Illinois Sports Betting: Best Illinois Sportsbooks in 2025

Top 6 Illinois sports betting sites

Covers Expert Analysis

"Prairie State bettors have access to the top names in sports betting in 2025. Thorough reserach the operator and its key features — like payout speed, betting markets, bonus offerings, and customer support — before signing up with any online sportsbook to ensure they meet your betting needs."

Michael Duchesne, Managing Editor

Here are the six best Illinois sports betting sites:

1. BetMGM Illinois

$1,500 First Bet Offer

Bonus bets expire in 7 days. One new customer offer per user. Additional terms apply. 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

CVRBONUS1500

Claim $1,500

Self-distinguished as the "King of Sportsbooks," BetMGM Illinois boasts better-than-average odds and an exclusive first bet opportunity for new customers, offering up to $1,500 in bonus bets with the use of BetMGM bonus code 'CVRBONUS1500' during registration. Chicago Bears fans can celebrate knowing that BetMGM debuted several game-changing features to enhance the football betting experience this season.

Take a spin through our BetMGM bonus code review page to learn about its features.

• App Store rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.2 (Android)
• Sign-up bonus: $1,500 First Bet Offer
• Payout speed: 2 days

2. Caesars Illinois

Bet $1, Double Winnings on Your Next 10 Bets

New customers only. Must register using eligible promo code. Place a wager of at least $1 and you'll get 10x 100% profit boosts, up to $2,500 each, win or lose. Void where prohibited. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms.

COVERSBONUSDYW

Claim Now

Caesars IL rolled out a brand new offer for new Illinois sports bettors, offering 10x 100% profit boosts, each worth up to $2,500 to new users. Beyond the sign-up perks, Caesars Sportsbook keeps sports gamblers engaged with a great mobile app and unrivalled customer support. Illinois residents can also join one of the best sportsbook rewards programs in the country — Caesars Rewards — when they register with Caesars Sportsbook and can turn every real money wager into exclusive benefits like bonuses, discounted travel vouchers, access to exclusive events, and more.  

Read our Caesars Sportsbook Review to learn more about the best sportsbook in Illinois.

• App Store rating: 4.7 (iOS); 4.5 (Android)
• Best feature: Strong customer support
• Sign-up bonus: Bet $1, Double Winnings on Your Next 10 Bets
• Payout speed: Within 24 hours

3. bet365 Illinois

Bet $5, Get $150 Win or Lose

Code: CVSBONUS

Claim $150

Illinois opened its digital doors to bet365 in March 2025, allowing the internationally renowned online operator to offer its elite sports betting services across the state. bet365 IL provides complete coverage on a wide range of sporting events, including niche leagues such as snooker, and badminton. New bet365 Illinois users can sign up for an account today via the bet365 app and claim a great welcome bonus — 'Bet $5, get $150'.

Read our bet365 Sportsbook Review to learn more.

• App Store rating: 4.8 (iOS); 4.5 (Android)
• Sign-up bonus: Bet $5, Get $150 Win or Lose
• Payout speed: Within 24 hours

4. DraftKings Illinois

Bet $5, Get $150

New customers only. Deposit min. $5. Place first bet of min. $5 (at -500 odds or greater) and get $150 in bonus bets instantly.

Available in Illinois

Claim $150

Purveyor of one of the best sports betting apps in the U.S., DraftKings is also among Illinois's top overall sports betting platforms. From its extensive collection of betting markets and ongoing promotions to its clean user interface and stress-free banking, the sports betting partner of the Chicago Cubs is the sportsbook of choice for many Illinois gamblers. Just remember that DraftKings Illinois charges a $0.50 surcharge on all wagers placed within the state. 

For more information, read our DraftKings Review.

• App Store rating: 4.8 (iOS); 4.3 (Android)
• Best feature: Unique sportsbook pools
• Sign-up bonus: Bet $5, Get $150 + $1K Deposit Bonus
• Payout speed: Within 24 hours

5. FanDuel Illinois

Bet $5, Win $150

New customers only. Deposit min. $5. Place your first $5 bet and receive $150 if your bet wins.

Available in Illinois

Claim $150

The sports betting partner of the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls, FanDuel is also aligned with its Illinois users' best interests. The sportsbook has one of the most straightforward bonuses in the state and one of the best mobile apps in 2025. IL bettors can seamlessly access FanDuel's top-notch 'Live' section that allows you to watch and wager during ongoing games directly on the platform. Just remember that FanDuel Illinois charges a $0.50 surcharge on all wagers placed within the state. 

