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While there’s always going to be talks about New York, don’t forget for a second that Illinois sports betting news has been downright amazing over the past year. Whether it’s during the NFL, NBA, MLB or college sports betting season, the numbers have been through the roof for the state. Take a look at last year for example. The official numbers have been released and Illinois posted an incredible sports betting handle for 2023.
According to a report, the handle for ’23 surpassed $11 billion. That’s not a typo, folks. Indeed, more than $11 billion was wagered in Illinois and this is something that has people quite excited. It goes without saying, but lawmakers and officials could not be more thrilled with the way things have gone. These numbers far and away exceeded the expectations for what the state wanted to get done for 2023.
Looking ahead to 2024, there’s a new goal for the state and that’s surely to surpass the handle from the previous year. However, before we look forward to this upcoming year, it’s safe to say celebrations will be on the way for what was just posted. The thing here is that with so much money being wagered, it has led to an incredible amount of tax revenue for the state too. This was always the goal from the moment sports betting was made legal.
With the Super Bowl taking place earlier this month, the expectation is that the sports betting handle for February is going to be incredible. Last month too, NFL betting as a whole was tremendous thanks to the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. All in all, Illinois continues to be one of the top states in the USA in terms of sports betting numbers. This will surely once again be the case again for 2024 and beyond.
Which uni are you rockin’ with? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hb1bQjEIns
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) February 20, 2024
NFL betting was king for Illinois in 2023
It goes without saying, but NFL betting was king for Illinois in 2023. With the popularity of the Chicago Bears, people were checking the NFL betting odds frequently from start to finish during the season. From September until January, football betting was incredible. However, the main disappointment was that the Bears went through a rough year and they now have the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
However, despite that, people loved betting on the Bears each Sunday. Looking ahead to 2024, we’re expecting incredible numbers for the first few months, especially for April. Normally you’d think that the offseason would be rough for NFL betting, but people can’t wait for the draft to get here. Countless bets have already come in on who the Bears will take off the board first, with Caleb Williams far and away expected to be the No. 1 selection.
Ian Rapoport says the Bears believe Caleb Williams is “special” as a player.
Barring a “historic” trade offer or something not checking out in the personal evaluation, I think he’s a Bear. pic.twitter.com/rozrAA2WPa
— Harrison Graham (@HGrahamNFL) February 13, 2024
“His ability to extend plays and complete passes outside of the pocket is what makes him so intriguing, but it is not his identity. The Bears are in a position to take Williams at No. 1 overall, and he is my personal top-rated quarterback,” reporter Josh Edwards said recently on Williams potentially landing with Chicago. ” It sounds as though the franchise is leaning in this direction rather than running it back with Justin Fields under center.
Even if the Bears decide to go in a different direction with the No. 1 pick, that doesn’t mean that NFL Draft wagers won’t be incredible. There’s a chance that the Bears could trade that pick, but reports state they’d want a historic haul for it. After the draft, rookie mini-camps will get underway and then before you know it, the 2024 season will get here this fall. We’re expecting incredible betting numbers during next football season too. We can’t wait for Week 1 to get here.
MLB betting in Illinois will be a ton of fun to follow
In the coming months, MLB betting in Illinois will be a ton of fun to follow as well. That’s because both the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox are hoping to put together a promising season. While neither side has strong World Series betting odds, that doesn’t mean they won’t be in a strong position to reach the playoffs.
With the Cubs, the northside squad has a ton of young talent and fans are hopeful that they’ll be able to put everything together this season. Wrigley Field is one of the most iconic stadiums in all of sports too, which makes betting even more fun for people who attend games and place live wagers. With the White Sox, they’re on the southside and they also have a ton of potential for a big year.
Entering the new season, teams like the Dodgers, Rangers, Yankees, Astros, Phillies and others are considered serious threats to win it all, but that doesn’t mean people won’t be keeping a close eye on other powerhouses. The list 100 percent includes the Cubs and White Sox. Who knows, it could prove to be a memorable squad for both pro-Illinois baseball teams. Only time will tell if the Chicago squads will live up to the hype or not.
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