Illinois has quickly become one of the most successful and competitive sports betting markets in the U.S. since its launch in 2020. With nine legal sportsbooks available online, including industry leaders like FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars, Illinois provides bettors with a wide range of options. Whether you’re a seasoned bettor focusing on NBA point spreads or a fan experimenting with Same Game Parlays for NFL matchups, Illinois sports betting offers something for everyone. As one of the few states with a limited number of licenses, the market remains exclusive, ensuring high-quality options for discerning bettors.
Illinois sports betting is tailored to meet the needs of a passionate sports community, from the bustling energy of Chicago to the state’s collegiate sports presence. With exclusive promotions, competitive odds, and user-friendly apps, Illinois sportsbooks offer tremendous value to new and existing bettors. Our team of experienced analysts has extensively tested each legal platform throughout the year, providing insights to help you navigate the best bonuses and features. Whether you’re betting on the Chicago Bulls or placing a wager during MLB’s offseason, this guide equips you with everything you need to know about legal sports betting in Illinois.
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Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
Illinois sports betting officially became legal on March 9, 2020, following a lengthy legislative process that culminated in Governor J.B. Pritzker signing SB 690 into law in June 2019. This comprehensive 900-page bill, part of a broader capital initiative, paved the way for both retail and online sports betting throughout the state. The first legal wager was placed at Rivers Casino, marking a milestone for Illinois as it joined the growing list of states embracing legal sports betting. With casinos, racetracks, and professional sports venues offering betting options, Illinois quickly established itself as a significant player in the sports wagering industry.
The rollout of online sports betting apps in June 2020 further solidified Illinois as one of the most competitive sports betting markets in the U.S. Licensed operators provide a wide range of betting options, from traditional point spreads to live betting and parlays. With no tribal casinos in the state, the Illinois market focuses on commercial venues, ensuring widespread access for bettors. Thanks to its carefully regulated framework, Illinois sports betting delivers a safe, accessible, and engaging experience for sports fans across the state.
ATS.io Editors’ Top Five Illinois Sports Betting Sites for 2024:
- FanDuel Sportsbook – Largest prop and sports betting market IL betting app
- Caesars Sportsbook – Best new user welcome promo for Illinois sports bettors
- BetMGM – Best Illinois betting site player’s rewards program
- DraftKings Sportsbook – Best for DFS & betting in one spot, free player contests
- BetRivers – Best betting app for daily player perks
List of Illinois Online Sportsbooks
Sports betting has been operational for a few years now in Illinois, and many of the largest sports betting sites have already set up shop in the state. Here are some of the best online sportsbooks residents have to choose from and what they offer.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbook has firmly established itself as one of Illinois’s premier sports betting platforms, thanks to its strategic partnerships with the Chicago Blackhawks and Bulls and its retail sportsbook at Fairmount Park Racetrack. FanDuel offers one of the most intuitive and accessible betting experiences in Illinois, making it a favorite among both new and experienced bettors. The app’s ‘Live’ section is a standout feature, allowing users to watch games and place bets in real-time, creating a dynamic and engaging platform. With its seamless interface, quick deposit options, and innovative features like Same-Game Parlay Plus, FanDuel provides an elevated sports betting experience. The sportsbook’s strong welcome bonus and year-round promotions further solidify its reputation as a user-focused platform.
FanDuel’s entrance into the Illinois market in August 2020 marked a pivotal moment in the state’s sports betting landscape. Partnering with Par-A-Dice Casino, FanDuel became the third online sportsbook to launch in Illinois, bringing a wealth of betting options ranging from major U.S. leagues to international sports. Its alignment with Fairmount Park enabled FanDuel to offer retail and online betting, appealing to a wide range of users. Whether you’re wagering on NFL matchups, crafting parlays for NBA games, or exploring international soccer leagues, FanDuel delivers a trustworthy, expert-driven, and enjoyable betting experience that continues to set the standard in Illinois sports betting.
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Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook Illinois has quickly become a top choice for sports bettors in the state, combining the trusted reputation of Caesars Entertainment with the expertise of British bookmaker William Hill. After acquiring William Hill and rebranding its Illinois operations, Caesars Sportsbook now offers a robust platform for both new and seasoned bettors. Partnering with Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Caesars delivers an excellent combination of in-person and online sports betting options. New users can take advantage of an enticing welcome offer, including the opportunity to double winnings on their next 10 wagers with the bonus code PLAYILDYW, making it an attractive entry point for Illinois bettors.
