The Illinois Sports Wagering Act, which allowed for online sports betting in Illinois, contains a rather frustrating provision for proponents of the proliferation of sports betting in the state. The law requires that players register in person at the home casino of their chosen sportsbook for the first 18 months after the passage of the law.
You don't have to look far past the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, Illini, or White Sox to realize Illinois is a major sports state. As is common with other major sport states, you have lots of people who love to bet on sports. Thankfully, it's easy to bet online for real money by using any of these trusted Illinois sports betting sites.
Betting Site | Bonus | Bet Now | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | up to €30 Free Bet | Go to Site | |
2 | 22Bet | 100% up to €122 | Go to Site |
3 | 100% up to €200 | Go to Site | |
4 | 10Bet | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
5 | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
Illinois Sports Betting Legal Illinois sports betting made its debut on the retail front in March 2020 with the online and mobile rollout taking place a few months later. There was some wrangling back and forth about users being able to register online, but that has all been sorted out. Illinois sports betting has launched! It took a bit to get set up, but the process has officially been completed! After opening the application process in December 2019, Illinois launched sports betting on March 9, 2020. Illinois became the 15th state to open their doors and accept a legal sports wager and the first in the 2020 calendar year.
If you're looking to wager with real money on your favorite local team, or any other team around the country or globe, then you're in luck. We've compiled a comprehensive list of the best Illinois sports betting sites currently offering their services.
All these sports betting sites can be trusted as they use the ethical and standard business practices that all legitimate sportsbooks enforce. These websites will provide players with all the information they need in order to successfully make their real money bets.
Also, these books are constantly updated and known for their accessibility and easy-to-use approach for all visiting patrons, making it simple and quick for anybody interested to place their wagers.
What Makes These Illinois Betting Sites Great?
Not a single one of you came here to find the most mediocre sports betting sites in Illinois. You want the best, and we think you deserve nothing short of that. Because we care that much, we wanted to make sure we were transparent about why you should trust our online sportsbooks review above any others.
Reviews and Rankings Are Unbiased and Can't Be Bought
You cannot pay us for a higher ranking, better review, or placement on our recommended list. We take what we do seriously, and there's no way we can stand behind our list of the top IL betting sites without standing firm on this.
Information Is Kept Up to Date and Regularly Audited
You're not going to see online sportsbooks recommendations from years ago on our listings. Our team works tirelessly to keep our recommendations, stats, bonus codes, and betting information up to speed with the latest information.
Our Focus and Goal Is You
We can sum all of this up in one sentence—our focus and goal is you. If we can help you to find the best Illinois sports betting sites available on the market and you have a great experience, we've done our job.
Is Sports Betting Online in Illinois Legal?
Yes. On the last day of the state legislature's session in the spring of 2019, House and Senate lawmakers passed a bill expanding gambling online and at brick and mortar locations across the state. Proponents of the bill successfully pushed the argument that expanded gaming would bring in around $200 million in additional annual revenue to the state. This was a major step forward for Illinois sports betting sites.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2020 and the state is inches away from fully rolling out state-regulated online gambling. Initially, only brick and mortar casinos were allowed to apply for licenses, which cost $10 million each.
What's unique is that not just casinos were included in being offered applications. Across the state, 10 casinos, three racetracks, and seven sporting venues were invited to apply. Yes, you heard that correctly—sporting venues are included.
Online-only websites like DraftKings and FanDuel are required to wait 18 months until they are allowed to apply. Even then, there will only be three licenses available to online-only providers, and they will cost twice as much at $20 million a pop. Still, we expect heavy competition for those licenses.
Banking Options at Illinois Sports Betting Sites
A chief concern from those looking into online betting in Illinois is the financial side. How are you going to deposit money into your online sportsbook? How do you get your winnings? How long does it take to get paid? Is the banking safe? All of these are great questions we're going to address right now.
How Are You Going to Deposit Money Into Your Online Sportsbook?
Getting money onto Illinois online betting sites is quick and easy, thanks to technology and updated banking integrations. Popular methods include:
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- E-wallets
- Cryptocurrency
- Direct bank transfers
- Money management services
How Do I Get Paid My Real Money Winnings From Illinois Sports Betting Sites?
Illinois betting sites pay customers through a multitude of different options. Each site will have a slightly different lineup of available banking options, but these are the most popular.
- E-wallets
- Cryptocurrency
- Direct bank transfers
- Money management services
- Credit and debit cards (in some cases)
- Checks by courier
How Long Does It Take to Get Paid Your Winnings From IL Sports Betting Sites?
Depending on the cashout method you choose, your money will arrive in your bank account or e-wallet account between a few hours and a few days. The only exception to this is checks by courier which can take up to two weeks to arrive.
Is the Banking at Illinois Sports Betting Sites Safe?
