Illinois Online Sportsbooks: 5 Best IL Betting Sites in April
Illinois is one of the largest gambling states in the US. It’s no wonder, then, that residents have taken so eagerly to the legalization of sports betting in Illinois and that there are several big name sports betting sites in the state, including Caesars, FanDuel, Fanatics and more.
In such a competitive landscape, finding a good sports betting promo is easy.
Sportsbooks for Illinois Sports Betting Online
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $4.99
- Time Limit: 60 days
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $1
- Time Limit: 203 days
- How to Sign Up for Illinois Sportsbooks
- Best Betting Promos from Online Sportsbooks in IL
- Illinois Betting Overview
- Best Online Sportsbooks in Illinois: Two operators dominate the playing field
- Don't miss these selected Illinois sportsbooks
- List of Online & Retail Betting Sites in Illinois
- What You Can Legally Wager On in the Prairie State
- Illinois vs Neighboring States - #3 U.S. State in All-Time Betting Handle
- When and How Sports Became Legal in Illinois
- Illinois Sports Betting Revenue & Handle
- Official Team and Sportsbook Partnerships
- Licensing & Oversight - Illinois Gaming Board Looking Out for You Since 1990
- Responsible Gaming Resources in IL
- Alternatives to Sports Betting in Illinois
- Pros & Cons of Sports Betting in Illinois: A Recap
- Closing Thoughts on Illinois Sports Betting: A Moving Target
- FAQ: Illinois Sports Betting
- More Betting States
How to Sign Up for Illinois Sportsbooks
Signing up and creating an account for Illinois sportsbooks is quick and easy, especially when you are located within the state's borders. Below, you will find the steps to get started:
- Choose a licensed Illinois sportsbook from the list of legal options.
- Click the sign-up or register button on the app or website.
- Enter basic personal identifying details like your name, email address, username/password, date of birth, address, and more.
- Verify your name and location (through geofencing in Illinois).
- Make a first-time deposit for the required amount on the welcome offer.
- Place your first bet once your account is approved.
This process only takes a few minutes, and once you're all signed up, Illinois sports wagering is at your fingertips. After you complete this process, you can continue on and sign up for Illinois sportsbook promos all over the industry.
Best Betting Promos from Online Sportsbooks in IL
Free Bets are plentiful for newcomers. Take for example, FanDuel which new users who win their first $5 bet $300 in free bets. Hard Rock's offer is more modest – win your first $5 bet, get $150 in bonus bets.
On the flip side, Fanatics is offering Illinois bettors up to $100 back in FanCash – for use for items such as official team merchandise – if your first bet loses.
| Sportsbook | Welcome bonus | Popular markets |
| BetMGM | Up to $1,500 in bonus bets if the first bet loses. | NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, College Football & Basketball |
| Caesars | Bet $1, double your winnings on your next 20 bets | NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, College Sports, Golf |
| FanDuel | Bet $5, get $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins | NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Soccer, College Sports |
| Fanatics | Bet $50, get $250 in FanCash | NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, College Football & Basketball |
Illinois Betting Overview
No state in the heartland of the country has taken more bets than Illinois - $51.9 billion through August 2025. Meanwhile, the state ranks second to New York to that point in sportsbook revenue - $4.4 billion - and in tax collected - $933.6 million. Illinois sportsbooks have had a "hold" rate of 8.4%, just a tick below the national average.
None of this is surprising, especially with Chicago being known for its iconic sports franchises, from the NBA's Bulls, who won six championships in the 1990s; to MLB's Cubs, who in 2016 broke an unfathomable 108-year "curse" to finally win another World Series title; and to the NFL's Bears, another century-old team whose 1985 Super Bowl championship squad is seen by numerous experts as the most dominant team in the sport's long history.
| Live Since: | March 9, 2020 for retail sportsbook and June 18, 2020 for mobile books |
| Total Online Books: | 10 |
| Total Retail Books: | 12 |
| Handle & Revenue: | The Illinois betting handle in 2024 was $14 billion, leading to $1.2 million in revenue - the latter figure up almost 20% versus 2023. |
| Sports Betting Tax Rate: | ranges from 20% for small operators to 40% for large ones |
| Legal Betting Age: | 21+ |
Best Online Sportsbooks in Illinois: Two operators dominate the playing field
DraftKings tends to edge out FanDuel in betting handle in most states, and Illinois results tend to be no different in that regard. DraftKings typically manages to take 35% to 40% of a state's market share, with FanDuel just behind. In August 2025, the pattern remained as DraftKings recorded $38.1 million in revenue while FanDuel slightly trailed at $34.3 million.
