Home to the Windy City, Illinois has swiftly risen to prominence as a premier hub for sports betting since its legalization in 2019. Explore the realm of Illinois sports betting with comprehensive insighꦰts and essential information on the best betting sites available in the state.
- 1 Best Illinois Sports Betting Sites
- 2 Is Sports Betting Legal in Illinois?
- 3 Illinois Sports Betting Timeline
- 4 Sports Betting Revenue & Taxation in Illinois
- 5 Top Sportsbooks in Illinois
- 6 Illinois Sports Betting Apps
- 7 Illinois Sports Betting Promotions
- 8 Illinois Sports Betting Laws & Regulations
- 9 Legal Sportsbooks in Illinois
- 10 Best Local Sports Teams To Bet on in Illinois
- 11 Benefits of Regulated Illinois Sports Betting
- 12 How To Bet on Sports in Illinois
- 13 Illinois Sports Betting Facts
- 14 Illinois Sports Betting Handle
- 15 Responsible Gambling in Illinois
- 16 States With Legal Sports Betting
- 17 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 18 Illinois Resources
- 19 Sports Betting Illinois FAQs
Best Illinois Sports Betting Sites
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Full T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER |
Full T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER |
Is Sports Betting Legal in Illinois?
Illinois sports betting was legalized in June 2019 as part of the Illinois Sports Wagering Act, but it took some time for the launching of sportsbooks to take place in the state. It💝 wasn’t until March 2020, just before the Covid-19 pandemic, that the first retail sportsbooks opened there.
BetRivers became the first online sportsbook to begin oper🗹ations in the state in June 2020.
Illinois Sports Betting Timeline
The following timeline outlines the hi🎶🧸story of online sports betting in Illinois:
1850s – Gambling houses become p🌃articularly popular in Chicago, and the mafia utilizes sports betting as a major revenue stream throughout the 20th century.
1961 – Illinois sports 💎betting online is formally ꦏillegal.
2018 – The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 is deemed ‘unconstitutional’ by the Sup🏅reme Court.
2019 – Governor Prit♍zker signs the Spor👍ts Wagering Act into law, legalizing sports betting.
2020 – The first retail and online sportsbooks launch🥃es in the state.
2023 – Ill🍌inois sports betting handle hits a record $1.16bn in October.
Sports Betting Revenue & Taxation in Illinois
Illinois passed the Sports Wagering Act in 2019 with hope ꦍof gaining another ample source of taꩵx revenue. Explaining his goals for the bill, the 43rd Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker said:
“Sports betting is different. This is a new market created by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. Every day we argue about who’s in and who’s out is money that goes to other states and to the black market.”
The Sports Wagering Act allows for a 15% gross Illinoi🐠s sports betting revenue on all licensed sports betting operations.
Since the launch in 2020, Illinois has emerged as a major player in the sports betting scene — m🌳ainly due to the array of Chicago-based sports franchises. Only three states (New Jersey, Nevada, and New York) have accumulated more revenue from sports betting than Illinois. With an impressive $2.3 billion in earnings, it has also contributed over $361m in taxes — a figure surpassed only by New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Top Sportsbooks in Illinois
If you’re read꧟y to embark on the best sports betting sites Illinois has to offer, I’ve prepared a l꧑ist for you:
1. FanDuel
The immensely popular FanDuel sportsbook launched in Illinois in August 2020, initially partnering with Par-A-Dice Casino, aꦫnd became the state’s third online sports betting operator. It now operates from Fairmount Park Racetrack, which is one of the busiest betting 🍬locations in Illinois.
It’s easy to unde🐎rstand why FanDuel is regarded as one of the US’ premier bookmakers. This sportsbook pioneered the now hugely popular Same-Game Parlay phenomenon, and has long been praised for its sheer array of offered promotions — even if they aren’t the most origi𒆙nal.
The bookie is set to become even more prominent when its two-story retail sportsbook at the United Centeꦜr opens.
