Last updated on: February 22nd, 2023

Legal Illinois Sports Betting

Legal Illinois sports betting sites remain the best way to bet on sports in IL. With sportsbooks in Illinois both in person and online, you’ll be able to find one no matter where you are. There is a lot of variety as far as sports betting in Illinois. For the state-regulated books, they have restrictions when betting on universities in Illinois. For online sportsbooks taking Illinois players, the same restrictions do not apply. Also, these are the only Illinois sportsbooks that accept Bitcoin for sports betting. If you want to mix it up, try Bovada to shop lines or bet college props in IL.

  • Illinois began taxing local sportsbooks after creating laws in 2019 and launching in 2020.
  • Legal online sportsbooks accept Illinois residents too, and provide a way to bet on college props.
Rank Sportsbook Bonus Offer Play Now
1 Bovada Online Sportsbook 50% Up To $250 Read Review Visit Bovada!
2 BetOnline Online Sportsbook 50% New Member Bonus!Read Review Visit BetOnline!
3 MyBookie Online Sportsbook 50% Up To $1,000 Read Review Visit MyBookie!
4 Xbet Online Sportsbook 100% Up To $300Read Review Visit Xbet!
5 Sportsbetting Online Sportsbook 50% Up To $1,000 Read Review Visit SportsBetting!

Is Bovada Legal In Illinois?

There are no laws against using Bovada in Illinois. Due to the sportsbook’s location, the Free Trade Agreement protects Bovada’s rights. Bovada is the preferred option for those betting on Illinois college teams. Because of their ability to take player prop bets and accept bets from a mobile device, it makes it so much easier.

#1

Bovada Sportsbook

Illinois’ Top Tier Sportsbook

Bovada is an excellent sportsbook for Illinois bettors. As the legal sportsbook in Illinois that offers college bets, you can’t go wrong. Find college football odds on the Illini or college basketball lines for Northwestern. With their safe platform, you can see exactly what Illinois sportsbooks are missing. Find hundreds of bets for Illinois teams on every game, posted early and running nonstop.

Rating: 5 Star Rating

  • Leading Site Interface
  • Live Betting Suite
  • Mobile Betting Availability
  • Bet With Bitcoin
  • Live Customer Service Chat

BitcoinVisaMastercardAmerican ExpressZelle

#2

BetOnline Sportsbook

A Trusted Name In Sports Betting

BetOnline was founded in 2011, and is a licensed and regulated online sportsbook that operates out of Panama. You can easily access BetOnline in Illinois, and they accept a wide variety of deposit methods, such as credit cards and cryptocurrencies like bitcoin. Withdrawals can be processed with crypto, wire transfers and checks, making BetOnline a great IL sportsbook.

Rating: 5 Star Rating

  • Reliable Banking Methods
  • Strong Server Connection
  • 10+ Year Track Record
  • Huge Assortment Of Odds
  • No App Mobile Betting

VisaMastercardBitcoinEtheriumWire Transfer

#3

MyBookie Sportsbook

Great Optimization For Mobile Betting

MyBookie offers an excellent betting bonus, using code MYB100. This bonus lets you get 100% matching on your first deposit, with values ranging from $50 to $1,000. Established in 2014, MyBookie has quickly become one of the top offshore sportsbooks in Illinois. You can access MyBookie using computers, iPhones and Androids, so there are a lot of ways to wager.

Ratings: 5 Star Rating

  • Huge Player Bonuses
  • Consistent Odds
  • Easy Interface
  • Rapid Live Betting
  • Legal In Illinois

VisaMastercardBitcoin

#4

SportsBetting Sportsbook

A Top Choice For Illinois Bettors

SportsBetting offers a very solid signup bonus that will get you a 50% match up to $500 when you sign up, as well as very sharp lines that make it a great alternative to any sportsbook in IL. It’s been in operation since 1998, making it one of the oldest offshore sportsbooks around, and it leverages that experience to provide excellent wagering opportunities to IL players.