Another trend that holds up in Illinois as well as in the U.S. is FanDuel consistently being even more competitive in terms of the "hold" rate on wagers. That's because FanDuel was first-to-market six or seven years ago in terms of aggressively marketing same-game parlays. Those bets offer alluring odds to optimistic gamblers, but the rate of payback to customers sometimes lands only around 80%, while sportsbooks sometimes turn over 95% or more on single-game wagers.
Don't miss these selected Illinois sportsbooks
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $4.99
- Time Limit: 60 days
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $1
- Time Limit: 203 days
List of Online & Retail Betting Sites in Illinois
There are currently 10 online sportsbooks and 12 retail sportsbooks live in Illinois.
Online Sportsbooks and Official Launch Dates
- BetRivers - June 18, 2020
- DraftKings - Aug. 5, 2020
- FanDuel - Aug. 28, 2020
- BetMGM - March 5, 2022
- Caesars - March 9, 2022
- Circa Sports - Sept. 9, 2023
- ESPN Bet - Nov. 15, 2023
- Fanatics - April 5, 2024
- Hard Rock Bet - Aug. 6, 2024
- Bet365 - March 16, 2025
Retail Sportsbooks and Official Launch Dates
- Bet Rivers at Rivers Casino (Des Plaines) - March 9, 2020
- Argosy Casino Alton - March 12, 2020
- Caesars at Grand Victoria Casino (Elgin) - Aug. 3, 2020 (as William Hill Sportsbook; replaced by Caesars Aug. 5, 2022)
- FanDuel Par-A-Dice Sportsbook (East Peoria) - Sept. 9, 2020
- FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing (Collinsville, formerly called Fairmount Park)
- Fanatics Sportsbook at Hawthorne Race Course (Stickney) - Sept. 30, 2023 (as PointsBet; replaced by Fanatics April 5, 2024)
- DraftKings at Casino Queen (East St. Louis) - March 29, 2023
- DraftKings at Wrigley Field (Chicago) - Aug. 27, 2023
- Circa Sports at American Place Casino (Waukegan) - Oct. 2, 2023
- Bally Bet at Quad Cities Casjno - Dec. 28, 2023
- Hard Rock Casino Rockford - Aug. 29, 2024
- Hollywood Casino Joliet - Aug. 12, 2025
What You Can Legally Wager On in the Prairie State
Ilinois regulators have approved dozen of sports for wagering, from traditional staples like football, baseball, basketball, and hockey to more exotic options like sailing, surfing, cycling, rugby, darts, and cricket.
Banking Options at Illinois Sportsbooks
I have many banking options at my disposal when doing business with Illinois Sportsbooks. They have some of the best and most popular ways to deposit and withdraw your money.
- VISA/Mastercard debit cards
- PayPal
- ACH/eCheck
- Online banking transfers
- Site-specific prepaid cards
- Skrill
- Paper check
- PayNearMe (deposit cash at 7-Eleven/CVS)
- Cash at the casino cage (on retail accounts)
Whether you're at home or near a retail location, it's never a difficult time doing banking with Illinois sportsbooks.
Official Sports Teams to Bet On
Chicago is home to all of the state's traditional major sports franchises - the Cubs and White Sox in MLB, the NFL's Bears, the NHL's Blackhawks, and the NBA's Bulls.
The University of Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois are the state's Division I college football teams. There are seven other schools that also compete in D-1 college basketball: Bradley, Chicago State, DePaul, Eastern Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State, Loyola, Southern Illinois, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, and Western Illinois.
Can You Bet on In-State College Sports?
Illinois does not allow its sportsbooks to offer wagering on in-state college team results or on in-state college individual prop betting.
In August 2025, the Illinois Gaming Board announced that it would even prohibit gambling ads and promotions on college campuses, including student TV stations, radio stations, and journalism outlets.
Since the state launched the sports betting in 2020, it has wavered on whether to allow betting on in-state teams. All such bets at first were banned, then permitted but only at retail casinos, and finally banned again in mid-2024. That sort of indecisiveness is not typical of U.S. state regulatory bodies.
Other Things You Can't Bet On
The long list of authorized sports available for wager does not include anything other than the games themselves. So no betting in Illinois on Super Bowl props such as the length of the pre-game national anthem or what color of Gatorade gets dumped on the winning coach in the post-game celebration; no Academy Award or Emmys bets; and no wager on the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest.