Check out our FanDuel Review to learn more about one of the best NBA betting promos of 2025.

• App Store rating: 4.9 (iOS); 4.7 (Android)
• Best feature: Intuitive mobile apps
• Sign-up bonus: Bet $5, Win $150
• Payout speed: Within 24 hours

6. Fanatics Sportsbook Illinois

 

$1,000 No Sweat Bets in FanCash

Ends: Currently ongoing

Claim Now

Fanatics Sportsbook is an emerging U.S. online operator that is known for its fantastic 'FanCash' loyalty program and a great welcome offer of up to $1,000 in bonus bets that does not require a Fanatics Sportsbook promo code to claim. Just remember that Fanatics Sportsbook Illinois charges a $0.25 surcharge on all wagers placed within the state. 

Refer to our Fanatics Sportsbook review to learn more.

• App Store rating: 4.8 (iOS), 4.7 (Android)
• Sign-up bonus: $1,000 No Sweat Bets in FanCash
• Payout speed: Within 24 hours

Comparing top Illinois sports betting sites

	Caesars Sportsbook	FanDuel	DraftKings	BetMGM
Welcome bonus	Bet $1, Double Winnings on Your Next 10 Bets	Exclusive: $2,500 No Sweat Bet	Bet $5, Get $150	$1,500 in bonus bets
Promo code	COVERSBONUSDYW	Not required	Not required	CVRBONUS1500
Payout time	Within 24 hours	Within 24 hours	Within 24 hours	2 days
Odds provider	Caesars	Flutter	SBTech	BetMGM
Top feature	Customer service	User experience	Grading winners	Range of sports
Early cash out	Yes ✅	Yes ✅	Yes ✅	Yes ✅
Live streaming	Yes ✅	Yes ✅	Limited ✅	Yes ✅
Covers BetSmart Bonus Rating	⭐ 5/5	⭐ 4.9/5	⭐ 4.6/5	⭐ 4.8/5

Best Illinois sports betting offers and bonuses

Sports bettors can claim the best Illinois sportsbook bonuses from anywhere in the state.

Here is our ranking of the best introductory offers currently available to Illinoisans in 2025:

BetMGM - $1,500 First Bet Offer: BetMGM IL welcomes new Prairie State bettors with a lucrative first bet offer of up to $1,500 in bonus bets, packaged as five $300 bonus bets. If your initial wager loses, receive an equal stake up to $1,500. Bonus bets expire after seven days. Use the BetMGM bonus code 'CVRBONUS1500' to redeem this offer, which expires on Sept. 1, 2025.

bet365 - Bet $5, Get $150 Win or Lose: The newest sportsbook in Illinois is offering $150 in bonus bets by simply wagering $5 on any sports market with odds of -500 or greater that settle within 30 days of claiming the offer. Use bet365 bonus code 'CVSBONUS' during registration to activate the offer, which must be claimed via the bet365 Sportsbook app and is valid until July 31, 2025 at 6:59 AM ET.

FanDuel - Bet $5, Win $150: No FanDuel promo code is required to collect $150 in bonus bets from FanDuel IL. Deposit $5, place your first $5 wager on any market and receive the bonus if your bet wins. The offer expires on Aug. 10, 2025.

Caesars - Bet $1, Double Winnings on Your Next 10 Bets: New customers can claim up to $1,000 by using the Caesars Sportsbook promo code 'COVERSBONUSDYW' at sign-up. Make a minimum deposit of $10 and place an initial wager of at least $1 to qualify and Caesars will issue 10x 100% profit boosts, each worth up to $2,500 if your initial bet loses. Bonus credits are valid for 14 days from issuance and expire at 11:59 a.m. ET on Aug. 19, 2025.

DraftKings - Bet $5, Get $150 + $1K Deposit Bonus: DraftKings' Illinois sign-up bonus gives new customers $150 in bonus bets when they deposit a minimum of $5 and wager at least $5 (at -500 odds or greater). The bonus arrives as 6 $25 bonus bets only if your wager wins and is valid for seven days (168 hours). No DraftKings promo code is required to claim this offer, which is set to expire on Aug. 3, 2025.

