Quick Summary of Online Sports Betting in Illinois
Online sports betting in Illinois has been legal for a little while now. Below is a quick summary of what you need to know about making sports bets in the state.
| Legal Status: | ✅ |
| Launch Date: | June 28th, 2019 |
| Regulating Body: | Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) |
| Number of Licensed Betting Sites: | 10 |
| Legal Online Sportsbooks: | Bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, Circa Sports, DraftKings, ESPN BET Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, Hard Rock Bet |
| Minimum Sports Betting Age:
| 21+ |
| Betting Restrictions: | No betting on college sports games available in the state. |
| Tax Rate on Winnings: | Winnings over $1000 are taxed at 4.95% |
Illinois Sports Betting Updates
-
September 2, 2025
– bet365 announced a 25¢ fee on wagers under $10 in Illinois, with no fee on larger straight bets or parlays above $10.
-
August 26, 2025
– Caesars Sportsbook said it will add a 25¢ transaction fee per online wager in Illinois starting September 1.
-
August 19, 2025
– The Illinois Gaming Board reported June 2025 sports betting revenue of $113.9 million, with a record hold of nearly 12%.
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July 17, 2025
– May 2025 sports betting revenue reached about $120.9 million, and Illinois logged its eighth straight month over $1 billion in handle, pushing all-time handle past $50 billion.
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July 15, 2025
– BetMGM introduced a $2.50 minimum wager for Illinois customers.
-
July 10, 2025
– The Illinois Gaming Board issued additional guidance to operators on the new per-wager sports betting tax.
-
July 1, 2025
– Illinois’ new per-wager tax took effect: 25¢ on each of the first 20 million online bets per operator each fiscal year, then 50¢ per bet above that.
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June 17, 2025
– April 2025 sports betting revenue totaled about $108.6 million; April handle was roughly $1.28 billion (up 16% year over year).
-
June 10, 2025
– FanDuel announced a 50¢ transaction fee on every online wager placed in Illinois, effective September 1, in response to the state’s new per-wager tax.
-
May 15, 2025
– March 2025 handle rose about 35% year over year; lower win rates tempered revenue growth.
-
March 16, 2025
– bet365 launched online sports betting in Illinois via its partnership with Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort.
-
April 1, 2025
– The Illinois Gaming Board issued cease-and-desist letters to Kalshi, Crypto.com, and Robinhood for unlicensed sports wagering activity.
-
February 11, 2025
– The Illinois Gaming Board sent cease-and-desist letters to multiple unlicensed operators (including BetOnline, BetUS, Bookmaker, and others).
Best Illinois Sportsbooks Reviewed
More sportsbooks have been approved in Illinois over the past few years and there are currently 10 sportsbooks that operate online in the state. Each one has an area it excels in, which we’ve detailed in the table below.
| IL Sportsbooks | Best For |
| Bet365 | Platform offers ongoing promotions and live streaming. |
| BetMGM | Slick design and easy to use. |
| Caesars Sportsbook | Great rewards program that can be used at any in-person Caesars location. |
| Draftkings | Offers both DFS and sports betting. |
| ESPN Bet | Can be linked to your ESPN account for a more personalized betting experience. |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | Offers competitive odds. |
| Fanduel Sportsbook | Offers same-game parlays and has a great app. |
Bet365 IL Sportsbook
Pros & Cons
- Excellent live streaming
- App available for iOS and Android
- Easy to navigate
- No sportsbook loyalty program
Bet365 is the most recent sportsbook to launch in Illinois, opening its virtual doors in March 2025. Navigation is minimal-click, markets surface fast on Bears/Bulls/Blackhawks/Cubs/White Sox games, and Cash Out is widely available on eligible wagers.
This sportsbook is known for offering excellent support for local teams, so look out for seasonal promos on the Chicago Bulls if you’re into the NBA. Other big Illinois teams that might have promos surrounding them are also based in Chicago and include the Bears, the Cubs and the White Sox.
