance. Knowing how to bet responsibly is critical in aiming to reduce the chances of developing a gambling problem. The goal of this article is to help potential bettors do so in a smart, sustainable and healthy manner if they choose to wager on the event.
The Winter X Games, one of the most high-intensity events in action sports, returns to Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass for the 24th consecutive year, from January 23-25, 2025. This year’s men’s and women’s ski, snowboarding and snowmobiling event features competitions in SuperPipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, Knuckle Huck, and Street Style, with 109 athletes – including 39 Americans – competing for medals and glory. The event will also include live music performances from artists like Deadmau5 and Illenium. Whether you’re attending in person or tuning in via ESPN, ABC, or Roku, the X Games offer countless opportunities to elevate your experience, making it a must-watch for both sports and music fans.
First held in Rhode Island in 1995, the X Games began as a summer event highlighting extreme sports like skateboarding and BMX. The Winter X Games debuted two years later at Big Bear Lake, California, featuring skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. Over the years, the games have grown exponentially in popularity, cementing their reputation as a showcase for groundbreaking athletic feats.
“X” stands for “extreme,” and in mathematics, it stands for an “unknown,” and the Winter X games offer extreme action with an element of the unknown, which makes it thrilling for a population of fans that has exploded in the last 20 years. Of course, with growing popularity in today’s largely legalized sports betting climate, the Winter X Games attracts plenty of legal bettors. But betting legally and responsibly for an event and sports that are considered to be niche, is extremely important.
Which states offer legal sports betting options for X Games?
Since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, legal sports betting has surged across the U.S. Now, in 2025, Missouri is in the process of becoming the 39th state, plus Washington D.C., to present some form of legalized sports betting. If you’re considering betting on the Winter X Games, it’s necessary to understand which states offer legal options.
Note that Colorado is a state where online and in-person betting is legalized, so if you’re attending the event, you can survey a variety of legalized sportsbooks to place your Winter X Games bets.
States with Online Sports Betting
You can place bets from the comfort of your home in these states:
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Missouri (pending)
New Hampshire
New York
New Jersey
Nevada
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
Wyoming
States with Retail-Only, In-Person Sports Betting
For those who prefer visiting a sportsbook, these states offer retail-only sports betting:
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
New Mexico
North Dakota
South Dakota
Washington
Wisconsin
Important Note: In Mississippi, mobile betting is allowed but only on casino property using licensed apps.
Age Restrictions for Betting:
Most states require Winter X Games bettors to be 21 or older, but eight locations allow individuals aged 18+ to place bets:
Kentucky
Montana
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Washington D.C.
Wyoming
What bet types are available for the Winter X Games?
When it comes to X Games betting, variety abounds. Here are the most popular wager types:
Money Line Bets: The simplest, most universal bet type that you will find in just about every single sport. For the Winter X Games, the money line requires you to predict the winner of an event. For example, if you’re confident an athlete will dominate in Big Air, you can bet directly on their victory.
Prop Bets: Wager on specific occurrences that don’t have to do with the overarching outcome of the event, like whether an athlete will land a particular trick.
Head-to-Head Bets: This is a bit more specific than money line betting. This market allows you to pit your targeted athlete against one other athlete in the event, rather than against the rest of the field. If your athlete outperforms that specific athlete, you win the bet.
Over/Under Bets: Over/Under bets are another universal bet type. But in the context of Winter X Games betting, it looks a little different. Predict metrics like the total number of medals won by an athlete or the highest trick score.
Recommendations for betting on the Winter X Games RESPONSIBLY
Betting on the Winter X Games can enhance the excitement, but it’s essential to gamble responsibly. Follow these tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience:
Set a Budget: Set aside a specified amount to allocate toward Winter X Games betting, and stick to it.
Understand the Odds: Research athletes’ past performances and their current form. Research up-and-coming athletes who may be performing in their first X Games. Inspect the specificities of each betting market and gain a general sense of how odds work to make informed bets.
Avoid Chasing Losses: If you lose a bet, resist the urge to wager more to try to recover your losses.
Use Only Reputable Platforms: Only bet through regulated, licensed sportsbooks to ensure fairness and security. Offshore sportsbooks often lack oversight and measures to assist you should something go wrong.
Share Experiences with Others: It’s easy to struggle in silence, and it’s easy to talk when you’re doing well. Be open about your X Games wins and losses with close friends or family. By communicating negative experiences, you don’t have time to fear embarrassment or shame. By communicating, you allow yourself to be hit with a reality check, thus keeping yourself accountable.