Ratings: 5 Star Rating

  • Efficient Site Layout
  • Full Mobile Betting Suite
  • Available Customer Service
  • Trustworthy Banking Options
  • Fast Payout Times

VisaMastercardBitcoinEtheriumWire Transfer

#5

XBet Sportsbook

Safe Sportsbook In Illinois

Founded just in time for bettors to place bets on the Chicago Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup in 2013, XBet has proven to be a safe and secure sportsbook for all of Illinois’ sports bettors. Located and licensed in Panama, XBet has prided itself on being a trustworthy sportsbook. In XBet’s own words, the sportsbook, casino, and racebook are dedicated to three core principles: Reliability, Reputation, and Real fast payouts. Illinois sports bettors can attest that overall trustworthiness and reliability, having gotten paid out large for both Blackhawks Stanley Cups and the Chicago Cubs World Series title since the sportsbook was founded.

Ratings: 5 Star Rating

  • Worry-free Legal Betting
  • Exclusive Bonus Offers
  • Constantly Updated Odds
  • Premier User Experience
  • Full Mobile + Live Betting

VisaMastercardBitcoinWire Transfer

Illinois Sports Betting And Gambling Laws

Illinois regulated regulated sports betting with the signing of SB 690 on June 28, 2019. Casinos must be near flowing bodies of water except for Lake Michigan. The only exception to his law is if a county’s population exceeds 3 million people. The betting age in Illinois is set at 21 for casino-style gaming and sports betting. The Illinois Gaming Board regulates sports gambling. For more info on Illinois’ gambling laws, consult Illinois Compiled Statutes §720 5/28-1 .

In January 2022, legislators introduced a pair of Illinois sports betting bills. SB 3872 would have added an exchange trade amendment to the Wagering Act. This would allow peer-to-peer sports betting services, such as Wagr, to operate. The other bill was HB 5376 which deals with diversion of funds from the Sports Wagering Fund. The plan was to redirect funds to student-athletes, sports wagering costs, and compliance. It also took deeper measures to ensure no persons related to athletics had a betting account. Both measures jumped around a few committees and neither switched chambers.

March Madness Betting In Illinois

March Madness features the most betting odds outside of the Super Bowl, which means it’s a top betting option for anyone in Illinois. Even Illinois’ own colleges feature in the NCAA Tournament, which means you can bet on the Illini in the tournament. March Madness features a bracket style competition so there are going to be tons of wagers available, and you can check the international sportsbooks for the best March Madness odds.

 

Illinois Sports Betting Timeline

  • October 2022 – Illinois sports betting handle broke $1 billion for the first time in October 2022.
  • May 6, 2022 – The Chicago White Sox have partnered with Caesars Sportsbook in a move that mirrors similar moves made by the Bears and RSI.
  • March 5, 2022 – The in-person sportsbook registration requirement, after being waived half-a-dozen times, is finally gone for good.
  • October 29, 2021 – Online sportsbooks will no longer be required to offer in-person registration in Illinois, removing the requirement for in-person casino partners.
  • July 17, 2021 – IL SB0521, a bill that would remove the requirements for in-state collegiate wagering, is referred to a committee, where it proceeds to get stuck, never leaving.
  • June 25, 2021 – The Chicago Bears partner with Rush Street Interactive, the operator of BetRivers.com and Rivers Casino.
  • April 4, 2021 – Gov J.B. Pritzker removes the order allowing for remote betting signups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • March 8, 2021 – Gov. J.B. Pritzker extends his order allowing remote sportsbook signups so that March Madness falls within the remote signup period.
  • February 11, 2021 – Rep. Michael Zalewski proposes an end to the in-state collegiate betting requirements, although his bill, HB 0849, will not pass.
  • November 14, 2020 – The Governor’s order allowing remote registration for online sportsbooks is extended once again.
  • October 20, 2020 – The Governor’s order allowing for remote registration at online sportsbooks in Illinois is again extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • September 21, 2020 – For the second time, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has extended his order allowing for the removal of in-person sportsbook registration requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • August 24, 2020 – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has reinstated an order that allows for remote registration for online sportsbooks, after it was left out of his re-signing at the end of June.
  • July 27, 2020 – Illinois will sunset their in-person sportsbook requirement removal program, as Gov. Pritzker did not sign an order extending it.
  • July 1, 2020 – Illinois casinos and sportsbooks reopen to the public.
  • June 5, 2020 – Gov J.B. Pritzker has issued a stay of the in-person registration requirement for Illinois sportsbooks.
  • March 8, 2020 – The first sports bet under the new set of laws in Illinois is placed by hockey legend Eddie Olczyk.
  • June 28, 2019 – Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs Illinois sports betting into law by signing the omnibus gaming bill.
  • June 3, 2019 – The Illinois State Legislature has passed SB 690, the omnibus gaming bill that includes sports betting. It passed the House with a final tally of 87-27, and the Senate with a vote tally of 46-10-2.
  • February 21, 2019 – Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that he was officially coming down on the side of sports betting in his budget address.