- Best betting odds around
- Long list of available payment options when banking
- Pioneer of the popular Same-Game Parlays
- No loyalty program
- Promotions can lack originality
- Must win welcome offer qualifying bet to receive bonuses
2. BetMGM
BetMGM moved swiftly to apply for an online license in Illinois as the sportsbook secured the first🥂 of three online-only sports betting licenses in the state. It opened operati🅘ons in March 2022 following a lengthy delay.
After FanDuel moved over t🦹o Fairmount Park, BetMGM swooped to partner with Par-A-Dice Hotel & Casino, from where they still operate.
BetMGM’s willingness to reward its bettors is 🌸admirable, bo🍸asting an unparalleled rewards program that's undoubtedly the best of its kind. The array of prizes is also off the charts, elevating the overall betting experience to new heights.
💜 While some critics 🌳point to a lack of sportsbook promotions as a possible downside, new Illinois sports bettors can take advantage of a generous welcome offer.
- Lucrative VIP prizes
- Generous welcome offer
- Livestreaming available
- Busy interface
- Website/app hard to navigate
- Better odds can be found at competitors
3. ESPN BET
ESPN BET is the new brand in Illinois, w🌞he꧅re it has partnered with the Hollywood Casino in Aurora for a retail sportsbook and betting app. Other partners include Hollywood Casino Joliet and Argosy Casino Alton.
Backed by PENN Entertainment and the instantly recognizable ESPN, this sportsbook has the potential to emerge as a standout performer in the industry⛎.
A ♑lucrative welcome offer that catches the eye is necessary for a newbie such as ESPN BET, and their two bonuses (100% up to $1,000 first deposit bonus, and place any wager and get $20๊0 in bonus bets) certainly intrigue. The sportsbook also does a superb job of gearing its promotions to local sports teams.
While ESPN Bet can’t yet be compared with 🃏industry giants FanDuel and DraftKings, the early signs for this young sports💎book are certainly promising.
- Excellent first bet bonus
- All new customers automatically enrolled into PENN’s loyalty program
- Promotions geared towards local sports teams
- Sub-par first deposit bonus
- In-play betting interface needs work
- Livestreams must be watched on another app
4. Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars has a retail partnership with Elgin’s Gran♚d Victoria Casino in Illinois, while online sports betting is also easily accessible.
New customers can enjoy a brilliant welcome offer, potentially earning up to $1,000 in bonus bets to kickstart their betting journey with this sportsboo𝄹k.
While the casino product is highly regarded, their sportsbook is also welꦓl worthy of admira𒀰tion. Other than their generous new customer bonus, Caesars offers regular odds boosts for major sporting events and will particularly target games that include the major Chicago franchises.
Same-Game Parlays as well as innovative live graphics are two notable features of Caesars’ online sportsbo💮ok, providing the oppo😼rtunity to take advantage of an extensive menu of betting markets.
- Great emphasis placed upon Chicago franchises for promotions
- Excellent welcome offer with big bonus
- Great in-play betting experience
- Website/app lacks style
5. DraftKings
DraftKings ꦡbecame Illinois’ second online sportsbook in August 2020 and is curren𓄧tly partnered with the Casino Queen in the state.
This bookie’s insistence on delivering standout sportsbook promotions is so impressive; there’s seemingly always something new which catches your eye. DraftKings Dynasty Rewards loyalty program is a𝐆rguably the best of its kind on the market, adding a ton♏ of value to betting with them.
New customers can take advantage of a welcome offer that boasts some great similarities to others on the market, and the𝓀y can also enjoy a No Sweat Same-Game Parlay when getting started with this operator.
- Comprehensive daily sports promotions offering
- Excellent loyalty program
- Stellar pre-match and in-play betting
- Phone support is not an option
Illinois Sports Betting Apps
FanDuel
The most popular anꦰd perhaps the best sports betting app 🌠in Illinois, FanDuel’s mobile app offers a simple yet fun betting experience, with a myriad of promotions and an easy-to-navigate interface.
