Welcome to Illinoissportbet.com, the #1 guide to online betting and sportsbooks in the Praire State, where you will find extensive information about the legal wagering industry in this US state. The best Illinois betting sites will allow you to wager on all the major sports in the USA, including the NBA, MLB and NFL, although you will find most sports available from right across the globe. Illinois betting sites also have extensive free bets and promotions available to customers in the USA, making it a tempting proposition to bet online.
Sports betting in Illinois 2021
Illinois, one of the midwestern states in the US, is home to one of the biggest basketball franchises in NBA history – the Chicago Bulls. The Prairie State has the fifth-largest gross domestic product ($909 billion) in the US and the sixth-largest population. Efforts to increase revenue sources hit a snag in 2020 as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. However, the legalization of sports betting in the state was a step in the right direction, despite its shaky start.
It was a long and rigorous process, but in the end, sports betting became legal in 2019. The successful passage of the bill and the approval by the Governor was a huge win for Illinois. All efforts were geared towards creating the guidelines and regulations that will guide sports betting in the state. It took nine months for the Illinois regulation board to sort out the nitty-gritty details. In March 2020, the first legal wager on sports was placed in Illinois at Rivers Casino.
Although sports betting was legal in the state, the rules were somewhat restrictive as bettors had to make their way to a physical location to register before they could wager on sports online. All venues that house professional sports statewide, including; casinos, racetracks, e.t.c. were allowed to offer retail and online sports betting. However, with the nationwide shutdown that went into full effect a week after the first legal sports bet was placed, the introduction of legalized online sports betting came to a swift end.
Governor J.B. Pritzker wasted no time in resuscitating online sports betting as she gave an executive order for registrations to commence online, pending when things get back to normal. So far, the order has continued to be renewed, seeing as it is not safe yet for people to gather at physical locations. Although restrictions are being eased nationwide, it is unclear if/when Illinois will go back to accepting only in-person registrations.
Illinois sports betting laws
The laws surrounding betting in Illinois are unique. First, all casinos are required to be close to flowing bodies of water. Lake Michigan and an area with a population of over 3 million people are the only exceptions, in which land-based casinos are allowed. Of the nineteen casinos available in Illinois, only seven of them offer sports betting.
All gambling activities are regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board, except the state lotto, which is run by the Illinois Lottery Control Board.
The Repelling of PASPA Made Legal Sports Betting Possible in Illinois
In 1992, forty-six US states were prevented from regulating sports betting through the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). The four states that already had regulated sports betting at the time were exempt from the law. New Jersey could have been the fifth state to be exempted but didn’t make the move before the deadline. To an extent, this is what prompted New Jersey to take up the case in court.
The case was first files in 2009 but was quickly thrown out as the then-governor didn’t think the state stood a chance of changing such a law that has been implemented for such a long period. However, things changed in 2012 following a referendum on sports betting, which passed by a large margin.
A law to legalize sports betting in Illinois was passed by Chris Christie. It received a lot of push-backs as it was a law that went against PASPA. The NBA, NFL, NHL, e.t.c. sued the state for going against the PASPA law. Initial rulings were in favor of the leagues, but New Jersey appealed the case in the Supreme Court, stating that PASPA was in breach of the Tenth Amendment.
The final ruling, which came in 2018, was in favor of New Jersey because it was stated that PASPA was hindering the states from making the choice themselves. Since then, several US states immediately started proceedings to legalize sports betting. Illinois is one of those states, which is why the sports betting bill was pushed through the legislature swiftly and was signed by the Governor in 2019.
How to bet in Illinois
As earlier stated, only seven casinos in the state offer sports betting. Reports suggest that up to 10 casinos and three racetracks could just the list of brick-and-mortar locations to offer sports betting in the Prairie State. Also, six online sportsbooks are operating in the state, all through partnerships with land-based casinos. A few more are looking to make an entry into the Illinois market either through partnerships with land-based casinos or via the available mobile licenses.
Land-based Retail Sportsbook locations
There are some great sportsbooks located in the Land of Lincoln, at the following retail gambling venues:
-
Rivers Casino Sportsbook
History will forever have it that this was the first sportsbook to receive a wager on sports betting legally in Illinois. The first bet was made by NBC Sports Commentator, Eddie Olcyzk, at Rivers Casino Des Plaines in Des Plaines on March 9, 2020. Rivers sportsbook was the only sportsbook in operation before the covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in the nationwide shutdown.