Illinois Sports Betting Regulations

Illinois sports betting is subject to a variety of restrictions. The primary restriction, which is no longer in place, was a ban on online registration. This restriction was first lifted by executive order, then codified by the passage of HB 3136. HB 3136 also created a workaround to be able to offer in-state college bets at retail sportsbooks. IL sports betting apps have restrictions on accepting bets on in-state college teams. Illinois’ sportsbooks have a progressive tax rate, based on the sportsbooks’ betting handle.

Super Bowl Betting In Illinois

The best sportsbooks with which to wager on the Super Bowl in Illinois are going to be international. Despite the fact that Illinois has regulated online sports betting, there are none that are better than Bovada, BetOnline and SportsBetting, some of the top online sportsbooks in the world. Make sure to check them out – because there’s already odds on Super Bowl 58 up on these books.

Betting On The Chicago Bears In Illinois

The Bears were the worst team in the NFL, locking up the first pick in the NFL draft for 2023. Bettors can wager on who they will use that pick on – will they complement QB Justin Fields or will they seek to replace him? You can also bet on whether or not the 2023 Bears will make the playoffs or not – here are their past results!

Chicago Bears Past Playoff Odds Results

  • 2022: Miss -800
  • 2021: Miss -275
  • 2020: Make +175
  • 2019: Miss +100
  • 2018: Make +240
  • 2017: Miss -1400

What Is The Legal Sports Betting Age In Illinois?

Pari-mutuel wagering has a legal sports betting age set at 18 while casino and sports betting require gamblers to be 21+ in Illinois. Legal internet sportsbooks set age of 18 for their players but gamblers in Illinois should wait until they reach the required legal age of the state before joining one of these outlets.

Betting On Sports In Illinois With Cryptocurrency

Although the regulated online sportsbooks in Illinois don’t allow it, the licensed online sportsbooks in the state do let you bet on sports with cryptocurrency. Betting on sports with crypto comes with plenty of upside to it such as great deposit limits, huge deposit bonuses that could score you up to $1,000, and the ability to link your crypto wallets to your sports betting accounts and send funds in just seconds. Some of the available crypto betting options include:

Can I Bet Real Money On Sports In Illinois?

Real money sports betting in Illinois is available through multiple outlets. There are retail sportsbooks, mobile apps provided by the state-sanctioned industry, and internet sports wagering websites, all available to sports bettors for gambling real money on sports in Illinois.

Online & Mobile Sportsbook Options In Illinois

Illinois is home to several mobile sportsbook apps that offer statewide betting. Illinois has popular local sportsbooks in Barstool, Caesars Sportsbook, and FanDuel. Each active sportsbook must partner with a retail casino operation.

Barstool Sportsbook BetMGM Sportsbook BetRivers Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill DraftKings Sportsbook FanDuel Sportsbook
PointsBet Sportsbook

Illinois Mobile Sportsbooks and Retail Partnerships

  • Bally Bet (Bally’s Quad Cities) – TBD
  • Barstool Sportsbook (Hollywood Casino Joliet, Aurora, Argosy Casino Alton) – March 2021
  • BetMGM (Online License) – March 2020
  • BetRivers (Rivers Casino Sportsbook) – June 2022
  • Caesars Sportsbook (Grand Victoria, Harrah’s Metropolis, Harrah’s Joliet) – March 2022
  • Caliente Interactive (Online Only) – TBD
  • Circa Sports (New American Place Casino) – TBD
  • DraftKings Sportsbook (DraftKings at Casino Queen) – August 2020
  • FanDuel (FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing ) – August 2020
  • PointsBet (Hawthorne Race Course) – September 2020
Bovada Sports Betting

Where’s The Closest Place To Me To Bet?

