Illinois is having a great boost in their sports betting industry; markets are only seeing highs, so it’s much needed to know what changes are being made by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) and how it’s benefitting the new sports bettors from Illinois.
Introduction
This comes after Illinois increased its sports betting tax from 15% to a tiered system ranging from 20 to 40% last year. There were more than 370 million bets on sports made in 2024, with FanDuel and DraftKings taking in more than 300 million.
Illinois has bet big on gambling by legalizing online sports betting and sports books at horse racetracks and casinos. The state has also permitted 16 casinos, in addition to authorizing slot machines at bars, restaurants and truck stops — collectively bringing in $1.76 billion in tax revenue last year.
History and Legalization of Illinois Sports Betting.
The Illinois Sports Wagering Act was passed into law on June 28, 2019, with the first legal wager being placed on March 9, 2020 The Act allows for individuals 21 or older to place monetary wagers on live sporting events. In 2018, the United States Supreme Court held in Murphy
The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) is the regulatory and law enforcement agency that oversees all licensed casino gambling, video gaming and sports wagering in the state. Our mission is to protect the integrity and safety of Illinois gaming while generating revenue for the state and local gaming host communities.
How Illinois Sports Betting Works
As long as you are 21 years of age or older, you can bet at any registered and certified sportsbook online within the state of Illinois.
you do not need to be an Illinois resident to place sports bets. However, you must be physically located within the state borders when placing your bets, whether online or at a retail sportsbook.
Types of Bet
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is usually a choice between a “favourite” (the team or athlete considered more likely to win) and an “underdog” (considered less likely to win)
Parlays
Correlated parlays are two or more bets from the same game that rely on a closely related outcome: for example, betting that a football (soccer) team might both score more than three goals in a match and also win the match.
Futures Bet
When placing a futures bet, you are wagering on players or events that have longer-term outcomes.
Top Illinois Sports Betting Apps
List and compare top apps
Fanduel
With solid customer service, a variety of fast and free deposit/withdrawal options, and a large selection of sports and bets to choose from, it makes sense why FanDuel is one of the most trusted names in sports betting
DraftKings sportsbook
One of the standout features of the DraftKings Sportsbook app is the extensive range of sports markets available. Whether you’re interested in football, basketball, hockey, or even niche sports, this app has you covered
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars offers up to 10 Reward Credits for every $100 wagered on straight bets and up to 20 Reward Credits for every $100 wagered on parlays. Upon accumulating Caesars Rewards, the customer can cash them in for bonus bets or hotel, shopping and entertainment benefits.
Betrivers
BetRivers Sportsbook offers betting on a wide array of sporting events including professional baseball, tennis, golf, soccer, football, basketball, hockey, and more! Bets include, but not limited to, straight bets, parlays, totals, and in-game betting.
Illinois Sports Betting Promos
Welcome Bonuses
New customers only need to place a $1 wager to take advantage of a lucrative welcome bonus of ten (10) 100% Profit Boost Tokens. You will need to use Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBRBONUSDYW to redeem the promo when completing the required $10 deposit. Here’s how to collect your bonus:
- Create an account and use promo code SBRBONUSDYW at sign up
- Make a deposit of at least $10
- Wager $1 via the Caesars mobile app or desktop site
- Your account will then be credited with 10 100% Profit Boost Tokens to use on any market
- The max wager for each rewarded Profit Boost is $25
- The max additional winnings for each rewarded Profit Boost is $2,500
- Profit Boosts expire after 14 days
Popular Sports and Teams to Bet On in Illinois
Professional Sports Leagues
Football: NFL, CFL
Basketball: NBA, Euroleague
Baseball: MLB, KBO (Korean Baseball Organization), NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball)
Hockey: NHL, KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation)
Soccer: FIFA, UEFA, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, CAF, AFC
Golf: PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, European Tour
Tennis: ATP, WTA, ITF
Combat Sports: UFC, boxing (sanctioned by the Association of Boxing Commissions)
Motorsports: NASCAR, Formula 1
Others: Rugby (NRL), darts (PDC, BDO), table tennis (ITTF), cricket (ICC)
Local teams:
- Chicago Cubs
- Chicago Fire FC
- Chicago White Sox
- Chicago Bears
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Southern Illinois Miners
- Chicago Bulls
- Chicago Dogs
- Kane County Cougars
- Peoria Chiefs
Illinois Sports Betting Online: What You Need to Know
Pros and Cons of Betting Online
PRO’S
- Tax Revenue – This is the number one reason why the bill was passed—to generate tax revenue. So exactly how much revenue will sports betting generate? Well, that is anyone’s guess, but definitely, more than $0 (nada) which is the current amount being generated from sports betting.
- Additional revenue for establishments that hold gaming licenses – If you think legalized sports betting is going to generate the majority of revenue from people making and losing $500 or $1,000 bets, you are mistaken. However, if done correctly licensed gambling establishments will serve as destinations to watch the games. These establishments will also likely sell food and alcohol, which will create additional revenue for them and taxes for the state.
- Giving people a choice – Giving people a choice is good. If you think about it, not legalizing sports betting a long time ago was silly. Having Las Vegas as the only place to place a legal sports bet was pretty ridiculous.
CON’S
- It won’t create as much revenue as Illinois hopes for and expects – The majority of sports bettors will continue to bet offshore or with an illegal bookie. The convenience of a legal sports bet will not trump the benefits of the anonymity and no taxes that are available with illegal betting. Additionally, bookies give credit to their customers, which is a huge advantage in keeping their customers.
Illinois Sports Betting Registration Process
- Click the “Bet Now” button and then choose “Illinois.”
- Create a username and password, and enter your email address.
- Enter your details, including the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Payment Options
Payment Methods: PayPal, Apple Pay, Debit cards, Credit Cards, Online bank transfer, & More
Wagering Requirements: Dependent on Operator
Responsible Gambling Resources in Illinois
Problem Gambling Help in Illinois
If you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, help is available.
The resources presented here are intended to be a starting point – this is not a complete list of information or services.
Visit: https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/help-by-state/illinois/
Future of Illinois Sports Betting
The budget includes a new provision taxing every sports bet made in Illinois by 25 cents for the first 20 million wagers a company takes and 50 cents for each bet past that threshold. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has said he plans to sign the budget into law. 3 days ago
Conclusion
Illinois doesn’t have many things to offer, but what they offer is one of the best. They some great promos like New customers only need to place a $1 wager to take advantage of a lucrative welcome bonus of ten (10) 100% Profit Boost Tokens. Not only promos, they give you a chance to bet on some of the biggest sports leagues like the NBA, MLB, UFC, etc. But there still are some places where Illinois lags behind. So we hope this blog might helped you to consider that. Be a responsible bettor; if needed, visit the link given.