BetMGM
Despite the array of features of BetMGM’s mobile app, it works efficien🍎tly. Livestreams of major sports leagues are available,♛ and there’s no reduction in the content from their website.
ESPN Bet
There’s so much to appreciate about ES🅰PN BET and it certainly has one of the best sports betting apps Illinois has to offer. The features available are endless, with many praising the sportsbook’s Parlay+, which adds just that lit♛tle bit extra to an incredibly popular bet type.
Caesars Sportsbook
Boasting livestreams of NFL games and a multitude of promotions and bonuses, Caesars’ Illinois mobile sportsꦇ betting app is brilliant choice for bettors.
DraftKings
Another revered operator that can stake its claim as America’s biggest and popular sportsbook, Draf♊tKings’ app is full of content, and Illinois bettors are bound to enjoy the sheer sophistication of their sportsbo꧟ok.
Illinois Sports Betting Promotions
Here ar🀅e som🌃e of the best ongoing Illinois sports betting promos:
BetMGM Bonus Bet up to $1,500
Illinois sports bettors can enjoy multip🧔le new customers offers fronted by this operator.
Their Bonus Bets offer worth up to $1,500 is laden with value. After signing up to BetMGM, you merely need to plaꦰce a $10 wager to qualify for the welcome offer. It’s worth taking a risk with the qualifying bet too, as you’ll only get the whopping amount in bonus bets if your qualifying bet loses.
However, you will only receive bonus 💮b🐠ets equal to the amount of the stake of your qualifying bet.
DraftKings Bet $5, Get $150
What’s not to like about DraftKings’ new customer offer? You will be awarded $150 in bonus bets after placing your first $5 bet with the revered sportsbook. Plus, unlike other promotions, you will rece꧒𝓰ive your bonuses irrespective of whether your qualifying bet wins or loses.
Once your qualifying bet is placed, DraftKings will instantly credit your bonuses (rewarded as x6 $25 bets), which can be used across the entirety of their superb sportsbook. However, the Illinois sports betting bonuses youꦺ receive must be used within seven days of them arriving into your account.
Caesars $1,000 Bonus Bet
For what Caesars’ welcome offer lacks in originality, it’s more than compensated with a ton of value. With tܫhis promotion, new customers receive up to $1,00💮0 in bonus bets after placing a qualifying (first) bet with the sportsbook.
However, like the Bet🃏MGM offer, you will only receive the bet credits if your qualifyin🍃g bet loses.
The bonus bet you rece💙ive is rewarded in one lump sum (depending on the size of your qualifying bet), there are no odds restrictions, it carries a x1 playthrough, and must be used within 14 days of receipt.
FanDuel Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets
There may no longer be a No Sweat First Bet up to $1,000 for Illinois sports bౠettors to enjoy, but FanDuel’s latest new customer offer is still a very generous promotion. It’s one that boasts similarities to promos offered by their competitors.
After placing a single $5 bet on any FanDuel Moneyline market, the sportsbook will give out $150 in bonus bets so long ওas your qualifying bet is a winner. There are no minimum odds restrictions with this offer, but the credits expire after 14 days.
Illinois Sports Betting Laws & Regulations
Like any US✤ state which has legalized sport betting, there are plenty of re📖gulations that come along with it. Here are some of the key points of , which passed in June 2019:
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Licensing fees for casinos and racetracks are priced accordi💟ng to a percentage of the previous years’ 🐼revenue.
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Online operators can either partner with🔥 a local land-based casino or wait for an online-only license.
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Bettors must be 21 or older to wager on sports in🅠 Illinois.
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Minorꦐ league events and K-12 events are restri🐬cted.
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Since December 2021, Illinois college betting has been allowed, but bettors can only place su🌟ch bets at retail sportsbooks and only pre-match wagers can be offered. Individual player props and in-play betting are prohibited.
