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Sports betting in Illinois has now become legal online and on mobile as of March 2022. Check out the best betting sites in the Prairie State.
New customers only. Must be 21+. AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY only. Full T&C apply.
New players only, 21 or older. Available in CO, IA, IL, IN, MI, NJ, NY, PA, VA, WV only. Full T&C apply.
New users only, 21 or older. Available in AZ, CO, CT, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV only. Full T&C apply.
New players only, 21+. AZ, CO, IL, IN, LA, MI, NY, PA, VA, WV only. In order to participate in this promotion, the player needs to make a first deposit (of at least $10). Full T&C apply.
Check out the best sports betting sites and apps
Illinois Sports Betting
Sports betting has been legal in Illinois at retail sportsbooks since March 2020, with the first online sports betting apps and websites coming in June 2020. This followed Governor J.B. Pritzker signing legislation in June 2019 that finally brought legal sports betting to the Prairie State.
Currently, players need to visit a physical sportsbook in order to finalize their account registration and place bets online; however, this will soon be changed. The in-person requirement was dropped on March 5, 2022, allowing players to register online or on mobile.
This change has also allowed more online-only sportsbooks to offer their services to players.
Online Sports Betting | Yes |
Mobile Sports Betting | Yes |
Retail Sports Betting | Yes |
Minimum Age | 21+ |
Illinois Sports Betting FAQ
Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
Betting on sports is completely legal for Illinois residents aged at least 21 years old. You can place bets either in a physical sportsbook, or online via an app or website.
As of March 5, 2022, players are able to register from wherever they are in the Prairie State.
Who governs sports betting in Illinois?
Both online and retail sports betting are regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board. This five-member board is responsible for tax collection, granting licenses to operators, and ensuring fair gaming takes place in the Prairie State.
Where can I bet on sports in Illinois?
Online sports betting is legal for residents throughout Illinois and there are currently seven sportsbooks operational across the Prairie State. However, there is a requirement that you register at a retail sportsbook before you are able to use their online services.
As of March 5, 2022, you are able to legally register and bet on sports with a licensed bookmaker from anywhere within Illinois.
How old do you have to be to bet in Illinois?
The age requirement to place a bet on sports in Illinois, both online and in a retail sportsbook, is 21 years old. There are currently no plans for this to be reviewed.
However, people aged 18 years old are still able to bet on horse racing at state tracks.
What sports can I bet on in Illinois?
Illinois residents are able to bet on any professional sport. This means Prairie State residents are free to back their favorite NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL teams, along with a huge selection of other domestic and international events.
In January 2022, it finally became legal to bet on in-state college games. However, currently no operator has requested to offer these markets. This means that you will not be able to bet on teams such as the Northwestern Wildcats or Illinois Fighting Illini.
There are no restrictions for betting on out of state college sports, though.
Legal Illinois online sports betting
Our top 5 Illinois Sports betting sites
- BetMGM – Top incoming sportsbook.
- FanDuel – Best value odds.
- Caesars – Most generous promotions.
- DraftKings – In Depth analysis.
- BetRivers – Home state favorite.
5. BetRivers
BetRivers was the first online sportsbook to launch in Illinois, debuting in June 2020, thanks to its physical location in the Des Plaines suburb of Chicago. This made the mandated in-person registration to use the online sports betting features easy and convenient for many Illinois residents.
BetRivers has put the same care and attention into its online sportsbook as it has its retail location. There is a huge range of sports to bet on and a deep choice of lines, along with a number of high value, pre-made parlays.
One of the best features on the BetRivers app and website is “Buy Out”, which allows players to cash their bets out early. This gives bettors the option of securing their winnings in exchange for limited returns.
App | Live betting | Streaming | Same game parlay | Refer a friend bonus |
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4. DraftKings
DraftKings may have once been best known for their leading fantasy sports offerings, but as the online gambling market has evolved so has its services. Now, DraftKings has one of the best sportsbooks available.
There is a full range of domestic and international sports on offer, along with a deep selection of lines to ensure that you will be able to find the bet which is right for you. DraftKings also has a wide selection of parlays available, and offer daily Odds Boost lines which offer increased returns.
DraftKings also host generous promotions on its online sportsbook, along with a loyalty program which stretches across its portfolio of services.
App | Live betting | Streaming | Same game parlay | Refer a friend bonus |
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3. Caesars
Caesars Sportsbook will be live in Illinois very soon
Caesars is one of the most well known and respected brands in the gambling industry, and is almost synonymous with the original betting hub of Las Vegas. As legal sports betting has spread around the country, though, so have Caesars via its leading sportsbook.
Caesars purchased leading British sportsbook William Hill in order to run its online betting service, and the experience shows. Both the website and app are wonderfully designed, and offer a complete range of sports and lines for players to select from.
As you may expect from a brand with such a strong background in hospitality, Caesars knows how to look after its customers. Caesars offers some of the best promotions and bonuses in the online sports betting market.
App | Live betting | Streaming | Same game parlay | Refer a friend bonus |
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2. FanDuel
While FanDuel started life as a fantasy sports platform, it has since expanded from its roots and now has one of the leading online sportsbooks.
What helps FanDuel stand out from other sportsbooks are its odds, which often give slightly more value than its competitors. Combined with generous promotions and bonuses, FanDuel offers one of the best value online sports betting experiences.
Players will also be able to visit FanDuel at numerous retail sportsbook locations. Along with its existing site at the Par-A-Dice Casino in East Peoria, FanDuel has recently signed a deal to construct a new facility at the United Center.