Beyond its promotional perks, Caesars Sportsbook stands out for its seamless mobile app and integrated rewards program. The app, available on iOS and Android, offers live streaming of select NFL games and a user-friendly interface that makes finding and placing bets effortless. Meanwhile, the Caesars Rewards loyalty program allows users to earn points with every real money wager, redeemable for bonuses, travel discounts, and exclusive experiences. With a comprehensive betting portfolio and top-notch customer support, Caesars Sportsbook Illinois provides an unmatched sports betting experience, solidifying its position as a go-to option for Illinois bettors.
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM Sportsbook Illinois has quickly established itself as a premier option for sports bettors since its launch on March 5, 2022. Despite not having a physical presence in the state, BetMGM’s partnership with Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria allows Illinois bettors to enjoy a seamless online betting experience. Known as the “King of Sportsbooks,” BetMGM offers an extensive range of sports and bet types, making it a top choice for fans of any sport. New users can take advantage of a generous welcome bonus of up to $1,500 in bonus bets using the promo code ATSBONUS, giving them a strong start in the competitive Illinois sports betting market.
What sets BetMGM apart are its innovative features and frequent promotions. Bettors can enjoy unique offerings like the ability to edit wagers and access exclusive promotions tailored for Chicago Bears fans during the NFL season. While the platform’s web navigation could be more intuitive and the app lacks some of the flash of competitors, its approachable design and consistently better-than-average odds make up for these minor drawbacks. With its rolling promotional offers and robust betting menu, BetMGM Sportsbook Illinois remains a standout choice for sports fans looking for reliability and variety in their wagering experience.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook has established itself as a leading player in the Illinois sports betting market, offering a dynamic and user-friendly experience both online and at its retail location at Casino Queen in Alton. As the official sports betting partner of the Chicago Cubs, DraftKings is well-known for its seamless interface, diverse betting markets, and frequent promotions. The sportsbook’s ability to cater to both new and experienced bettors sets it apart, with intuitive navigation and a wealth of tools to enhance the betting experience. Illinois residents have been enjoying the platform since its launch in August 2020, when DraftKings entered the market ahead of schedule by leveraging a unique loophole, setting a competitive precedent for the state’s sports betting industry.
What truly elevates DraftKings Sportsbook Illinois is its commitment to customer-centric innovation. From its robust app functionality to ongoing seasonal promotions, DraftKings ensures that users stay engaged year-round. The platform’s strategic partnership with Casino Queen further solidifies its presence, offering both online convenience and a physical location for an immersive betting experience. Whether you’re wagering from Chicago or exploring the retail sportsbook in Alton, DraftKings delivers trustworthiness, expertise, and entertainment, making it a top choice for sports betting enthusiasts in Illinois.
Additional sportsbook available in Illinois:
How to sign up at an online sportsbook In Illinois
Whether you live in Illinois, or just passing through, want to get started on betting on sports?
Time needed: 10 minutes
- Find the Illinois sports betting site that works for you
You can get started by clicking on the promotion links above. This will bring you to a sportsbook that is legally operating in the state of Illinois. From there, you can begin the registration process.
- Register at an online Illinois sports betting site
The registration process will require you to submit personal information. Be sure to give accurate personal information as it ensures safe and legal betting.
- Use the online cashier to make your first deposit
After finishing registration, you can go on to make a deposit. Each Illinois sports betting app has a number of different familiar payment options available. Visa and Mastercard are the most common payment methods and are accepted by every notable sportsbook in Illinois. Beyond that are multiple alternative payment methods. Paypal, eChecks, bank transfers, and Venmo are accepted by many different sports betting sites.
Making deposits is also possible in-person. Retail sportsbooks operated by online sportsbook may allow you to make deposits to your online account with cash. There is also the PayNearMe service, which can facilitate a cash deposit to a sportsbook account through retail chains such as CVS Pharmacy and 7-Eleven. If you intend to use one of these payment methods, make sure to consult the sportsbook review to ensure your option will accept it.
Once the deposit is made, it’s time to get started on making bets. - Start placing sports bets
Sports betting can be fun, and you can even win real money if you become good enough but losses happen. That’s why you should be smart about it and decide on a budget that you can afford to lose.
List of where to bet in person in Illinois
Sports betting is officially live in Illinois. It’s currently only available in established, online, at casinos and horse tracks across the state. While other states have sports betting at sports stadiums and even certain sports bars, that’s not the case in Illinois at this time. Here are some of the retail sports betting sites operating in Illinois where you can bet on sports at:
DraftKings at Casino Queen
- Location: 200 S Front St, East St Louis, IL 62201
- Retail Sportsbook: DraftKings Sportsbook
- Other Features: Slots, table games
The Casino Queen is a strong choice if you’re in Illinois looking for some betting action. The Casino Queen is a riverboat casino with 38,000 square feet of gaming space and will celebrate its 30th birthday in 2023.
