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Iowa is becoming the 11th state to allow sports betting, and six casinos say they're ready to sign up players and begin taking bets.
New regulations allow betting to begin at noon Thursday.
Casinos in Altoona, Bettendorf, Osceola, and Waterloo will offer betting on-site and through a mobile app.
Casinos in Burlington and Council Bluffs will offer on-site betting only for now until their mobile systems are set up.
Gambling regulators say at least two more casinos could be approved by the end of the day.
Eventually, most of the state's 19 state-regulated casinos are expected to offer sports betting.
In Iowa, players must first travel to a casino to prove their age and identity and set up an account. Mobile betting is allowed only within the borders of Iowa.
Betting is allowed on professional, collegiate and international sporting events. Iowa also has legalized fantasy sports contests and internet fantasy sports betting.
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination and said he may instead challenge one of the most vulnerable Senate Republicans in 2020.
In a video message, Hickenlooper said he had heard from many in his state urging him to enter the Senate race.
"They remind me how much is at stake for our country. And our state," he said. "I intend to give that some serious thought."
Colorado's shift to the left could put Sen. Cory Gardner's seat in jeopardy for Republicans, and at least 10 Democrats have launched campaigns, setting up a competitive primary even before Hickenlooper, 67, makes a decision.
Hickenlooper became a leading figure in Colorado with his quirky, consensus-driven and unscripted approach to politicsNebraska state government has started its new fiscal year with higher-than-expected tax collections.
The Nebraska Department of Revenue announced today that the state's net tax receipts in July totaled $285 million, which is 4.9% above the official forecast of $271 million.
The department says net individual income and sales-and-use taxes were higher than projected, while net corporate income and miscellaneous taxes were lower than the state forecasts.
Nebraska ended its last fiscal year on June 30 with more revenue than expected after a stretch of tight budget years that forced lawmakers to cut programs and slow the growth of state spending.
The Iowa Department of Transportation will close Hamilton Boulevard briefly Friday night to accommodate bridge replacement work on I 29.
Hamilton Boulevard and one lane of southbound I-29 will be closed at 6 p.m. Friday until 7 p.m. Saturday, weather permitting. The work is part of the ongoing interstate expansion project through Sioux City.