As long as you stick to using trusted and vetted options, your banking and site experience will be safe. All of the top options recommended in this guide utilize proper high-level encryption, perform regular site audits, and put your safety as their top priority.
What Sports Can I Bet on at IL Sportsbooks?
When it comes to what you can bet on at the options listed here, the list is pretty long. First, you'll be able to wager on all of the four major sports—basketball, baseball, hockey, and football. This means the Bulls, White Sox, Cubs, Blackhawks, and Bears fans have full access to a wide array of wagering options on their favorite local teams.
For those looking to get sports betting action elsewhere, though, you'll still be covered. These Illinois online sportsbooks offer action on many other sports, including college sports, soccer, tennis, golf, auto racing, combat sports, politics, entertainment, dog racing, horse racing, and much more. Honestly, if it's something that can be bet on in the world, one of these online sportsbooks will offer some type of action on it.
Regarding the types of bets available, expect to see an impressive list of wager types including all popular bets and more unique wager types like parlays, in-game wagers, teasers, pleasers, and more. Those looking into online betting in Illinois will have extensive flexibility when it comes to selecting wagers.
Getting Started Betting Online in Illinois Now
At this point, you don't have anything holding you back from diving into the action. Check out any of the options on our list of the best Illinois sports betting sites now, and you'll be making real money bets in a matter of minutes. Long gone are the days of having to drive to a sportsbook in another state to place a bet.
Illinois was one of the latest states to legalize online sports betting and the first bet in the state was placed in March of 2020. There are now two online operators that accept bets from Illinois bettors and you can expect some other great sites to emerge later in the year and at the beginning of 2021. With legal betting now available, you can enjoy placing wagers on your favorite Illinois professional teams and will also be able to bet on college events as well as international sports.
Illinois Online Sportsbooks Apps
- Betrivers Sports
- Points Bet
- William Hill IL
- BetMGM Illinois
- Draftkings App
Currently, there are just a few online sportsbooks that are operating legally in Illinois. All of these betting apps have attracted much attention from bettors in Illinois and you can easily create an account and begin playing for real money payouts. BetRivers ILwas the first site to launch, and it opened in June 2020. This site offers a great desktop platform a well as a solid mobile option so you can wager using your phones and tablets.
DraftKings is the other online sportsbook that is available to residents of Illinois and this launched in August 2020. As one of the largest betting sites in the industry, DraftKings presents great coverage of markets and some exceptional odds.
Rivers Casino Sportsbook
Markets and Bets
When you visit a sportsbook that is operating in Illinois, you will find a great selection of sports that can support different bet types. Since many from this area are local sports fans, the leading sportsbooks will allow for bets to be placed on popular teams like the Cubs, Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox. Online sportsbooks will offer a complete list of sports that can include baseball, football, hockey, soccer, basketball, tennis, golf, motorsports, MMA, and so much more.
When choosing your bet., you will select your preferred sport. You will then see the types of bets that are supported. Simply choose one of these and enter the bet amount and the wager will be added to the bet slip. At online sportsbooks in Illinois, you can place wagers like:
- Moneyline
- Point spread
- Teasers
- Futures
- Parlays
- Round robin
- Props
Anticipated Sportsbooks in Illinois
Even though legal online sports betting is new to the state of Illinois, there are already some major betting sites that are planning to enter the market and offer real money wagering. Many top-rated sites have partnered with casinos in Illinois and are preparing online platforms as you read this. In the coming months and in 2021, there are some great sportsbooks that will start operating online. Here are the sites you can expect to become available and we have listed the land casinos that the sites have partnered with.
- BetAmerica – Arlington Park racetrack
- Barstool Sportsbook – Hollywood Casino Aurora
- Caesars Sportsbook – Harrah's Metropolis
- PointsBet – Hawthorne Race Course
- BetMGM – Par-a-Dice Casino
- FanDuel – Fairmount Park Racetrack
- Delaware North – Jumer's Casino Rock Island
The Illinois Sports Wagering Act, which allowed for online sports betting in Illinois, contains a rather frustrating provision for proponents of the proliferation of sports betting in the state. The law requires that players register in person at the home casino of their chosen sportsbook for the first 18 months after the passage of the law.
You don't have to look far past the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, Illini, or White Sox to realize Illinois is a major sports state. As is common with other major sport states, you have lots of people who love to bet on sports. Thankfully, it's easy to bet online for real money by using any of these trusted Illinois sports betting sites.