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $4.99
- Time Limit: 60 days
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $1
- Time Limit: 203 days
Illinois vs Neighboring States - #3 U.S. State in All-Time Betting Handle
Illinois boasts a robust third nationally in all-time handle at $50.9 million through August 2025, even though the spring 2020 launch of the first sportsbook in the state allowed some states to get a head start of a year or more.
Neighboring Indiana at $23.4 billion, Michigan at $22.4 billion, and Ohio at $21.8 billion rank 9th, 10th, and 11th respectively so far, while Iowa at $12.8 billion and Kentucky at $5.1 billion can't quite measure up. Wisconsin only allows for wagers on-site at tribal casinos. That undoubtedly modest revenue number is not revealed by Wisconsin regulators who don't separate out what part of the $66.4 million collected by the state from the tribes was attributable in 2024 to sports betting.
Illinois sportsbooks will see a minor hit to their betting handles when Missouri - including St. Louis on the two-state border - finally launches on Dec. 1, 2025.
When and How Sports Became Legal in Illinois
The lawmakers and regulators in Illinois lagged for just over a year after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in mid-2018 that opened up a legal sports betting option for any state that wanted it, due to differences of opinion about wording in any bill that authorized it.
2019-2020
- June 28, 2019 - Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs the Illinois Sports Betting Act into law, repealing the state's prohibition on such wagers.
- March 9, 2020 - The first retail casino begins taking bets - Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.
- June 18, 2020 - The first online sportsbook is launched - BetRivers.
2022-2023
- March 5, 2022 - A curious part of Illinois law finally went away as gamblers in the state finally could sign up for sportsbooks without having to physically visit a casino.
- Nov. 15, 2023 - ESPN Bet launches its mobile app in Illinois.
- March 18, 2023 - A DraftKings Sportsbook adjacent to iconic baseball stadium opens for retail wagering nearly a year after it opened with food and drink service.
2024-Present
- April 5, 2024 - The Fanatics online sportsbook debuts, four months ahead of Hard Rock Bet on Aug. 6.
- July 1, 2024 - The gaming board announces that a loophole - allowing for wagers on in-state college games at retail casino sites - had been closed.
Thoughts about IL's Sportsbook Launch
As it turned out, the first retail sportsbook in Chicago opened only two days before the NBA decided to cancel the rest of its season due to COVID-19 as the World Health Organization officially declared a pandemic.
Within a week, countless businesses and schools across the U.S. were forced to close. That meant that the Illinois retail casinos were unable to claim its share of mobile betting revenue until the first such sportsbook launched more than three months later - just a few days before state health officials allowed the brick-and-mortar casinos to reopen.
The timing sequence proved unfortunate.
Illinois Sports Betting Revenue & Handle
Illinois's relatively high tax rate, the size of its population, and the broad popularity of both pro and college sports has enabled it to be the envy of most in terms of its overall numbers.
Total Handle to Date | Illinois residents and visitors to the state have wagered $51.9 billion through August 2025.
Tax Revenue to Date | Illinois has taken in $933.6 million in sports betting tax through August 2025, with the tax rate more than doubling for its largest sportsbooks from 15% to 40% as of mid-2024.
Breakdown of Online vs. Retail Share | Mobile sportsbooks accounted for 98.2% of all sportsbook handle in August 2025 - a slightly higher percentage than is typical in other states.
YoY Growth Rates | The key number here is the annual tax revenue, which ballooned in 2024 because of the massive tax rate increase ahead of the lucrative college and pro football seasons. So after taking in $150.3 million in 2023, that figure skyrocketed to $263.4 million in 2024.
Handle Milestones | Illinois racked up its first $1 billion handle month in October 2022, the state reached the $1 billion-plus mark every month from September 2024-May 2025. That figure is certain to be reached in the last four months of 2025 as well.
| Total Handle to Date: | Illinois residents and visitors to the state have wagered $51.9 billion through August 2025. |
| Tax Revenue to Date: | Illinois has taken in $9.33.6 million in sports betting tax through August 2025, with the tax rate more than doubling for its largest sportsbooks from 15% to 40% as of mid-2024. |
| Breakdown of Online vs. Retail Share | Mobile sportsbooks accounted for 98.2% of all sportsbook handle in August 2025- a slightly higher percentage than is typical in other states. |
| YoY Growth Rates: | The key number here is the annual tax revenue, which ballooned in 2024 because of the massive tax rate increase ahead of the lucrative college and pro football seasons. So after taking in $150.3 million in 2023, that figure skyrocketed to $263.4 million in 2024. |
| Handle Milestones | Illinois racked up its first $1 billion handle month in October 2022, the state reached the $1 billion-plus mark every month from September 2024-May 2025. That figure is certain to be reached in the last four months of 2025 as well. |
Monthly Handle and Revenue Breakdown
Check out this monthly breakdown of Illinois sports betting handle and revenue based on Illinois Gaming Board reports. The market has performed well, compared to Illinois sports betting revenue 2024 numbers.