Illinois has several different retail casino sportsbooks — mainly centered around Chicago and the Missouri border. There are currently 11 operational retail sportsbooks in Illinois, with the first to open being the Rivers Casino Des Plaines. In December, the Chicago City Council removed the city’s ban on in-person sportsbooks. As a result, Wrigley Field (home to the Chicago Cubs) partnered with DraftKings sportsbook and the United Center (home to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks) partnered with FanDuel sportsbook. Both venues plan to launch an in-stadium sportsbook, hopefully before the beginning of their respective 2023 seasons.

Sportsbooks in Alton

Argosy Casino Sportsbook

The Argosy Casino was planned to launch on March 16, 2020 but could not meet that deadline because of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Once launched, this sportsbook will feature a wide assortment of betting options and 36 large-screen HD TVs.

Sportsbooks in Aurora

Hollywood Casino Aurora Sportsbook

The Hollywood Aurora sits atop an island in the middle of the Fox River. Although its sportsbook has not yet launched, it received a temporary license from the state of Illinois and will likely accept wagers once sports resume.

Sportsbooks in Des Plaines

BetRivers Sportsbook at Rivers Casino

The BetRivers sportsbook features a sleek, modern lounge that looks like it was ripped from a Hollywood spaceship design, offering a fantastic space to bet from. BetRivers is also a well-established sports betting brand and comes with a host of convenient features.

Sportsbooks in East Peaoria

FanDuel Sportsbook at Par-a-Dice Casino

Par-a-Dice is partnered with B Connected to launch the FanDuel Sportsbook, one of the largest sports betting operators in the country. The sportsbooks opened their doors in August of 2020.

Sportsbooks in Elgin

Grand Victoria Casino

The Grand Victoria is one of Illinois’s premier riverboat gambling destinations, but its sportsbook has yet to launch. Their sportsbook opened on August 1, 2020.

Sportsbooks in Joliet

Hollywood Joliet Casino Sportsbook

The Hollywood Joliet Casino is on the west side of the Des Plaines River in southwest Chicago. Its sportsbook has not yet launched, but the casino received a license for sports betting and could launch once the state reopens for large gatherings.

Sportsbooks in Prospect Heights

Club Hawthorne Prospect Heights & PointsBet Sportsbook

Club Hawthorne Prospect Heights is the home to one of Illinois’ premier racecourses. The PointsBet Sportsbook, launched in 2021, added another dimension to the destination.

Sportsbooks in Crestwood

Club Hawthorne Oakbrook Terrace & PointsBet Sportsbook

One of Illinois’ top off-track betting destinations, Club Hawthorne Oakbrook Terrace also includes a PointsBet Sportsbook, similar to the establishment in Prospect Heights.

Sportsbooks in East St. Louis

DraftKings At Casino Queen

DraftKings first launched their sportsbook at Casino Queen in August 2020 and has become one of the top retail sportsbooks in Illinois. Besides DraftKings sportsbook, the Casino Queen also features a variety of casino games, providing a well-rounded gaming experience.

Sportsbooks in Collinsville

Fairmount Park

One of three horse racing tracks in Illinois and the only outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Fairmount Park now also offers a full-service sportsbook on-premises.

Sportsbooks in Cicero

Hawthorne Race Course

Hawthorne Race Course is the oldest continuously-run family-owned horse racing track in the United States, making it a top horse race destination in the region. On top of the horse racing action, the venue now offers a full-service sportsbook.

The sportsbooks in Illinois constantly evolve whether by brand or location. The construction of the Chicago casino is causing PENN to relocate their Aurora and Joliet sportsbooks. We’ll keep current with the new Illinois sportsbooks opening.

What Teams Can I Bet On?

While you can bet on any sports team that you could possibly think of, Illinois has some of the top sports teams in the country for you to bet on. That includes seven professional sports teams and 13 Division 1 collegiate teams.