Fanatics Sportsbook - $1,000 No Sweat Bets in FanCash: No Fanatics Sportsbook promo code is required to earn up to $1,000 in no sweat bonus bets from the operator today. Simply make an initial $10 deposit and place a daily $1 wager on a market with -500 odds or longer. You'll receive one (1) bonus bet equal to the amount of your wager, up to $100, if it settles as a loss. Place this wager for 10 consecutive days to earn the bonus' maximum value. All promos are currently ongoing.

Terms and conditions apply to all bonuses and promotional offers.

Illinois sports betting updates

In the spring of 2019, the Illinois state legislature passed a bill that permitted Illinois sports betting at riverboat casinos, horse racetracks, and select sports facilities. Online sports betting arrived in June 2020 with the launch of the BetRivers sportsbook.

This timeline provides a snapshot of Illinois' sports gambling history:

July 31, 2025: Licensed online sportsbooks in Illinois are responding to the new per-bet tax and what it might cost bettors.

July 17, 2025: Illinois' eighth consecutive $1 billion monthly handle propelled the state into an elite club, joining New York and New Jersey as the only three U.S. states to reach $50 billion in total bets since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018.

July 15, 2025: BetMGM sets a $2.50 minimum bet in Illinois after the state's new tax changes.

July 15, 2025: Illinois is getting closer to formally banning the use of credit cards in connection with sports betting. 

July 10, 2025: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul predicts that the state will eventually legalize online casino gaming, with consideration potentially being given in 2026.

July 2, 2025: The WNBA's Chicago Sky partnered with online safety firm Moonshot to combat online hate, harassment, and abuse targeting players and coaches.

June 19, 2025: The WNBA’s Chicago Sky announced a multi-year partnership with bet365 sportsbook, making them the fifth WNBA team with a sports betting partner.

June 18, 2025: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker says Illinois' budget, which includes new tax rate on every online sports wager, showcases state's "hard-earned fiscal responsibility" with the state imposing a $0.25-per-wager rate for the first 20 million wagers, $0.50 after.

June 17, 2025: April produces an 18% year-over-year sports betting revenue increase in Illinois, with the Prairie State’s online and retail sportsbooks taking in $108 million on an over $1 billion handle.  

June 17, 2025: Lawsuits against prediction market operator Kalshi, and the trading platforms Robinhood, Susquehanna, and Webull, started to pop up across the U.S. this month, with lawsuits filed in five states, including Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Massachusetts and South Carolina.  

June 16, 2025: An online survey conducted by Covers suggests the 50-cent fee that DraftKings and FanDuel are planning to charge in Illinois could curb wagering by some customers.

June 12, 2025: DraftKings, just like rival FanDuel, plans to charge its customers a 50-cent fee in response to the per-bet tax Illinois lawmakers recently approved.

June 10, 2025: FanDuel-parent Flutter is warning that Illinois' new per-bet tax "will disproportionately impact lower wagering recreational customers while also punishing those operators who have invested the most to grow the online regulated market in the state."

June 10, 2025: FanDuel parent company Flutter Entertainment will institute a 50-cent surcharge on all wagers in Illinois, in response to Illinois' recent tax hike, which will charge sportsbooks 25-to-50 cents per accepted wager in addition to the 20-to-40% revenue tax.

June 4, 2025: A recently implemented DraftKings surcharge on sports bets faced such scrutiny that public pressure forced the company to abandon its ideas.

June 3, 2025: Despite pushback from major operators, Illinois is moving forward with a significant change to its sports wagering tax structure, with rates ranging from 20% to 40% to replace the flat 15% tax on sports betting revenue.

June 3, 2025: With the 157th edition of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course set for Saturday, Caesars Entertainment announced it has added pari-mutuel horse racing wagering into its sportsbook in Illinois and Indiana.

June 2, 2025: Illinois has been hit by another tax for online sportsbooks - the new tax, effective July 1, will be 25 cents per wager for the first 20 million bets taken in the state in any given fiscal year, and then 50 cents per wager after that.

May 27, 2025: Illinois lawmakers are facing pressure as proposals to legalize online casinos have stalled before the May 31 adjournment.

May 20, 2025: BetMGM has seen a 157% handle increase on the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl winner futures market since Chicago native Robert Prevost was announced as the new Pope.

May 15, 2025: Illinois bettors wagered 34.7% more sports betting dollars in March 2025 than in the same month of the previous year, but win rate below 7% stunted revenue growth.