| Month | Handle | Revenue | Hold % |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2025 | $1.6 billion | $131.9 million | 8.2% |
| November 2025 | $1.65 billion | $145 million | 8.8% |
| December 2025 | $1.44 billion | $150.5 million | 10.5% |
| January 2026 | $1.43 billion | $138.5 million | 9.7% |
| February 2026 | $1.2 billion | $110 million | 9.2% |
| March 2026 | $1.35 billion | $125 million | 9.3% |
Understanding Sports Betting Taxes in Illinois - Taking Taxation To The Outer Limits
In mid-2024, Illinois lawmakers changed a previously manageable 15% tax on sports betting gross revenue to a five-tier system that hit the smallest sportsbooks with a 20% tax rate, going up to 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40% - the latter only impacting industry giants FanDuel and DraftKings.
Then in mid-2025, the same lawmakers added another tax - 25 cents per bet for the first 20 million wagers, 50 cents per bet after that figure is reached. FanDuel soon announced a 50-cent surcharge to its gamblers on all bets in the state, and DraftKings executives say they are weighing their options. ESPN Bet, meanwhile, raised its minimum bet from 10 cents to $1 in response.
In announcing his proposed 2026 budget in October 2025, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson recommended a new 10.25% tax on sports bets taking place in his city. That led several legislators to sponsor a bill banning any city or county from tacking on to the tax rate already imposed at the state level. If Johnson's effort succeeds, Illinois would take over as the state taxing its sportsbook more heavily than any others in the U.S.
The Per-Bet Transaction Fee
On July 1, 2025, there was a per-bet tax Illinois added on top of the gross revenue tax it was already taking in. Operators pay $0.25 per bet on the first 20 million wagers placed each year, then it goes to $0.50 per bet from there. Some Illinois betting sites apply this to its customers, like FanDuel, which charges $0.50 per bet in most cases; Caesars and Fanatics charge $0.25 per bet. This cost can add up, so be sure to check the fine print before placing your bets.
What Bettors Owe at Tax Time
Gambling winnings in Illinois have a flat 4.95% Illinois sports betting tax rate. Net winnings from Illinois betting sites need to be reported on state tax returns each year, so be sure to keep records on how you're doing. You even want to keep track of losses because then you'll know exactly how much you wind up owing at the end of the calendar year. This tax is separate from what the sportsbooks and operators pay to the state of Illinois.
Official Team and Sportsbook Partnerships
Illinois state boasts a handful of partnerships between its Chicago-based teams and popular sportsbooks operating within the state.
- Chicago Bulls x FanDuel
- Chicago Blackhawks x FanDuel
- Chicago Cubs x DraftKings
- Chicago White Sox x Caesars
- Chicago Bears x ESPN Bet
There are also partnerships between sportsbooks and casinos, which are reflected in the name of the establishment themselves:
- Rivers Casino x BetRivers
- Caesars at Grand Victoria x Caesars
Licensing & Oversight - Illinois Gaming Board Looking Out for You Since 1990
The Illinois Gaming Board oversees not only sports betting, but also casino gambling as well as approximately 9,000 video gaming locations across the state.
The board has been in existence longer than all but of a handful of similar U.S. agencies, having been established in 1990 when Illinois became just the fourth state to legalize casino gambling. The Governor selects the five board members, subject to the consent of the Senate.
Responsible Gaming Resources in IL
The board's website is unusual in that it lists more than just in-state resources designed to help compulsive gamblers get the treatment they need.
- Gambling Anonymous National Office: (909) 931-9056
- Gambling Anonymous National Hotline: (855) 222-5542(Serving Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and other states)
- Gam-Anon National Office: (718) 352-1671
- Gam-Anon Illinois Hotline: (708) 802-0105
- National Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)
The board implemented the Self-Exclusion Program (SEP) in 2002, at the time allowing individuals who have determined they are problem gamblers to exclude themselves from all casinos in the state.
Then the Sports Wagering Act became law in mid-2019, expanding the program to include sports wagering. Gamblers must enroll in the Self-Exclusion Program in person, at various sanctioned enrollment sites throughout the state.