Professional Teams In Illinois

  • Chicago Bears – NFL
  • Chicago Blackhawks – NHL
  • Chicago Bulls – NBA
  • Chicago Cubs – MLB
  • Chicago Fire – MLS
  • Chicago Sky – WNBA
  • Chicago White Sox – MLB

DI Teams In Illinois

  • Bradley Braves
  • Chicago State Cougars
  • Eastern Illinois Panthers
  • DePaul Blue Demons
  • Illinois Fighting Illini
  • Illinois State Redbirds
  • Loyola Chicago Ramblers
  • Northern Illinois Huskies
  • Northwestern Wildcats
  • SIU Edwardsville Cougars
  • Southern Illinois Salukis
  • Western Illinois Leathernecks

Betting On The Chicago Bulls

While the Chicago Bulls have one of the richest histories in the NBA as an explosive scoring team, in recent seasons, you would find a profit betting on their total points going under in recent seasons. Looking at the last five seasons, they have gone 174-158-5 with the under in points in their game, which is the most unders hit in that span by any team in the Central Division. The under in points for them has hit at a 52.4% success rate as they have hit it at a .500 record or above in three of the last five seasons. The primary way they accomplished that was by dominating bad teams. As a favorite in the 2021-22 season, the Bulls went 31-16-1 against the spread, good for a 66% cover rate that was fourth in the league. As an underdog they struggled, going 13-26 against the spread, resulting in 33.3% cover percentage that was tied for second worst in the league.

Bulls Previous Under Records

  • 2022: 45-40-2
  • 2021: 39-33
  • 2020: 31-34
  • 2019: 41-38-3
  • 2018: 38-44

How To Bet On The Fighting Illini In Illinois

The Illinois Fighting Illini football team, while they haven’t been successful with their S/U record since 2018 with a 25-32 record in that span, they’ve done a nice job against the spread. ATS in the last five seasons, they have an overall record of 31-25-1 at a 55.4% success rate and are covering the spread by +2.8 points on average. In the 2022 season, they caped it off at an 8-4 S/U record, 8-4 ATS record, and cashed the over on their 4.5 win total projection.

Illinois Previous ATS Records

  • 2022: 8-4
  • 2021: 7-4-1
  • 2020: 3-5
  • 2019: 8-5
  • 2018: 5-7

Professional Sports Teams In Illinois

Team: League:
Chicago Cubs MLB
Chicago White Sox MLB
Chicago Bears NFL
Chicago Bulls NBA
Chicago Sky WNBA
Chicago Blackhawks NHL
Chicago Fire FC MLS
Chicago Red Stars NWSL

D-I College Sports Teams In Illinois

Team: Conference:
Bradley Braves Missouri Valley
Chicago State Cougars WAC
DePaul Blue Demons Big East
Eastern Illinois Panthers Ohio Valley
Illinois Fighting Illini Big Ten
Illinois State Redbirds Missouri Valley
Loyola Ramblers Missouri Valley
Northern Illinois Huskies MAC
Northwestern Wildcats Big Ten
Southern Illinois Salukis Missouri Valley
SIUE Cougars Ohio Valley
Illinois-Chicago Flames Missouri Valley
Western Illinois Leathernecks Summit

D-II College Sports Teams In Illinois

Team: League:
Lewis Flyers Great Lakes Valley
McKendree Bearcats Great Lakes Valley
Quincy Hawks Great Lakes Valley
UIS Prairie Stars Great Lakes Valley

D-III College Sports Teams In Illinois

Team: Conference:
Augustana Vikings CCIW
Aurora Spartans Northern
Benedictine Eagles Northern
Blackburn Beavers St. Louis
Chicago Maroons UAA
Concordia Cougars Northern
Dominican Stars Northern
Elmhurst Bluejays CCIW
Eureka Red Devils St. Louis
Greenville Panthers St. Louis
Illinois College Blueboys and Lady Blues Midwest
Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks Northern
Illinois Wesleyan Titans CCIW
Knox Prairie Fire Midwest
Lake Forest Foresters Midwest
Millikin Big Blue CCIW
Monmouth Fighting Scots Midwest
North Central Cardinals CCIW
North Park Vikings CCIW
Principia Panthers St. Louis
Rockford Regents Northern
Wheaton Thunder CCIW

Illinois Sports Betting Revenue

On average, Illinois’ sportsbooks see roughly $750 million handled per month. This brings forth about $55 million in revenue for legal Illinois sportsbooks. Taxed at a flat 15%, sports betting in Illinois has proven to be an enormous moneymaker. Illinois sportsbooks have accepted over $13.5b with help from SB LVI and March Madness. The contribution to Illinois totals in at $160 million, as the sportsbooks revenue closes in on $1b. Illinois sports betting revenue leads the nation in year over year growth. From 2021 to 2022, 60% more has been bet in Illinois. Illinois sportsbooks passed New Jersey in terms of total amount of money accepted on sports bets. This means the second largest sports betting industry in the US belongs to Illinois.