Legal Sportsbooks in Illinois
Below I've listed the Illinoi🐭s legal sports betting brands that currently oꦫperate in the state:
Illinois Online Sports Betting & Mobile Sports Betting
Online sportsbook | Launched | Partner |
---|---|---|
BetMGM | March 2022 | Par-A-Dice Hotel & Casino |
DraftKings | August 2020 | Casino Queen |
FanDuel | August 2020 | FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing |
Caesers | September 2020 | Grand Victoria Casino Elgin |
BetRivers | June 2020 | River Casino Des Plaines |
Golden Nugget | TBC | Danville Development |
PointsBet | September 2020 | Hawthorne Race Course |
ESPN BET | November 2023 | Hollywood Casino Aurora |
Bally Bet | TBC | Jumer’s Casino |
Circa Sports | September 2023 | American Place Casino |
Land-Based Illinois Sportsbooks
The below🍒 table displays the eight Illinois sports betting locations in operation. Along with these, a PointsBet sportsbook is available at four racetracks in the state.
Nine stadiums also qualify to apply for one of the state’s seven stadium licenses based on seating capacity. A DraftKings sportsbook has opened at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, while FanDuel is set to construct a s🧜portsbook at the United C🔯enter, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks.
Sportsbook | Venue | Address | Sports Betting | Online Betting |
---|---|---|---|---|
BetRivers | Rivers Casino Des Plaines | 3000 S. River Road, Des Plaines | Yes | Yes |
PENN | Argosy Casino Alton | 1 Piasa St., Alton | Yes | Yes |
DraftKings | Casino Queen | 200 Front St., East St Louis | Yes | Yes |
FanDuel | Par-a-Dice Casino | 21 Blackjack Blvd., East Peoria | Yes | Yes |
Caesars | Grand Victoria Casino | 250 S. Grove Ave., Elgin | Yes | Yes |
PENN | Hollywood Casino Joilet | 777 Hollywood Blvd., Joliet | Yes | Yes |
PENN | Hollywood Casino Aurora | 1 W. New York St., Aurora | Yes | Yes |
Harrah’s Casino | Caesars | 100 E Front St, Metropolis | Yes | Yes |
Popular Sports To Bet on in Illinois
Illinois is home to one of the US’ most populous cities, Chicago, and the presence of various major sports franchises in the Wi🐼ndy City means there are multiple popular sports to bet on in the staღte.
Like many other states, baseball, basketball, and football are particularly popular betting options for resident bettors. However, ice hockey and soccer are also prominent sports there and accessible on Illinois’ sportsbooks. Furthermore, college events such as March Madness always gain plenty of traction.
Best Local Sports Teams To Bet on in Illinois
Illinois is home to the Chicago sports franchises: the White Sox and 💧Cubs (MLB), Bulls (NBA), Fire (MLS), 🥂Bears (NFL), and Blackhawks (NHL).
Despite its status as one of America’s major sporting cities, Chicago’s franchises haven’t exactly been blessed with perpetual success. Michael Jordan littered the city with championships in the 90s as he reached GOAT status in basketball. His Bulls were six-time NBA Cham🅷pions between 1991🌠 and 1998.
The Blackhawks are the most decorated Chicago franꦉchise of the 21st century. Three of their six Stanley Cup triumphs arrived since the new Millennium.
Chicago’s MLB teams have each won three World Series. Both the White Sox and Cubs endured extended championship droughts until their respective ‘recent’ victories. The White Sox ended their 88-year drought in 2005, while the Cubs ende🦹d a 108-y🀅ear drought in 2016.
The Chicago Bears are laden with history, but modern-day success has come few and far between. They won eight championships before the 1970 merger but have since gone on to wi📖n one Super Bowl. The ’85 Bears areꦏ nonetheless recognized as one of the great NFL teams.