Betting Site | Bonus | Bet Now | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | up to €30 Free Bet | Go to Site | |
2 | 22Bet | 100% up to €122 | Go to Site |
3 | 100% up to €200 | Go to Site | |
4 | 10Bet | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
5 | 100% up to €50 | Go to Site |
Illinois Sports Betting Legal Illinois sports betting made its debut on the retail front in March 2020 with the online and mobile rollout taking place a few months later. There was some wrangling back and forth about users being able to register online, but that has all been sorted out. Illinois sports betting has launched! It took a bit to get set up, but the process has officially been completed! After opening the application process in December 2019, Illinois launched sports betting on March 9, 2020. Illinois became the 15th state to open their doors and accept a legal sports wager and the first in the 2020 calendar year.
If you're looking to wager with real money on your favorite local team, or any other team around the country or globe, then you're in luck. We've compiled a comprehensive list of the best Illinois sports betting sites currently offering their services.
All these sports betting sites can be trusted as they use the ethical and standard business practices that all legitimate sportsbooks enforce. These websites will provide players with all the information they need in order to successfully make their real money bets.
Also, these books are constantly updated and known for their accessibility and easy-to-use approach for all visiting patrons, making it simple and quick for anybody interested to place their wagers.
What Makes These Illinois Betting Sites Great?
Not a single one of you came here to find the most mediocre sports betting sites in Illinois. You want the best, and we think you deserve nothing short of that. Because we care that much, we wanted to make sure we were transparent about why you should trust our online sportsbooks review above any others.
Reviews and Rankings Are Unbiased and Can't Be Bought
You cannot pay us for a higher ranking, better review, or placement on our recommended list. We take what we do seriously, and there's no way we can stand behind our list of the top IL betting sites without standing firm on this.
Information Is Kept Up to Date and Regularly Audited
You're not going to see online sportsbooks recommendations from years ago on our listings. Our team works tirelessly to keep our recommendations, stats, bonus codes, and betting information up to speed with the latest information.
Our Focus and Goal Is You
We can sum all of this up in one sentence—our focus and goal is you. If we can help you to find the best Illinois sports betting sites available on the market and you have a great experience, we've done our job.
Is Sports Betting Online in Illinois Legal?
Yes. On the last day of the state legislature's session in the spring of 2019, House and Senate lawmakers passed a bill expanding gambling online and at brick and mortar locations across the state. Proponents of the bill successfully pushed the argument that expanded gaming would bring in around $200 million in additional annual revenue to the state. This was a major step forward for Illinois sports betting sites.
Fast forward to the beginning of 2020 and the state is inches away from fully rolling out state-regulated online gambling. Initially, only brick and mortar casinos were allowed to apply for licenses, which cost $10 million each.
What's unique is that not just casinos were included in being offered applications. Across the state, 10 casinos, three racetracks, and seven sporting venues were invited to apply. Yes, you heard that correctly—sporting venues are included.
Online-only websites like DraftKings and FanDuel are required to wait 18 months until they are allowed to apply. Even then, there will only be three licenses available to online-only providers, and they will cost twice as much at $20 million a pop. Still, we expect heavy competition for those licenses.
Banking Options at Illinois Sports Betting Sites
A chief concern from those looking into online betting in Illinois is the financial side. How are you going to deposit money into your online sportsbook? How do you get your winnings? How long does it take to get paid? Is the banking safe? All of these are great questions we're going to address right now.
How Are You Going to Deposit Money Into Your Online Sportsbook?
Getting money onto Illinois online betting sites is quick and easy, thanks to technology and updated banking integrations. Popular methods include:
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- E-wallets
- Cryptocurrency
- Direct bank transfers
- Money management services
How Do I Get Paid My Real Money Winnings From Illinois Sports Betting Sites?
Illinois betting sites pay customers through a multitude of different options. Each site will have a slightly different lineup of available banking options, but these are the most popular.
- E-wallets
- Cryptocurrency
- Direct bank transfers
- Money management services
- Credit and debit cards (in some cases)
- Checks by courier
How Long Does It Take to Get Paid Your Winnings From IL Sports Betting Sites?
Depending on the cashout method you choose, your money will arrive in your bank account or e-wallet account between a few hours and a few days. The only exception to this is checks by courier which can take up to two weeks to arrive.
Is the Banking at Illinois Sports Betting Sites Safe?
As long as you stick to using trusted and vetted options, your banking and site experience will be safe. All of the top options recommended in this guide utilize proper high-level encryption, perform regular site audits, and put your safety as their top priority.
What Sports Can I Bet on at IL Sportsbooks?
When it comes to what you can bet on at the options listed here, the list is pretty long. First, you'll be able to wager on all of the four major sports—basketball, baseball, hockey, and football. This means the Bulls, White Sox, Cubs, Blackhawks, and Bears fans have full access to a wide array of wagering options on their favorite local teams.
For those looking to get sports betting action elsewhere, though, you'll still be covered. These Illinois online sportsbooks offer action on many other sports, including college sports, soccer, tennis, golf, auto racing, combat sports, politics, entertainment, dog racing, horse racing, and much more. Honestly, if it's something that can be bet on in the world, one of these online sportsbooks will offer some type of action on it.