Playing Online Casino Games In Illinois

There are several online casinos that you can choose to play on in Illinois and each of them resembles retail casinos in terms of the games that they have to offer. You’ll find slot machine games on these sites that you would normally enjoy at the casino itself in addition to live dealer and digital table games as well. The most convenient thing about these online casinos is that they are not only available to you on your computers, but mobile devices as well just as long as you have access to the internet.

Illinois Online Slot Games

  • A Night With Cleo
  • Atlantic Treasures
  • Sherriff Vs. Bandits
  • Buffalo Bounty
  • Elvis Frog
  • Stampede

Live Dealer Games In Illinois

  • Super 6
  • Baccarat
  • Roulette
  • Blackjack

Digital Table Games In Illinois

  • Let It Ride
  • Craps
  • Pai Gow Poker
  • Red Dog
  • Three Card Rummy
  • Roll The Dice

Where To Play Online Poker In Illinois?

You can choose from some of the top online poker sites in Illinois such as Bovada or BetOnline that have plenty of poker games to choose from. You can enjoy playing in regular cash games, tournaments, and any other poker games that they have to offer. The biggest benefit about the online poker rooms here is that there are little to no wait times when looking to play, unlike the wait times you’ll find at crowded in-person poker rooms.

BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM opened their online sportsbook in Illinois recently, with a lot of options available for prospective bettors in the state. Their app is quite easy to use, although there’s quite a gap between the reviews on the App Store and the Google Play Store, suggesting a possible drop in quality.

BetRivers Sportsbook

BetRivers was the first online sportsbook that opened up in the state of Illinois, starting operations in June of 2020. This means that it had a bit of an advantage over other sportsbooks, which had to claw market share away from BetRivers. It’s still a more successful book in IL than it is in several other states.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars launched in Illinois on August 3, 2021, in partnership with the Grand Victoria Casino. They’re a popular choice for fans of sports betting in Illinois thanks to their useful mobile app and large volume of daily odds boosts.

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings partnered with Casino Queen in order to offer sports betting in Illinois, launching as one of the first sportsbooks in the state in August 2020. Their big bonus offer in Illinois is a $1000 match paired with a $50 free bet, which is a pretty solid option for bettors in Illinois.

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel Sportsbook opened a sportsbook and race book in Illinois known as FanDuel Sportsbook And Horse Racing, but their online platform is focused on sports betting as well as Daily Fantasy Sports. They offer a reasonable bonus of a $1,000 free wager, which is in line with the Illinois market.

PointsBet Sportsbook

PointsBet opened as one of the first sportsbooks available in Illinois, way back in September 2020. At the time, the only competition it had was from BetRivers and DraftKings, but now, there are three more sportsbooks it has to contend with, and some might argue it has fallen behind.

Retail Sportsbooks In Illinois

Hollywood Casino Aurora

The Hollywood Casino Aurora is partnered with Barstool Sportsbook in order to provide sports betting in Illinois. Located in Aurora, the casino also features large numbers of slots and a live poker room.

Rivers Casino Des Plaines

Rivers Casino Des Plaines is partnered with BetRivers, a spinoff/partner company under the same general umbrella. BetRivers also operates an online sportsbook in Illinois, and offshore sportsbooks can generally offer better odds on local teams than BetRivers can.

Grand Victoria Casino Elgin

The Grand Victoria Casino Elgin is partnered with Caesars Sportsbook, and offers sports betting at their retail location under that imprint. This means that you’ll find mostly the same odds at this sportsbook as you would by simply downloading the Caesars app, and local team bettors will often find better odds at offshore books.

Casino Queen

Casino Queen was one of the first casinos to partner with a sports betting provider, and their partnership with DraftKings has been fruitful. This partnership has yielded not only their retail sports betting operation at the Casino Queen location, but also a DraftKings mobile sportsbook app in Illinois.