April 28, 2025: An Illinois man won $350,000 in bets at a casino in Indiana and $450,000 at a casino in Iowa totaling $800k, but those casinos, run by Caesars Entertainment, refuse to pay out those winnings, claiming he violated house rules and anti-money laundering policies.

April 24, 2025: Illinois sports betting regulators move to ban the use of credit cards.

April 21, 2025: An operator-friendly Super Bowl LIX outcome in Illinois led to a 53.1% year-over-year February revenue increase. 

April 2, 2025: Illinois issues cease-and-desists orders to prediction companies Kalshi, Robinhood, and Crypto.com, joining a list of growing states to take action against these grey-area books. 

March 17, 2025: Illinois legislators are considering the legalization of online gambling, also known as iGaming, as the state faces a potential budget deficit and economic uncertainty.

March 17, 2025: Illinois bettors still can't place bets on the two in-state participants in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, thanks to a ban that prohibits all wagers involving Prairie State teams.

March 16, 2025: bet365 goes live in Illinois ahead of March Madness, becoming the tenth online sportsbook available in the Prairie State. 

March 14, 2025: Illinois January sports betting handle is up 14.6% annually, highlight an increase in online wagering to start 2025. 

Feb. 12, 2025: Illinois December sports betting revenue falls nearly 18% year-over-year compared to December 2023. However, the state generated 75% more tax revenue for the entirety of 2024 compared to the previous year.

Jan. 15, 2025: Illinois sets a new monthly record for sports betting handle and revenue in November, collecting $137.2 million in profits from $1.53 billion wagered. 

Dec. 18, 2024: bet365 receives an Illinois sports betting license to run a retail and online sportsbook, helping it partner with Walker's Bluff Casino Resort.

Dec. 17, 2024: Illinois' revenue plummets in October despite earning a record sports betting handle. 

Nov. 18, 2024: Illinois set a new monthly sports betting revenue high, as the Illinois Gaming Board reported a September handle of $1.31 billion, up 21.3% year-over-year and 50% month-over-month.

Oct. 25, 2024: The NFL requests a ban on prop bets that are "susceptible to manipulation" in Illinois, such as the first play of the game, the first pass to be incomplete, and a player missing a field goal.

Oct. 22, 2024: Illinois sports betting action rises 30% year-over-year in August, leading to nearly $60 million in adjusted revenue.

Sept. 17, 2024: The Illinois Gaming Board introduces new gambling advertising regulations that will apply to local casino and video gaming operators for the first time.

Aug. 26, 2024: Hard Rock Bet goes live in Illinois, making it the ninth online operator in the state.

Aug. 12, 2024: Illinois' operators produce an 11% hold despite the state's shrinking sports betting handle in June. 

Aug. 1, 2024: DraftKings is set to introduce a tax on winning bets in Illinois. 

July 9, 2024: Illinois' billion-dollar handle streak grows to nine months, as the state eclipsed $1.02 billion in wagers in May. 

June 25, 2024: The Chicago Blackhawks partner with Circa Sports to sponsor an official home jersey patch during the next NHL season. 

June 18, 2024: Illinois' April handle pushes past New Jersey for the second-biggest sports betting total in the U.S. for the month. 

June 18, 2024: Illinois lawmakers defend sports betting tax hike in 2025 budget.

June 4, 2024: Illinois Governor signs the new progressive sports betting tax rates into the state's 2025 budget and will officially come into effect on July 1, 2024. 

May 28, 2024: Analysts say reaction to sports betting tax hikes is overblown, stating Illinois is a "state-specific" case. 

May 27, 2024:  Major sportsbooks would "reevaluate" their Illinois presence if the state's sports betting tax hike becomes law. 

May 16, 2024: Illinois' March basketball action rises 23% year-over-year, helping sportsbooks generate nearly $1.3 billion in monthly handle. 

May 3, 2024: Illinois introduces a bill to block Dave & Buster's bets on arcade games following the company's recent announcement to allow wagering between customers on select games. 

April 5, 2024: Fanatics Sportsbook officially goes online in Illinois.

Feb. 23, 2024: Following Gov. Pritzker's announcement of a proposed tax hike on sports wagering last week, Covers' own Geoff Zochodne wonders if a sports betting tax hike in Illinois could put a damper on the state's market?