The property was rebranded as DraftKings Sportsbook at Casino Queen in 2020, a deal that saw the property renovated and a betting site added. The Casino Queen is expanding and will also start operating slots at the Fairmount Park Racetrack in the near future, something that will see the company grow its footprint in Illinois betting and gaming.
Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Casino, Grand Victoria
- Location: 250 S Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
- Retail Sportsbook: Caesars Sportsbook
- Other Features: Slots, table games
Caesars Sportsbook has become one of the United States’ largest sports betting sites. This largely stems from the sheer size and reach of the Caesars Entertainment conglomerate.
The company runs casinos across the United States and owns Harrah’s chain of casinos, which has two locations in Illinois. Alongside Harrah’s, Caesars also operates the Grand Victoria Casino, another riverboat casino that runs along the Fox River and is based in Elgin. All three of the casinos also have a Caesars Sportsbook retail location.
BetRivers at Rivers Casino
- Location: 3000 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018
- Retail Sportsbook: BetRivers
- Other Features: Slots, table games, poker
BetRivers and SugarHouse are the sports betting arms of the Rivers Casino chain. Alongside two locations in Pennsylvania, it also has one in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Naturally, the Rivers Casino in Des Plaines operates a BetRivers retail sportsbook location. It also has a huge 147,000-square-foot gaming floor with over 1,400 slot machines as well as table games and poker to suit anyone’s gaming tastes.
FanDuel Sportsbook and Racing at Fairmount Park Racetrack
- Location: 9301 Collinsville Rd, Collinsville, IL 62234
- Retail Sportsbook: FanDuel Sportsbook
- Other Features: Live horse racing
Fairmount Park is one of Illinois’ two active horse racing tracks, featuring thoroughbred flat racing with ample seating for fans. Since 2020, the track has been rebranded as FanDuel Sportsbook and Racing.
As the name suggests, the location now boasts a FanDuel Sportsbook. Slot machines may also be added to the property in the future, courtesy of Casino Queen which boasts a rival retail sportsbook operated by DraftKings.
Fanatics Sportsbook at Hawthorne Race Course
- Location: 3501 S Laramie Ave, Cicero, IL 60804
- Retail Sportsbook: PointsBet
- Other Features: Live horse racing
FanDuel isn’t the only sportsbook option for those who also like to take in horse races. In Cicero, Illinois, Fanatics boasts a retail sportsbook at the Hawthorne Race Course.
Sports bettors are able to take in some races while also betting on sports including basketball, football, and baseball. A casino is also in the works at the location, which will make it a one-stop gaming shop in the near future.
The Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino and Argosy Casino Alton
- Location: 777 Hollywood Blvd, Joliet, IL 60436
- Location: 1 W New York St, Aurora, IL 60506
- Location: 1 Piasa St, Alton, IL 62002
- Other Features: Slots, table games, poker
What Can I Bet On In Illinois?
Popular Sports
Illinois sports bettors have almost all of the traditional sports betting options when it comes to wagering, but there are two big asterisks. First and foremost, Illinois has a ban on betting on in-state collegiate sports. This means that Illinois sports bettors cannot bet on collegiate sports involving Illinois-based schools, but can bet on NCAA contests in any other state.
The other is that esports betting is in limbo in Illinois. Though it’s not actually illegal, it hasn’t been explicitly approved. This keeps it off the table for the time being. Here are some of the sports Illinois sports bettors can wager on:
- NFL
- NBA
- NHL
- MMA
- Boxing
- MLB
- Soccer
- PGA
- Tennis
- Racing
- Darts
- Lacrosse
Top Illinois Sports Teams To Bet On
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs were long Major League Baseball’s lovable losers with their century-long World Series pennant drought becoming the stuff of legends. The signing of Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein in 2011 kicked off a years-long rebuilding of the franchise that resulted in steady improvement for the club and culminated in a 2016 World Series victory, ending the Cubs’ curse after 108 years.
The team has been solid in the years since then, making the playoffs on multiple occasions. Though the team doesn’t look to be winning the World Series again any time soon, it has the pieces in place to return to contendership.
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago Cubs are more popular nationally, but they’re not the only Chicago MLB franchise. The Chicago White Sox are an iconic team in their own right, and were generally the better team until the Cubs took the World Series in 2016.
The Cubs have largely fallen off since 2016, but the White Sox are regular contenders. The team is in the playoff hunt more often than not and gives Chicago baseball fans something to look forward to in October.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears is one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. The team’s notoriously stiff defense is still the benchmark to this day, and the 1985 Monsters of the Midway are widely regarded as one of the greatest NFL teams of all time.