Par-A-Dice Casino

Par-A-Dice Casino partnered with FanDuel, which also opened a separate location known as FanDuel Sportsbook And Horse Racing. These two retail books are the only places to bet on FanDuel in the state of Illinois, with the exception of the FanDuel mobile app.

FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing

FanDuel Sportsbook And Horse Racing opened as a way for FanDuel to kickstart their mobile betting presence in Illinois, but has evolved into a unique experience in its own right. It’s functionally a racino without the casino – you can bet on sports and you can bet on horses at this location in Collinsville, IL.

Hawthorne Race Course

Hawthorne Race Course was PointsBet’s partner when it launched sports betting in Illinois, and it was actually the first of the online sportsbooks to be up and running in the state. Hawthorne itself is a fine race course, and one of the unique fixtures of Illinois’ betting setup.

Argosy Casino

The Argosy Casino now offers sports betting to anyone willing to travel to their location in Alton, IL. Their odds provider is UniBet, a well regarded odds provider, and they have a lot of benefits available for first time bettors, although it’s likely an online sportsbook located offshore will be more profitable for local sports betting.

Hollywood Casino Joliet

The Hollywood Casino Joliet is an excellent casino for anyone in the Joliet area to visit, and it operates a sportsbook that can easily accept wagers from anyone in the area. Like the Hollywood Casino Aurora, it is partnered with Barstool Sportsbook as an odds provider.

Horse Racing Betting In Illinois

Horse racing betting in Illinois is a thriving industry and legal throughout the state. The state boasts over two dozen pari-mutuel wagering facilities – also called OTBs or off-track betting sites – where horse races are simulcast for all to enjoy. Two major horse tracks are located outside of Chicago. These are the Hawthorn Racecourse and Arlington Park, which are easily accessible for residents in the suburbs. The state’s other track, Fairmont Park, is located in Collinsville, which is across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. While horseracing season is limited to seasonal months, that doesn’t have to stop you from betting on horses, as the online operators listed here also offer racebooks with action from dozens of tracks throughout the US and the rest of the world!

Daily Fantasy Sports In Illinois

Illinois daily fantasy sports (DFS) is an interesting topic, as the state allows for operators and players to participate; however, the Attorney General is on record giving an unfavorable opinion on the matter. Regardless, DFS operators like FanDuel and DraftKings do business in the state, and they offer prizes ranging from a few bucks to several hundred thousand dollars! Some contests are free to join, while others are paid, though they both provide sign-up and friend-referral bonuses.

Interestingly, as a result of Illinois’ “gray area” DFS climate (there are no laws regulating or criminalizing the industry), several local casino operators were able to get the state to lock out DraftKings and FanDuel from operating IL sportsbooks for the first 18 months of the state’s legal sports betting calendar. Though controversial, this move has not been challenged, meaning that these particular seasoned bookmakers will not be offering wagering products in IL in the short-term future. That said, you can still enjoy the full gamut of their free and paid DFS services!

Legal Illinois Sports Betting FAQs

Where Is The Best Place To Bet On Sports In Illinois?
Illinois has so many options that every place could be considered the best place to bet on sports. Going to a retail establishment is great but so is using a mobile sports betting platform. And shopping lines among various operators including internet sportsbooks make all three choices the best place for Illinois sports bettors to get in on the action of the games.
Should I Use A Local Bookie In Illinois?
No, local bookies are not licensed and regulated in Illinois, meaning they do not have to pay you your winnings if they do not want to. There is no need to go this route for residents of Illinois as every other way to gamble on sports is quite literally legally available to them.
When Did Sports Betting Become Legal In Illinois?
Sports betting became legal in Illinois for both retail and mobile sportsbooks on June 28, 2019.
Do Any Casinos Have Sportsbooks In Illinois?

Yes, Illinois is home many sportsbooks. Aside from sportsbooks taking Illinois players, locals or tourists can bet in person. There are about a dozen legal sportsbooks in Illinois.

Can I Bet On Sports With Friends In Illinois?
Yes, gambling on sporting events in Illinois with your friends is completely legal because there are no laws prohibiting it. And you’d have to imagine it would be either way if it’s okay to wager using a local sportsbook or faceless mobile application.