Feb. 22, 2024: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker proposes sports betting tax hike to combat budget deficit, as raising taxes from 15% to 30% would provide an additional $100 million to the state. 

Jan. 19, 2024: Illinois sports betting hit a state-record handle for the third consecutive month with a November total of $1.4 billion, up 18.5% from October.  

Is sports betting legal in Illinois?

Covers Expert Analysis

"Yes. Illinois sports betting is legal. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the extensive SB 690 bill on June 28, 2019, making sports betting legal in the Prairie State."

Joshua Howe, Content Manager

Illinois' first legal retail sports bet was accepted by Rivers Casino Des Plaines in March 9, 2020. BetRivers introduced the state's inaugural online sportsbook in June 2020. To keep track of the progress of sports betting in each state, you can use our USA legal tracker.

Illinois sports betting summary - August 2025 Updates

Illinois has become a sports betting powerhouse with astounding total handle numbers to match its rabid fandom. 

For all the IL sports betting facts, refer to the table below:

What sportsbooks are legal in Illinois?

The Illinois sports betting market continues to thrive in 2025. Bettors can download these ten Illinois sports betting apps today:

1. BetMGM - Great range of sports

2. Fanatics Sportsbook - Flexible FanCash rewards

3. bet365 - Best pricing

4. FanDuel - Best user experience

5. Caesars - White glove customer service

6. DraftKings - Best for grading winners

7. Hard Rock Bet - Great in-play betting

8. Circa - High limits

9. BetRivers - Perfect for newbies

10. ESPN BET - Loads of markets

The pros and cons of IL sports betting

Illinois is now up to ten online sportsbooks, and the sports betting market is expected to continue to grow in the Prairie State. The return or remote registration is a huge win for sports bettors.

On the flip side, college sports fanatics may also be less inclined to get in on the betting action as wagers on Illinois college teams are still restricted to in-person only.

Fully mobile betting with the March 2022 return of remote registration

Significant growth potential

Access to online and retail sportsbooks

Bets on Illinois college teams placed only in person at a casino or racetrack sportsbook

High barrier-to-entry means fewer choices for bettors

List of all legal sportsbooks in Illinois

Illinois sports bettors may place wagers on sportsbook mobile apps or betting sites. In-person betting can be done at retail sportsbooks at a riverboat casino, a racetrack, or an off-track betting site (OTB).

With the arrival of bet365 on March 16, 2025, there are now ten licensed and regulated Illinois sportsbooks.

Illinois' online and mobile sportsbooks

Land-based IL sportsbooks

Why sign up for multiple IL sports betting sites?

Covers Expert Tip

"While everyone has their favorite online sportsbook, we strongly encourage all Illinois bettors to register and use multiple sports betting sites when wagering. We explain why below."

Joshua Howe, Content Manager 

Having multiple accounts allows you to search and compare the betting odds across different sportsbooks, ensuring that you always get the best price on your wagers. 

You're able to claim a welcome bonus at each online sportsbook, meaning you can score ten new-users promos if you have an account with all of the current Illinois sports betting sites. 

Operators have varying top features, so using multiple sportsbooks ensures you can access live betting, early cash-outs, pre-built parlays, and other standout benefits. 

Ensure you can find betting markets for every sporting event, including niche leagues like darts, greyhound racing, badminton, and more.

Join several of the best sportsbook rewards programs in 2025. You can turn every wager into points that are redeemable for various perks like bonus bets, personalized customer service, free trips, discounted hotel stays, and more. 

Latest Illinois sports betting news

Who can partake in Illinois sports betting?

All bettors, 21 years of age and older, can create an Illinois sportsbook account online or by visiting a casino, racetrack, or off-track betting facility. Remote registration returned to Illinois on March 5, 2022.

Here are some key considerations and features that will help you to navigate the Illinois sports betting landscape: 

How to start betting in Illinois

Prairie State bettors can now open an online sports betting account from anywhere in Illinois in minutes via legal mobile sports betting apps.

6

Start betting

Sports bettors should research the types of wagers that best fit their needs and goals. It’s important to understand the risk associated with each bet.

Covers Expert Tip

"I strongly recommended shopping around before placing any wager, as different sportsbooks may offer slightly better odds than others. Line shopping is a good habit to form for bettors of all experience levels"

Joshua Howe, Content Manager

What you can't bet on in Illinois

In-state college betting received a big boost on Dec. 21, 2021. Gov. Pritzker signed a law that lifted the betting ban on in-state schools.