Editor’s note:
Bet365 might be new to Illinois, but it’s an established enough brand to have a reputation for excellent live streaming, earned through offering live streaming on over one million events. The sportsbook also offers attractive deals like bet boosts, super boosts, and early cashouts on a wide range of sports.
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BetMGM IL Sportsbook
Pros & Cons
- Generous welcome bonus
- Wide range of sports betting markets
- Sport-specific bonuses and boosts on offer
BetMGM in Illinois leans into flexible bet construction and control: One Game Parlay covers the majors and mixes moneylines/totals with player milestones, while live betting spans a wide prop bench that updates quickly during timeouts and pitching changes.
This site offers a few sport-specific bonuses, including same game parlay insurances on MLB and NBA. So whether your team is the White Sox, Chicago Bulls or you follow both sports you can make use of this type of promo.
Editor’s note:
BetMGM has an aesthetically pleasing website, with gold and black branding accents across the whole site. It’s a slick website that’s easy to navigate, making it a good choice for novice and seasoned bettors alike.
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Caesars IL Sportsbook
Pros & Cons
- Excellent rewards program
- Simple welcome bonus
- Live streaming options
- Real-time stats aren’t available
Caesars sportsbook is a great one to sign up to if you like sports betting sign up offers but prefer to start off small. A nice differentiator is the tie-in with Caesars Rewards, so routine betting activity accrues credits in the same ecosystem you use at Caesars properties.
The sportsbook often puts on geo-targeted special offers, so look out for any of these next time the Bears have a big game (or the Bulls if the NBA is more your thing). Expect to see things like bet insurance or boosted odds on local games.
Editor’s note:
Caesars has one of the most widely known rewards programs across the US, and for good reason. They’re a big brand who have many in-person sites customers can visit, and you can earn and spend rewards both online and offline. So any Reward Credits you are awarded from sports betting can be redeemed in-person or online and used for anything from dining at a resort to swapping them for sports betting credits.
Fanduel IL Sportsbook
Pros & Cons
- Fast withdrawals
- Good customer support options
- Live betting and streaming
- Fanduel VIP program is invite only
FanDuel in Illinois is built for SGPs and speed: the Same Game Parlay builder is intuitive and deep on props and alternates, and the live tab is snappy with frequent micro-markets during marquee moments. If you bet a lot of player props on the Bears or Bulls, FanDuel’s new Bet Protect can soften injury bad beats on eligible NFL prop legs.
While Fanduel doesn’t seem to have any location-specific promos for Illinois, there are plenty of promos that are available across the US, including odds boosts, parlay insurances, and other no-sweat bets.
Editor’s note:
The Fanduel app is consistently good and offers the same experience for iOS and Android users. The sportsbook also offers same-game parlays, which is a popular betting option for sports fans and it's nice to see as an option.
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Draftkings IL Sportsbook
Pros & Cons
- Diversity of sports betting options
- Both DFS and sports betting available
- Live betting available
DraftKings stands out for its market density and SGPx, the tool that lets you combine multiple SGPs and singles into one bigger ticket across games. Game pages surface useful context while you build (team trends, player form), and the live console turns over lines fast for in-game spreads, totals, and props.
You’ll also be able to benefit from offers such as profit boosts, money back specials, and deposit bonuses. These aren’t location-specific offers, but you should still look out for them when you’re making any bets on your local teams like the White Sox.
Editor’s note:
It’s unusual for a sportsbook to offer DFS and sports betting, but because DFS is legal in Illinois, DraftKings lets you make bets on both. It’s fully integrated in the app, meaning you can easily bet on whatever you like.
Fanatics IL Sportsbook
Pros & Cons
- Generous signup bonus
- Unique loyalty program
- Responsive mobile app
Fanatics Sportsbook in Illinois blends a modern UI with a strong prop catalog and quick bet building across the major leagues, plus a responsive live experience with wide cash-out availability.