Alternatives to Sports Betting in Illinois
Illinois sports betting apps are better than sliced bread, but they are not the only show in the state. If you're looking for a little bit of variety in your life, check out these alternatives to online sports betting Illinois options.
Horse Racing Betting in Illinois
There is a long and storied tradition of legal pari-mutuel horse racing betting in Illinois. FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing in Collinsville (formerly Fairmount Park) is one of the main venues, along with Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney. It's a pretty sweet place where I can bet on live races or do simulcasts in-person and online. If I can't keep off the legal sports betting in Illinois, I can even place a live wager at these establishments too.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) in Illinois
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) is legal in Illinois. The legal age requirement is 18+ years, making it much less than the legal Illinois sports betting age of 21+ years required for IL sportsbooks. Some of the approved daily fantasy sports Illinois offers include FanDuel Fantasy and Underdog Fantasy, which offer their own unique ways to play. DFS is legal in many more states than sports betting, given that it is considered to be a game of skill - and it truly is. Plus, this is an alternate way to sidestep the in-state college betting Illinois rules and keep the hometown favorites in the game.
Illinois Casinos
Unfortunately, online casino gambling is not under the same rules that keep Illinois sports betting legal; all of those great games like slots, blackjack, or table games aren't available on my laptop or phone. However, retail casinos are legal in the Land of Lincoln, and you can play that. Until Illinois decides to get online casino gambling, it will continue to be a major downside for the state.
Pros & Cons of Sports Betting in Illinois: A Recap
Top Reasons to Bet in Illinois
- All five of the Chicago professional sports franchises have devoted fan bases dating back many decades. So while they collectively have not come close to a championship in recent years, fan loyalty has not waned.
- While the University of Illinois has won only one Big Ten football title in 35 years, the city of Chicago is large enough that alumni of every Big Ten team have a presence in the city - including perennial national title contenders Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. So the ban on betting on Illinois teams doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of Illinois residents who enjoy wagering on their favorite college team.
- The state offers the full range of major sportsbooks, so those with allegiances to daily fantasy sports companies or traditional casino operators and other sports-related businesses can maintain their allegiance to those operators as they make their wagers.
Top Reasons Not to Bet in Illinois
- Sports bettors in their early 20s may not have the same level of loyalty to Chicago pro sports teams as their parents and grandparents, since they haven't experienced the sort of team success that their elders can remember.
- Illinois goes further than many states regarding a ban on betting on college sports, not only banning individual player props but also forbidding any wagers on in-state college teams at all. That means that if there is a repeat of Loyola's miracle run to the men's basketball Final Four in 2018, many residents undoubtedly will turn to unlicensed books.
Closing Thoughts on Illinois Sports Betting: A Moving Target
Will Illinois be the first large state to "kill the golden goose" - or at least wound it ?
The example of New York's astonishing 51% tax rate on sports betting in a competitive marketplace emboldened Illinois in 2024 to jack up its tax rate from 15% to 40% on market industry leaders FanDuel and DraftKings. But now the mayor of Chicago wants to add his own 10.5% tax rate on top of that, moving Illinois to the top of the national sports betting tax rate rankings if successful.
Illinois also has a massive budget deficit, and it's clear that state lawmakers see sportsbooks as "easy money," in the sense that it amounts to a voluntary tax only on gamblers in the state. But presumably there is a breaking point in the national sportsbook industry on taxes - even if we haven't seen it take place yet.
Don't miss out on these premier betting bonuses
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $4.99
- Time Limit: 60 days
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Bonus Difficulty: Easy
- Min. package: $1
- Time Limit: 203 days
FAQ: Illinois Sports Betting
Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
Yes, sports betting is legal in Illinois. The state legalized retail and online sports betting in 2019, and sportsbooks launched in 2020.
Can you use FanDuel in Illinois?
Yes, you can use FanDuel in Illinois. The popular online sportsbook launched in the Prairie State in August 2020 and currently partners with Fairmount Park Racetrack.
What is the Illinois online sports gambling tax?
Illinois taxes online sportsbooks on a progressive scale from 20% to 40% of their adjusted gross revenue. The more a brand makes, the higher the tax rate.
What are the best sites for online sports betting in Illinois?
The best sites for online sports betting in Illinois are BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and Fanatics. Each one is licensed and regulated in the state and also offers mobile sports betting Illinois apps.
Do I need to be an Illinois resident to bet in Illinois?
No. You only need to be 21+ and physically located within Illinois state lines at the time of placing a bet.