However, despite the return of remote registration, wagers on Illinois teams can only be placed in person at one of Illinois' retail casinos or racetrack sportsbooks. Illinois sports betting sites cannot offer betting lines on college markets.

NFL Draft

The marquee offseason event has steadily increased in popularity, which applies to betting markets, too. Illinois is one of only a handful of states where you can legally bet on the NFL Draft, meaning you can cash in on all seven rounds.

Politics

The Illinois Gaming Board, similar to other U.S. states, does not permit betting on political events, including Presidential elections.

esports

The Illinois Gaming Board has not yet authorized esports betting to be available in Illinois. Esports are neither banned nor included in the state’s sports betting law, so the door has been left open for the future.

Illinois sports betting revenue breakdown

Illinois set a monthly record with its $1.4 billion October handle in 2024 and surpassed $11 billion in total handle in 2023.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Illinois sports betting operations were suspended on March 16, 2020 —  one week after it had become legal in the state. Online and in-person wagering resumed on July 1, 2020. 

Find sports betting revenue figures for each U.S. legal market to learn about how much revenue each state garners.  

We compiled the financial figures to illustrate the breakdown of sports betting revenues in Illinois:

Yearly breakdown

Monthly handle

Most popular Illinois teams to bet on

Illinois residents are among the most passionate sports fans in the country. From rooting for Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the 1990s to cheering for the 2024 NFL No. 1 pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears today, Prairie State residents ride and die with their local teams. Illinois is one of several states that has a professional sports team in each of the four major North American leagues — NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB. Additionally, pro sports fans can also support the WNBA's Chicago Sky and Chicago Fire FC of the MLS. 

Outside of professional sports, there are several prominent NCAA schools you can cheer for, including the Loyola Chicago Ramblers, Northwestern Wildcats, and the Illinois Fighting Illini.

No matter which hometown team you're betting on, be sure to do your research and never let your emotions get the best of you. Brush up on the basics of sports betting with our how to bet guides.

NHL

Chicago Blackhawks

St. Louis Blues

Get live NHL odds

NBA

Chicago Bulls

Get live NBA odds

NFL

Chicago Bears

Get live NFL odds

MLB

Chicago Cubs

Chicago White Sox

St. Louis Cardinals

Get live MLB odds

Betting insight into local Illinois sports teams

All Illinois eyes are on the MLB in August 2025, as the Chicago Cubs are leading the National League Central currently and have -175 odds to earn the division crown. Unfortunately, their Southside counterparts are not having a similar season, as the White Sox have the worst record in the entire American League. 

If you're a WNBA bettor, you're in luck as the Chicago Sky have been one of the most popular teams in the league since superstar Angel Reese joined last season. Sadly, her tenacious rebounding has not translated to team success, as the Sky are one of the last remaining teams in single-digit wins and have +50,000 odds to win the WNBA title. 

Illinois sports betting law

Illinois moved quickly to legalize sports betting when in 2018, the United States Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, ending the federal ban on sports betting.

Governor J.B. Pritzker passed SB 690 in June 2019, legalizing sports gambling in Illinois. The law enabled sports betting operators to apply for licenses to offer sports betting services in the state. Each of Illinois' casinos, racetracks, and sports arenas with sports wagering licenses are authorized to launch online betting in addition to physical sportsbooks. Those online-only betting licenses are untethered, so no partnership with an Illinois casino, horse track, or pro sports venue is required.

We broke down the Illinois sports betting facts that you need to know:

• Up to 30 master sports wagering licenses and ten online sports betting sites.
• The Illinois Gaming Board oversees and regulates sports wagering.
• Persons 21 years and older can partake in legal Illinois sports betting.
• Wagers on events, including political elections or entertainment ceremonies like the Oscars, are prohibited.
• Online wagers on in-state college teams are prohibited but permitted in person at retail sportsbooks at a casino or racetrack.

Illinois sports betting market outlook

The Illinois sports betting market gained a recent addition — bet365 — in March 2025, which is an encouraging sign for potential operators launching in the state in the future.

Illinois is among the most lucrative states in terms of sports betting handle and revenue, as the Prairie State recently became the third U.S. jurisdiction to reach $50 billion in total bets since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018. Another reason to be optimistic about potential expansion is the support of local lawmakers. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul recently stated that the state may legalize online casino gaming soon, possibly as early as 2026.