App | Live betting | Streaming | Same game parlay | Refer a friend bonus |
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1. BetMGM
BetMGM has rapidly become one of the leading sportsbooks since online betting has become widely legalized. Soon, residents of Illinois will be able to find out why.
The site offers a complete catalog of sports to bet on, along with a comprehensive breakdown of lines to ensure that you’ll be able to find the exact market you want to back. This is combined with a huge number of odds boosts, promotions, and One Game Parlay options as well.
BetMGM does not launch in Illinois until March 5, 2022, when the requirement to register to play at a physical location is lifted.
App | Live betting | Streaming | Same game parlay | Refer a friend bonus |
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More Great Illinois Sports betting sites
PointsBet
PointsBet stands out from other online sportsbooks thanks to its unique PointsBetting feature. This will be of special interest to players who enjoy betting on the under/over of a game, as it gives a novel way of playing the line.
With PointsBetting, players select what they think the final total will be and assign a bet value to a point. Their returns are then based on how correct they are, with wins and losses based on how their prediction matched up compared to the final score.
There is a full sportsbook on offer from PointsBet as well, with their PointsBetting feature an addition to the full range of traditional bets.
App | Live betting | Streaming | Same game parlay | Refer a friend bonus |
✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Retail Sportsbooks open in Illinois
There are a number of leading sportsbooks in Illinois, from traditional favorites such as Rivers Casino to newer facilities set up by out-of-market bookmakers who want to establish retail locations.
Sportsbook | Location |
BetRivers Sportsbook | Rivers Casino, Des Plaines |
DraftKings Sportsbook | Casino Queen, East St. Louis |
FanDuel | Fairmount Park, Collinsville |
Caesars Sportsbook | Harrah’s Metropolis |
Caesars Sportsbook | Harrah’s Joliet |
Caesars Sportsbook | Grand Victoria, Elgin |
PointsBet | Hawthorne Race Course, Stickney |
Latest Illinois Sports Betting News
The biggest news for sports bettors in Illinois is the removal of the requirement to register for an account at a physical sportsbook. This law, which has largely been in place since online sports betting was legalized in June 2020, ended on March 5, 2022.
No longer needing to verify accounts at a physical location allows more online sportsbooks to be able to offer their services to residents of the Prairie State. The largest of these is undoubtedly BetMGM, who is striding into Illinois, giving bettors the chance to use its fantastic sportsbook.
FanDuel have also announced that it will begin construction on a brand new retail sportsbook at the United Center, home of the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls. This space will compliment its leading online sportsbook, along with its physical location at Fairmount Park racetrack.
The history of Illinois Sports Betting
The first steps towards legalizing online sports betting in Illinois came about in 2018, following the Supreme Court’s decision to repeal the Professional and Amateur Sport Protection Act. However, these early bills were more exploratory in nature than serious legislation.
In 2019, Governor J.B. Pritzker asked for the legislature to legalize sports betting and included potential early revenue from it in his annual budget. However, the bill came down to the wire due to disagreements over who would have the priority to operate in Illinois.
The bill was eventually signed into law in June 2019. This lead to the first retail sportsbook opening in March 2020, followed by BetRivers as the first online sportsbook in June 2020.
Illinois Sports Teams to bet on
Illinois is one of just 13 states to have a home team from each of the four major sports leagues, with a franchise from the NFL, NBA, and NHL, along with two MLB sides.
While it is not currently possible to bet in-state on Illinois college sports, the five main professional teams should be enough to give Prairie State residents plenty of options.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have called the Windy City home since they were formed in 1920, and have brought home the most championships from any of the Prairie State’s illustrious teams. The Bears won the NFL Championship eight times before the AFL-NFL merger, and followed this up with a Super Bowl win in 1985.
There have been many legendary Bears over the years, but no team is more famed than their Super Bowl-winning squad. With a ferocious defense lead by William ‘Refrigerator’ Perry and the catchy ‘Super Bowl Shuffle’ rap, this team are still spoken about almost 40 years later.
The Chicago Bears play their home games at the legendary Soldier Field. However, the stadium was built in 1926 and was already 45 years old when the Bears took over in 1971.
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are the oldest baseball team in Chicago, and second oldest in the league, having been founded in 1876. The team famously represent the North Side of the city from its century-old Wrigley Stadium home.
The Cubs have won three World Series, with the first two in coming in 1907 and 08. It took 108 years — with 71 of them under the Curse of the Billy Goat — for the Cubs to win their third in 2016.
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are the relatively younger baseball team in the city, having been founded in 1900. Their name comes from the original of Chicago White Stockings, which was also the first team name of their cross-city rival Cubs.
The White Sox represent the South Side of Chicago from their Guaranteed Rate Field home. So far they have managed to bring the South Side three World Series; in 1908, 1917, and most recently in 2005.
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are perhaps the most famous basketball team in the world thanks to the exploits of one man: Michael Jordan. The legendary Bull played for Chicago between 1984-93, before rejoining the team again from 1995-98.
With Jordan, the Bulls had their two famous three-peats, winning back-to-back-to-back NBA Championships in 1991-93 and again in 1996-98. However, since Jordan’s second retirement from the Bulls, not even eight years of Derrick Rose has been able to bring another title home.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks have played in the city since 1926, when they were a part of the Original Six founding NHL teams. They currently play out of the United Center in the Near West Side of Chicago, an arena they share with the Chicago Bulls.
The Blackhawks have been one of the more successful teams during their long history, bringing home six Stanley Cups between 1934 and 2015. The Blackhawks also have two Presidents’ Trophies for having the best overall record in the league, along with four Conference Championships and 16 Division Championships.
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