Regarding the types of bets available, expect to see an impressive list of wager types including all popular bets and more unique wager types like parlays, in-game wagers, teasers, pleasers, and more. Those looking into online betting in Illinois will have extensive flexibility when it comes to selecting wagers.
Getting Started Betting Online in Illinois Now
At this point, you don't have anything holding you back from diving into the action. Check out any of the options on our list of the best Illinois sports betting sites now, and you'll be making real money bets in a matter of minutes. Long gone are the days of having to drive to a sportsbook in another state to place a bet.
Illinois was one of the latest states to legalize online sports betting and the first bet in the state was placed in March of 2020. There are now two online operators that accept bets from Illinois bettors and you can expect some other great sites to emerge later in the year and at the beginning of 2021. With legal betting now available, you can enjoy placing wagers on your favorite Illinois professional teams and will also be able to bet on college events as well as international sports.
Illinois Online Sportsbooks Apps
- Betrivers Sports
- Points Bet
- William Hill IL
- BetMGM Illinois
- Draftkings App
Currently, there are just a few online sportsbooks that are operating legally in Illinois. All of these betting apps have attracted much attention from bettors in Illinois and you can easily create an account and begin playing for real money payouts. BetRivers ILwas the first site to launch, and it opened in June 2020. This site offers a great desktop platform a well as a solid mobile option so you can wager using your phones and tablets.
DraftKings is the other online sportsbook that is available to residents of Illinois and this launched in August 2020. As one of the largest betting sites in the industry, DraftKings presents great coverage of markets and some exceptional odds.
Rivers Casino Sportsbook
Markets and Bets
When you visit a sportsbook that is operating in Illinois, you will find a great selection of sports that can support different bet types. Since many from this area are local sports fans, the leading sportsbooks will allow for bets to be placed on popular teams like the Cubs, Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox. Online sportsbooks will offer a complete list of sports that can include baseball, football, hockey, soccer, basketball, tennis, golf, motorsports, MMA, and so much more.
When choosing your bet., you will select your preferred sport. You will then see the types of bets that are supported. Simply choose one of these and enter the bet amount and the wager will be added to the bet slip. At online sportsbooks in Illinois, you can place wagers like:
- Moneyline
- Point spread
- Teasers
- Futures
- Parlays
- Round robin
- Props
Anticipated Sportsbooks in Illinois
Even though legal online sports betting is new to the state of Illinois, there are already some major betting sites that are planning to enter the market and offer real money wagering. Many top-rated sites have partnered with casinos in Illinois and are preparing online platforms as you read this. In the coming months and in 2021, there are some great sportsbooks that will start operating online. Here are the sites you can expect to become available and we have listed the land casinos that the sites have partnered with.
- BetAmerica – Arlington Park racetrack
- Barstool Sportsbook – Hollywood Casino Aurora
- Caesars Sportsbook – Harrah's Metropolis
- PointsBet – Hawthorne Race Course
- BetMGM – Par-a-Dice Casino
- FanDuel – Fairmount Park Racetrack
- Delaware North – Jumer's Casino Rock Island
Online Sports Betting Illinois Reddit
Types of Sports Betting Bonuses for Illinois
Watch for some great bonuses to be featured at online sites. You will usually start with a welcome bonus, which can be a free bet or a match bonus. To be eligible, just create an account and make a deposit. Free bets will require you to place a bet and settle that bet to get the free offer. There are also other great deals to enjoy like insurance bonuses, odds boosts, reload offers, and so much more.
Physical Sportsbooks in Illinois
There are three retail sportsbooks in the state that are accepting wagers. These include Rovers Casio Des Plaines, associated with BetRivers, Argosy Casino Alton, associated with Penn National, and Queen Casino East St. Luis, associated with DraftKings.
Pro Teams in IL
As a resident of Illinois, you will most likely be a fan of the local professional teams. When you are placing wagers at an online sportsbook, you will find coverage of these teams and some of the major professional events. This means you can bet on your hometown team and enjoy some super bonuses and odds while placing bets at trusted sites. If you like to wager on professional sports, be sure to watch for sites that feature multiple types of bets on the following teams:
- Chicago Bears (NFL)
- The Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
- The Chicago Bulls (NBA)
- Chicago Cubs (MBL)
- MLS Chicago Fire
- Chicago White Sox (MLB)
Illinois Online Sports Betting Legal Status
To take advantage of the thrills of Illinois online sportsbooks, you must be 21 or older and be located within the borders of Illinois to place a real money bet. The operating sportsbooks will not collect taxes, but based on IL law, you are required to report gambling winnings on your income taxes each year.