With potential government support backed by high revenues, it wouldn't surprise us at all if more online sports betting sites tried to make their way to the Prairie State soon. 

Other legal betting options

Illinois boasts nearly a dozen casinos, three racetracks, and a number of live and online poker rooms. Daily fantasy sports were also legalized with the Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2019.

Here's our picks for the best Illinois DFS and predictive betting sites available today:

Responsible gaming in Illinois

Legal U.S. sports betting markets

Sports betting legislation at the state level has already produced a number of additional legal betting markets. The following U.S. jurisdictions permit online and/or retail sports betting:

Recent legal U.S. sports betting launches

North Carolina sports betting officially launched on March 11, 2024. Tar Heel State bettors can now register for several of the country's best online sportsbooks, including FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars Sportsbook. 

Legal Vermont sports betting went live on Jan. 11, 2024, with three operators — FanDuel, DraftKings, and Fanatics Sportsbook — all available on launch day.

Maine sports betting opened up legally on Nov. 3, 2023. DraftKings and Caesars Sportsbook partnered with local tribes, as Maine's tribes hold exclusivity regarding mobile sports betting, and retail sportsbooks will operate within casinos.

Legal Kentucky sports betting kicked off with retail operations going live on Sept. 7, 2023, followed by online betting launching on Sept. 28.

Potential legal U.S. sports betting markets

States moving toward legal sports betting that could potentially provide bettors the opportunity to gamble legitimately in the near future include:

Illinois sports betting history

Illinois sports betting gained the legal go-ahead via the Sports Wagering Act, passed on June 28, 2019. The Illinois Gaming Board adopted permanent regulations on June 4, 2020. Land-based sports betting at retail outlets commenced on March 9, 2020, while online wagering started on June 18, 2020.

2025: bet365 launches in Illinois

2024: Hard Rock Bet goes live in Illinois

2023: An amendment to Illinois' Sports Wagering Act to authorize sports betting exchanges is proposed.  

2022: Online remote registration returns to Illinois on March 5 after the state scuttled its in-person registration requirement. 

2021: Illinois governor J.B Pritzker signs legislation to permit limited betting on in-state college teams. 

2020: The pandemic forces Gov. J.B. Pritzker to waive Illinois' in-person registration requirement, allowing individuals to register sports betting accounts remotely.

Hometown gambling operator RushStreet opens Rivers Casino, Illinois' first-ever sportsbook in March, followed by its BetRivers online sportsbook launch in June.

2019: Governor J.B. Pritzker passes Bill SB 690 in June, effectively legalizing Illinois sports betting.

Illinois sports betting resources

Take a deeper dive into Illinois sports betting via these handy local resources:

• Illinois Gaming Board: Illinois gambling regulator
  
  
• Illinois General Assembly: State of Illinois legislature

How Illinois sports betting compares to other legal states

Illinois bettors can hop state lines and access legal sports wagering in each of the following neighboring regions: Indiana, Iowa, and Kentucky. We've outlined how Illinois' competitive market compares to these three states below: 

Best Kentucky sportsbooks

Browse the best online sports betting options available in KY.

Kentucky Sports Betting

Best IA betting sites

Study some of the top online sportsbooks in Iowa.

Iowa Sports Betting

Best IN sportsbooks

Check out our favorite Indiana sportsbooks in 2025.

Indiana Sports Betting

Illinois sports betting conclusion

Illinois sports bettors can wager with confidence with as many as ten regulated sports betting sites. Given the size of Illinois' population, nearing 13 million, we would have expected more online sportsbooks to set up shop. However, the $20 million licensing fee has caused some operators to rethink the investment.

The return of fully remote registration was a significant boost to bettors and Illinois sportsbooks. Illinois nixed the in-person registration requirement in March 2022. Limitations on college sports betting could prove costly, though: Wagering on in-state college teams is limited to pregame wagers made in-person at an Illinois casino or racetrack.  

Regularly seen on

Covers has had its finger on the sports betting industry's pulse for more than 30 years. The sportsbooks we recommend have been personally reviewed, rigorously curated, and frequently updated by our team of experts.

News outlets turn to Covers for our earned reputation as a trusted and authoritative source of sports betting information. These are among the notable publications and media outlets that have referenced Covers.com and our industry experts.

Regularly seen on: