Illinois Sets New Sports Betting Record In January At $581.5M

• Sports betting handle in Illinois increased to $581.5 million in January.
• This is the new record-setting single-month betting activity in Illinois.
• DraftKings remains the more popular mobile sportsbook in the state.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Sports betting fans in Illinois managed to set a new record high betting handle month to start the new year, with January betting handle surpassing half a billion dollars.

The Prairie State continues to see the bulk of its sports betting success from mobile and online sportsbooks.

Illinois sports betting has increased every month since its launch, showing the market is a growing one. With new sportsbooks launching in 2021, Illinois sports betting could challenge as one of the biggest markets in the nation.

Illinois Continued Growth

According to the report released by the Illinois Gaming Board more than $581.5 million was wagered on sports in January. This is an 18.5% increase from the $491.7 million wagered in December.

With the executive order by Governor JB Pritzker to allow remote sign up for mobile sportsbooks still in effect, mobile and online betting remains the primary way players wager in the Prairie State.

DraftKings sportsbook specifically took the top spot, seeing 42.3% of all wagers in Illinois with $242.7 million in betting handle. This was followed by FanDuel’s $173.2 million wagered and BetRivers’s $109.2 million in bets.

In terms of sports betting revenue, sportsbooks saw $47.9 million in profit, with $7.2 million in state taxes collected. This is also a monthly recordset.

Illinois sports betting success has put sportsbooks on notice, with new sportsbooks like Barstool Sportsbook looking to get a slice of the pie.

With the continued success of Illinois sports betting, specifically through mobile sportsbooks, more operators may look to launch in the market.

Additionally, since the executive order for remote signup has been active since launch, it is possible an amendment could be made to make remote signups permanent. The current law requires players to physically register at a sportsbook before access to online and mobile betting.

Illinois’ success out the gate in legal sports betting is a good sign for the state’s future in the market.

News tags: Barstool Sports | BetRivers | DraftKings | FanDuel | Illinois | Illinois Gaming Board | Revenue | Springfield