Users are enrolled in the loyalty program from the off, meaning they can start earning rewards straight away in the form of FanCash, which can be used on more bets or merchandise. There are plenty of other offers that crop up too, including competitive odds and referral bonuses.
Editor’s note:
Fanatics is an app with sports fans in mind. It works well (although it doesn’t have a desktop site) and offers competitive odds on most markets – you can even boost them when odds boosts offers pop up.
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ESPN Bet IL Sportsbook
Pros & Cons
- Can be linked to your ESPN account
- Range of ongoing betting offers
- Easy-to-use
- Some betting markets missing for more niche sports
ESPN BET features a broad market menu and flexible Bet Builder with ESPN’s editorial muscle: previews, stats, and trends sit beside the odds so you can go from reading to betting in one flow. The sportsbook is always looking for new ways to link all ESPN products to give users the best and most tailored sports betting experience possible.
When betting on local teams like the Chicago Bears, look out for ongoing promotions that can give you more for your money money like profit boosts, referral bonus, bonus bets alongside other offers such as early cash-out.
Editor’s note:
The sportsbook offers full integration with your ESPN account, allow you to receive a personalized betting experience. Users will start to see a roll-out of a “for you” page featuring their Fantasy Sports rosters.
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Popular Sports in Illinois
Illinois has lots of popular sports in the state, as well as some major league teams that get a lot of attention. Below are the top sports people are watching and betting on in Illinois.
⚾ MLB
Illinois has two noteworthy teams when it comes to MLB, and they are the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox. In fact, Chicago tends to dominate in terms of famous sports teams in Illinois, with most of the top teams hailing from there.
🏈 NFL
The NFL is a popular sport to bet on across Illinois, with the Chicago Bears getting a lot of support from state locals. Look out for boosted odds and other area specific offers on the online sportsbooks mentioned above. The IGB have banned certain bets that they deem could be easy to manipulate including first plays, replay results and whether a kicker will miss a field goal or extra point.
🏒 NHL
The Chicago Blackhawks are a popular team with anyone from the state of Illinois who is into NHL. Most sportsbooks will allow you to make bets on moneylines, puck lines, over-under totals and skater props among a few others. Look out for special geo-specific NHL betting offers for Illinois at the sportsbooks mentioned on this page.
🏀 NBA
If the NBA is more your style, the Chicago Bulls is one of the main teams locals in Illinois follow the career of and like to bet on. Back in their 90’s heyday they won 6 championships, but haven’t been so lucky in recent year. The most common types of bets sports fans like to place on NBA games are point spread, moneylines and over/under bets, so look out for boosted odd and special deals when local teams play.
🎓 NCAA
NCAA sports are also big news in Illinois, but state law means the people who live in the state can’t bet on any Illinois collegiate teams.
IL Sports Betting Legislation
Sports betting in Illinois was legalized in June 2019 when the Illinois Sports Wagering Act was passed. The first online sportsbook (Betrivers) opening followed a few months later in June 2020, after the first retail sportsbook opened in March 2020.
- May 2018
- US Supreme Court strikes down federal ban on sports betting, opening the door for legalized mobile sports betting in Illinois.
- June 2019
- Mobile and retail sports betting are legalized in Illinois with the passage of Senate Bill 690. The bill includes a requirement that all sports bettors must register in person with a casino partner of any mobile sports betting platform with which they intend to lay wagers.
- 2020
- The first mobile and retail sports betting operators launch in Illinois, with the planned roll-out encountering constant hiccups throughout the year as a result of COVID-19.
- March 2022
- Mandatory in-person registration for mobile sports betting in Illinois is eliminated with the passage of House Bill 3136.
- October 2023
– Illinois reports a record sports betting handle of $1.16bn.
- 2024
– The Illinois sports betting handle for the year exceeds $14.01bn.