Things haven’t been as great for the franchise in recent years. The team made just six playoff appearances between 2000 and 2022, with its only notable run during that time being a 2006 Super Bowl defeat at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts. Da Bears’ faithful still continue to pack Soldier Field, though.
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are one of the most recognizable brands in American professional sports. Much of that stems from the immortal Michael Jordan and the franchise’s decade-long dynasty in the 1990s.
Much like the Chicago Bears, that reputation doesn’t quite sync up with modern results. The team has missed the playoffs more often than not in recent years but a solid 2021-2022 NBA season is enough to inspire confidence in the team’s prospects in the coming years.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks were one of the Original Six NHL franchises, giving the team loads of history and plenty of banners to hang from the ceiling of the United Center. The team has been up and down throughout its history, but was a dynasty-caliber franchise after coming under the control of owner Rocky Wirtz.
In the seasons after Wirtz became principal owner, the Blackhawks ushered in a modern dynasty by winning three Stanley Cups between 2009 and 2015. The team has been on a downturn since, which wasn’t helped when a significant controversy in 2021 forced the general manager to resign.
Illinois Fighting Illini
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is one of two major NCAA forces in the state of Illinois. The school has 21 varsity teams, competing primarily in the Big Ten conference.
The most notable team for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is its men’s basketball team, which has made multiple appearances in recent NCAA Tournaments. That said, the school boasts competitive teams in a number of sports including a top-notch wrestling program that produced the fearsome Isaiah Martinez.
Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern University is another prominent NCAA Division I school in Illinois. It’s one of the chief rivals of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, competing in the Big Ten conference.
For betting purposes, the team to focus on is Northwestern’s football team, which has been a force in football in recent seasons. The team has earned regular bowl appearances and has come out on top of most of them. It’s also a serious threat at the top of the Big Ten’s western division.
There are many other NCAA programs in Illinois and plenty of other pro teams that call the state their home. Here are some of the most notable:
- Northern Illinois Huskies
- Illinois State Redbirds
- Western Illinois Leathernecks
- Southern Illinos Salukis
- OpTic Chicago
- Chicago Sky
- Chicago Fire FC
- Windy City Bulls
- Chicago Dogs
- FC United
- Chicago Red Stars
- Rockford IceHogs
- Chicago Wolves
Available Types Of Bets in Illinois
Moneyline
Moneylines are what most people imagine when they first think of sports betting. You bet on the team you expect to win and get money based on how the match was expected to go beforehand. No other considerations are made outside victory, making this the simplest style of betting.
Spread
“The spread” is often referred to when discussing sports betting, but what is it? Other regions refer to it as a handicap, which spells it out clearly. The favorite to win the match has to win by a certain number of points in order to have a bet on them hit. This can result in you winning a bet when a team loses, or losing a bet when your team wins. The actual number of points required is explicitly stated before placing the wager.
Live Betting
Live betting is betting that takes place during a game. Even after a game officially starts, bettors can keep wagering on its outcome. The lines are adjusted based on how the action is unfolding, which cna make for some big payouts if you accurately predict a comeback.
Over/Unders
Oddsmakers will make a prediction regarding how many points a team will score during a game and allow bettors to wager whether the team’s final score is over or under that prediction. These lines are presented in decimal fashion, where the line will be set at 24.5 to have the under come in as 24 points or fewer while the over is 25 points or more.
Totals
Totals have the most straightforward name in sports betting. They’re the total combined points scored by both teams during a game. These are usually presented in a fashion similar to an over/under, but include the points scored by both teams.
Prop Bets
Prop bets are bets that look at things beyond just points scored and the winner of the match. These can relate to statistics, like how many yards a quarterback will throw, or specific happenings like a boxer receiving a point deduction for fouls. Each sport has its own popular prop bet categories, and larger events can receive special prop bets.
Parlays
Parlays group together multiple bets as one. Many bookmakers have “same-game parlays” that group together bets from the same match. Parlays carry higher risk since all the bets need to hit in order to result in a win, but have greater potential rewards as well.
Illinois Sports Betting FAQs
According to the Illinois sports betting law 23 master and 3 mobile only licenses are allowed
Yes, as of June 9, 2020 Illinois residents may bet on sports online
Illinois will collect 15% tax from the licensed sports betting sites. This sports betting revenue will go into a “Rebuild Illinois” Fund.
The legal age to place a sports bet is 21. Restrictions in place apply to athletes, coaches and team owners