-
Sportsbook at Argosy Casino Alton
The sportsbook at Argosy Casino Alton was scheduled to have its grand opening on March 16; however, that never happened as the Governor announced the shutting down of casinos few days after the first sports bet was made in Illinois. The sportsbook is operated by Penn National.
-
Grand Victoria Casino
The sportsbook in Grand Victoria Casino was the third casino to open for business in Illinois. It launched its service on August 1, after casinos were ordered to re-open. William Hill Sportsbook is the sportsbook that is operating out of the casino located in suburban Chicago.
-
Draftkings at Casino Queen
As a major player in the sports betting market in the US, DraftKings couldn’t afford to waste any time in getting in on the action in Illinois. The sportsbook was opened on August 5, at Casino Queen, which is in St Louis. The location of the casino might attract bettors from Missouri.
-
Hollywood Aurora Sportsbet
The mayor in Aurora, Richard Irwin, made the first bet to launch the sportsbook in Illinois after a three months delay. The sportsbook, which is operated by Penn National is located in the center of the casino floor with all the necessary amenities. It was officially launched on the 20th of August, 2020.
-
Hollywood Joilet Sportsbook
The Hollywood Joilet Sportsbook was launched on the same day as its sister casino, Aurora. Here, the sportsbook is located one floor above the casino, in the 99 Hops House. However, kiosks are spread across the casino floor for those who would like to place their bets while in the casino. Penn National is also the sportsbook operator at Hollywood Joilet.
-
Par-a-dice Casino
The sportsbook was launched a little later than most. However, the launch came just in time for the start of the NFL season. FanDuel, which is the sportsbook that is operated out of Par-a-dice had only six weeks to put things in order ahead of the launch. The launch eventually took place on September 10, at East Peoria.
-
Hawthorne Race Course
Hawthorne Race Course became the third horse racing track in the US to offer sports betting services. PointsBet sportsbook operates out of the racecourse, which launched on September 30. Hawthorne Race Course is the last of the seven casinos that were given licenses by the Illinois Gaming Board to operate in the state.
Online and Mobile Sportsbook Apps
All sportsbooks operating in Illinois are doing so in partnership with land-based casinos. It is so because that was a criterion online sportsbooks needed to meet before they were issued licenses. A list of the mobile sportsbook in Illinois and their partner casinos are stated below;
- Bet Rivers – Rivers Casino
- Draftkings – Casino Queen
- FanDuel – Par-a-dice Casino (Anticipated move to Fairmont Race Course)
- William Hill – Grand Victoria Casino
- Penn National – Hollywood Aurora Casino & Hollywood Joilet Casino
- PointsBet – Hawthorne Race Course
Sports Teams in Illinois
Illinois has produced champions in all major sports in the US. Illinois sports betting laws prohibits betting on home-based college teams, which is why they will only be getting an honorable mention. Here are some of the biggest sports teams in Illinois.
- The Cubs (MLB) – 2016 World Series Champions
- The Bears (NFL) – Has the biggest fan base in Illinois
- The Chicago Bulls (NBA) – Won four NBA Finals with the help of the legendary Michael Jordan
- The Blackhawks (NHL) – Won three Stanley Cup Titles since 2010
Illinois Sports Betting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Q – Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
A – Legislature authorizing sports wagering in the state was passed and signed into law in June 2019. Sports betting started in March 2020, which means that betting on sporting events is legal in Illinois.
- Q – Is there an age limit before I can place a wager?
A – The legal gambling age in Illinois is 18. However, to be eligible to wager on sports, the minimum age requirement is 21.
- Q – Can a bettor place a wager on live bets?
A – Yes. Live bets/in-plays are allowed.
- Q – What type of wagers are available?
A – Some of the options available on sportsbooks in Illinois are; futures bets, in-game betting, Moneyline bets, spread bets, parlays, player Prop bets, totals (over/under), etc.
- Q – Can I place a bet while outside Illinois?
A – No. Bettors are required to be within the boundaries of the state before they can place a bet. Geo-tagging technology is used to make sure bettors are physically present in the state.