Illinois Sports Betting — Best Sportsbooks and Apps | Outkick

Illinois sports betting has been live since June 28, 2020, when the Illinois Gaming Board licensed its first online operators. Bettors in the state can now choose from 10 legal sportsbook apps.

Yes, sports betting is legal in Illinois and has been since June 2020, when mobile sports betting launched. It is regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board, and bettors must be 21 or older. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Illinois Sports Wagering Act into law on June 28, 2019.

Illinois has a wide variety of sports betting apps, and choosing which you like best can be a fun experiment. There is no limit to the number of apps you can use, so feel free to download as many as you’d like and try all of them. We’ve provided a few highlights for each and some things you might want to be on the lookout for. 

Illinois sportsbooks provide new users with a few primary types of welcome promotions, most notably profit boosts, bet-and-get offers, and deposit matches. Profit boosts increase your potential payout on a qualifying wager, sometimes doubling your profits if the bet wins. Bet-and-get promotions award bonus site credits after you deposit and place a small initial wager (often as low as $5). Deposit matches aim to boost your starting bankroll right away by matching a percentage—or the full total—of your first deposit with promotional funds.

Illinois sports betting was first signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker via the Illinois Sports Wagering Act in 2019. By 2020, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines launched the first retail sports wagering site. On June 18, 2020, BetRivers was the first online sportsbook. By March 2022, there was a permanent lift on in-person mobile registration requirements, meaning residents could register completely remotely. 

Having a major city in your state always helps provide users with plenty of sports betting options. The Chicago Cubs and White Sox are professional baseball teams. The Blackhawks, Bulls, and Bears are options for the NHL, NBA, and NFL, respectively. They also have a diverse group of college teams, like the University of Illinois. 

You can bet on college sports in Illinois; however, you cannot wager on an in-state school. Even if they are playing in a different state, you cannot put a wager on them ever. You also cannot bet on college player props. 

There are multiple retail sportsbooks in Illinois. There are some standalone operations, but there are also some located within casinos, racetracks, and off-track betting facilities.

Licensed Retail Locations:

Rivers Casino Des Plaines (BetRivers Sportsbook) – Des Plaines

Grand Victoria Casino (Caesars Sportsbook) – Elgin

Hawthorne Race Course (Fanatics Sportsbook) – Stickney / Cicero

Hard Rock Casino Rockford (Hard Rock Bet) – Rockford

Hollywood Casino Aurora (ESPN BET / Penalty Box) – Aurora

Hollywood Casino Joliet (ESPN BET) – Joliet

Argosy Casino Alton (ESPN BET / PENN) – Alton

Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino (FanDuel / BetMGM Sportsbook) – East Peoria

Fairmount Park / FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing (FanDuel) – Collinsville

The Temporary by American Place Casino (Circa Sports) – Waukegan

Bally's Quad Cities Casino & Hotel (Bally Bet) – Rock Island

Walker's Bluff Casino Resort (bet365) – Carterville

Harrah's Metropolis Casino (Caesars Sportsbook) – Metropolis

Yes, sports betting is legal in Illinois both online and in-person. 

Illinois has 10 different mobile sportsbooks available, so choosing the best one is really up to you. Try as many as you’d like and see what you like best about each app. 

You must be 21 years of age and physically located in the state to bet on sports. 

Yes, you can bet on college sports in Illinois, but you cannot wager on player props or in-state colleges. 

You do not need to be an Illinois resident, but you need to be physically located in the state when the wager is placed. 

There are 10 legal online sportsbook apps in Illinois. 

Yes, you can bet in-person at a variety of locations in Illinois, including casinos, racetracks, off-track betting facilities, and even some standalone locations.