- 2025
– Expected tax hike for all sports betting operators in the state.
Other Illinois Betting Options
Illinois offers much more than online and in-person sports betting options, with plenty of choices both online and offline.
Illinois State Lottery
The Illinois state lottery is available online on the website or app, and in-person at over 6,800 retail stores. The aim of the lottery is to pick 6 numbers from 1-50 and add an optional “extra shot”. From there, the numbers will be called at the designated draw (you can play on Monday, Thursday, Saturday or all three days) and if you match a certain amount of numbers you’ll win a cash prize. If you match all 6 numbers, you’ll win the jackpot, which is at least $2,000,000. They also sell instant ticket games if you don’t like to wait for a set draw to check if you’ve won.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is legal to bet on in Illinois to people who are 18 and over. Bets can be placed at the track, at off-track facilities and online through licensed advanced deposit wagering operators.
Casinos
Residents of Illinois can play at in-person casinos only. The state doesn’t allow online casinos to operate by law. If you’ve got a taste for casino-style games, you could look into joining one of the many Sweepstakes casinos that are allow in the state.
DFS
Daily Fantasy Sports betting is both legal and regulated in the state of Illinois, as lawmakers consider it to be a game of skill. This means you can make DFS picks with the chance to win money online
Retail Sports Betting in Illinois
- Bally Bet Sportsbook in the Quad Cities (Rock Island)
- 777 Jumer Drive, Rock Island, Illinois, 61201
- BetRivers Sportsbook at Rivers Casino (Des Plaines) - 3000 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60018
- Caesars Sportsbook at Grand Victoria Casino (Elgin)
- 250 S Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
- Circa Sports Illinois Sportsbook at The Temporary by American Place Casino (Waukegan)
- 4011 Fountain Square Pl, Waukegan, IL 60085
- DraftKings at Casino Queen Sportsbook (East St. Louis)
- 200 S Front St, East St Louis, IL 62201
- DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field (Chicago)
- 1012 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613
- Fanatics Sportsbook at Hawthorne Race Course (Stickney)
- 3501 S. Laramie Avenue Stickney, IL 60804
- FanDuel Par-A-Dice Sportsbook (East Peoria)
- 21 Blackjack Blvd, East Peoria, IL 61611
- FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing at Fairmount Park (Collinsville)
- 3673 Salem Dr, St Charles, MO 63301
- Hard Rock Sportsbook at Hard Rock Casino Rockford
- 7801 E State St, Rockford, IL 61108
- Sportsbook at Argosy Casino Alton
- 1 Piasa St, Alton, IL 62002
- Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino Aurora
- 1 W New York St, Aurora, IL 60506
- Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino Joliet
- 1401 Gateway Blvd, Joliet, IL 60431
Illinois Sports Betting FAQ:
👮 Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
Yes, it is legal to bet on sports both at retail and online sportsbooks within the state.
❓ What is the legal age of sports betting in Illinois?
You need to be at least 21 years old to bet in Illinois. This means that you will be expected to provide some government-issued photo ID in in order to verify your identity.
🪙 What is the tax rate for sports betting in Illinois?
Illinois applies a variable progressive tax rate for sports betting revenue. This is based on adjusted gross revenue and is taxed as follows:
- AGR up to $30M taxed at 20%
- AGR of $30-50M taxed at 25%
- AGR of $50-100M taxed at 30%
- AGR of $100-200M taxed at 35%
- AGR of $200M+ taxed at 40%
👀 What sportsbooks are available in Illinois?
The sportsbooks that are currently legally allowed to operate in Illinois are Bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, Circa Sports, DraftKings, ESPN BET Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and Hard Rock Bet.
🏠 Do I need to be a resident to bet online in Illinois?
While you don’t need to reside in the state to place any sports bets online, you do need to physically be located in the state to take advantage of any Illinois betting laws.
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by
Damien Souness
as part of our fact-checking process.
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