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Plus, you will find out where and how to place sports bets in Illinois. We have carefully selected the best sports betting sites for bettors in Illinois. Check out this table of trusted, excellent Illinois sports betting sites 2024:
Legal Sports Betting in Illinois
The Illinois State Legislature legalized sports betting in 2019, making it the fifteenth state overall. You have to be 21 to do any legal gambling in Illinois.
In addition to online sports betting, Illinois will also allow sports venues such as Wrigley Field to become betting kiosks. Additionally, over twenty casinos operate in Illinois. The majority of them are on the Mississippi River, though there are some in the Chicagoland area as well.
Something that makes sports betting in Illinois slightly different is the ban on collegiate sports. While in Illinois, bettors cannot bet on any Illinois collegiate sport. The opportunity for mixed interests was too big. Other than that, the books are open!
Now that the options have moved beyond riverboat casinos, you can sign up at any number of Illinois sports betting sites without a problem!
| Sportsbook | Available in Illinois |
| FanDuel | β |
| DraftKings | β |
| Caesars | β |
| FoxBet | β |
| BetRivers | β |
| BetMGM | β |
| PointsBet | β |
| Unibet | β |
Check out Illinois’ online casinos here.
Illinois Sports Betting β Recent Updates
- October 16, 2024 – Heading into their Week 7 bye with a 4-2 record, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams trails only Washingtonβs Jayden Daniels in the NFL Rookie of the Year odds.
- April 5, 2024 –Β Fanatics Sportsbook launches in Illinois, taking the place of PointsBet.
- February 13, 2024 β In December, the sports betting handle in Illinois decreased to $1.31 billion, marking a 4.4% decline from November. However, revenue reached a record high of $126.3 million for the month.
- February 9, 2024 β Two iGaming bills, namely HB 2239 and SB1656, are currently active in the state’s legislative session, which commenced on January 16.
- January 23, 2024 β Ballyβs Chicago casino is reportedly required to redesign its planned 500-room hotel tower due to foundation issues. The facility is expected to be completed in 2026.
Six Reasons to Bet on These Illinois Betting Sites
We took our time to pick out these Illinois sports betting sites. These recommendations are the result of years of experience in sports betting, combined with research we have done to apply our knowledge to bettors in Illinois. Our expert knowledge is at your service.
We know what to look for in a good online sportsbook. We arenβt tricked by a sleek-looking site if itβs not easy to use and full of great odds. To get a better idea of how we choose these Illinois sports betting sites, read about our top five qualities that we look for.
Don’t forget to check out these Illinois betting apps.
Available to Illinois Sports Bettors
First comes first. In order to make our list of the best Illinois sports betting sites, the site must obviously be available to residents in Illinois. With so many options available, this is not a difficult criterion to fulfill by any means.
Being available in Illinois is also not nearly enough to make the list. It is a prerequisite, but insufficient for us to recommend it. All the sites on our list will be available to bettors in Illinois.
Top-Notch Security
These sports betting sites are designed to keep you safe. You can see the security features from the first steps of the sign-up process. The verifications are important measures to protect your identity from potential hackers.
Your banking information is safe on these websites. That is an important part of our review process. We have scoured the forums and blogs for complaints and evidence of insecurity, and these Illinois sportsbooks pass the test!
Great Customer Service
Illinois bettors deserve great customer service. This is especially true given the recent passage of legalization. So, with so many new bettors joining sportsbooks, many Illinois bettors will need customer service even more.
But we all need customer service every now and then. And when it comes to sports betting, especially live betting, every minute can count. So when you run into a bump, it is important to have quick access to solutions.
The best Illinois sports betting sites will have a lot of the following options:
- Phone numbers
- Live chat
- Emails
- Community forums
- FAQs
Big Bonuses
Exceptionally generous welcome bonuses are one of the most important things we look for when finalizing our list of Illinois sports betting sites. That is because they can get you started on the right foot. Some of them will double your initial deposit.
For example, BetUS has a great welcome bonus. Whatever your deposit method is, they will match your initial deposit at 100%. So if you put in $100 bucks, you will be able to make $200 worth of bets before worrying about any winnings!
Outstanding Reputation
When we are making sports bets, we are doing it to have fun, of course, but also to win big. That means we have to trust sportsbooks to process our payouts quickly and fairly. This is not generally a problem, but some fly-by-night operations have done some shady things.
We have used these sportsbooks for years. We have researched their reputation online. Our experience, and the community, in general, knows and trust them. Betting safe is vital to having fun while betting.
On Top of the Latest Odds
Sports bettors in Illinois deserve to be at the forefront. That means having access to the latest odds. We do not want to see odds from last week, rather we want to be abreast of the latest changes.
The smartest bettors will be following sports news closely. So, it can be a bummer if you go to make a bet based on the happenings, and they are still not reflected in the odds tables. It is a sign of an irresponsible bookie and a definite red flag. All the sites we recommend will update their odds regularly and quickly.
List of Casinos in Illinois
Illinois has a number of casinos, and they are spread throughout the state. There are a total of eleven in both up and downstate. Here is a full list of Illinois casinos, in addition to the online casinos that are available at the Illinois online sportsbooks we recommend here!
- Argosy Casino
- Bally’s Quad Cities
- Casino Queen
- Grand Victoria Casino
- Harrah’s Joliet
- Harrah’s Metropolis
- Hollywood Casino
- Hollywood Casino
- Par-A-Dice Casino
- Rivers Casino
Illinois Betting Timeline
2023
New Ventures in Illinois Sports Betting
Illinois’ sports betting scene flourished, setting a new monthly record with a $1.16 billion handle in October. The year was marked by significant entries and expansions, including ESPN BET’s launch and Circa Sports’ debut, alongside the opening of Bally’s temporary casino in Chicago. This period of growth, however, also saw challenges, such as Betway withdrawing its online sports betting license application.
2022
A Year of Sports Betting Success
Illinois is experiencing a surge in online sports betting. The state ended the in-person registration requirement, allowing bettors to conveniently register remotely. The removal of this restriction had an immediate impact, with the first full month of remote registration resulting in a record-breaking handle of $971.3 million. April saw the introduction of a new sportsbook, Caliente, qualifying to launch in Illinois.
2021
Sports Betting Continues to Grow
October saw a record handle in the state with $840 million in sports bets placed in the state in the month.Β The state also saw the opening of its sixth licensed sportsbook, Barstool Sports. The State Assembly also rescinded the requirement to register in-person.
2020
First Retail Sportsbooks Open
In March, River Des Plaines and Argosy Casino Alton opened their sportsbooks. These are only opened for a short time before the COVID pandemic closes them. The first online sportsbook with an Illinois license then opens, and the governor suspends the in-person registration requirement.
2019
Illinois Sportsbook Regulatory System Signed into Law
The Illinois General Assembly passes the bill to authorize local sportsbooks, and Governor Pitzker signed it into law enthusiastically.
Responsible Gaming in Illinois
For information and tools to address problem gambling in Illinois, visit:
- Illinois Gaming Board β Self-Exclusion Program: Provides access to the Statewide Casino Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program (SEP), the Problem Gambling Registry, and the Responsible Gambling Database for online betting self-exclusion. Individuals can voluntarily enroll in these programs at any IGB office or Illinois casino to prohibit themselves from gambling activities.
Best Betting Sites 