While The Fire aren’t as well-supported as the other Chicago franchises, MLS in general remains a relatively popular league in the US, and Lionel Messi’s arrival in Miami will only aid the league’s growth. The Fire are only one-time MLS Cup win𝓡ners (1998).
Benefits of Regulated Illinois Sports Betting
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The Illinois sports betting t🎐ax rate is relatively high༒ at 15%, which has helped boost the state economy.
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Strict geolocations rules a🐭re in place to ensure all bettors are wagering from within state lines.
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E𒊎asier to prevent underage gamblers from creating accounts with online Illinois sportsbooks.
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Able to track betting activity of individual bettors and can assess risk💫 of problem gambling.
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Greater excitement for sports bettors when betting on Il💦linoi꧅s-based teams, particularly the Chicago franchises.
How To Bet on Sports in Illinois
There are a multitude of betting options for Illinois punters following the launch of sports betting in 2020. I’ve covered the array of Illinois retail sportsbooks in operation, and alongside them are several major online sportsbooks also in action.
♌ Yo🌱u must be minimum 21 years old to wager online or via Illinois’ retail locations; and while you must be within state lines to bet, you do not have to be a resident of the state.
You no longer need to register at a retail location to place online bets in Illinois, so here’s how you can go about crea𓆉ting an online betting account with an Illinois sportsbook:
Pick one of the available oཧnline sportsbooks operating in Illinois.
Download the best illinois🍒 sports betting app via the App Store or Google Play (iOS/Android).
If you’re 21 oꦬr over, register for an online betting acco꧒unt.
A wide variety of payment methods 🐬should be available, so you should have no issues depositing funds into your account.
Once your online sports betting Illinois account is f🔜unded, take advantage of any new customer offers the sportsbook might h💞ave.
Start placing sports wagers!
Illinois Sports Betting Facts
Launch date | 2020 |
Legal age | 21 |
Retail betting | Yes |
Online sports betting | Yes |
Esports betting | Yes |
College betting | Yes |
Mobile betting | Yes |
Taxable winnings | 15% |
Geolocation services | Yes |
Regulator | Illinois Gaming Board |
Illinois Sports Betting Handle
The state has accumulated the fourth-biggest sports betting handle si𝓰nce sports betting was launched in 2020. Only New Jersey, Nevada and New York have genera🎀ted bigger handles than Illinois ($27 billion).
While the majority of the state’s take comes via the eight online sportsb🌜ooks in operation, a couple of Illinois’ retail locations are able to geꦑnerate monthly handles in excess of $200 million. Fairmount Park (FanDuel) and Casino Queen (DraftKings) are both closing in on $10 billion all-time handles.
October 2023 was a record-breaking month for the state in terms of handle. Illinois sportsbooks combined took in over $🐼1.1 billion — a new state record.
Responsible Gambling in Illinois
The Illinois Gaming Board places a strong emphasis on measured and contꦅrolled gambling. The Board encourages bettors and, in particular, problem gamblers to make use of the , which offers resources and advice throughout.
States With Legal Sports Betting
At the time of writing, more than 30 states (plus Washington DC) have legalized sports bettinಞg in the US.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
This guide has detailed just how strong sports betting is in Illinois. After a slow start due to the pandemic, Chicago’s strength as a sporting city has started to take hold, and sportsbooks operating in the state are reaping the rewards. Given the future plans in place, sports betting is set to reach the next lev🔯el in Illinois.
Illinois Resources
Sports Betting Illinois FAQs
Sport﷽s betജting was legalized in Illinois in June 2019.
There are currently eight Illinois sp𝓰orts betting apps in operation: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, ESPN BET, Caesars, BetRivers, PointsBet, and Circa. Bally Bet and Golden Nugget are soon set to launch in the state.
Bettors must be 21 or over to wager in Illinois.
Illinois sports betting age is 21.
Yes, daily fantไasy sports are legal in the state of Illino♍is.