Is sports betting legal in Illinois? Yes, it is! What’s best is that you can enjoy IL sports betting online. Keep reading to see the best betting sites Illinois has to offer!
We’ve prepared an awesome list of Illinois sportsbooks so that you can find the perfect site. This means getting a sportsbook with anything from stunning Bears odds to a betting site with a special Bulls betting bonus. Sound good? Take a look below and see why IL online sports betting is so much fun!
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Players from Illinois accepted
Go to Bet365
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0 – 10 Days
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Subject to meeting qualifying criteria. Minimum wager $5. Minimum odds -500 or greater. $10 minimum deposit. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. Available in app only. Max. prize, game restrictions, time limits and T&Cs apply.
New Customers Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins!
Players from Illinois accepted
Go to DraftKings Sport
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Payment Methods
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Withdrawal
0 – 5 Days
Apps
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EGR – Operator of the year (2023)
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). 1 per new customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $300 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 6/22/25 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.
Where to find the best IL Betting Sites and Online Sportsbooks?
Illinois is famous for its love of sports, and few states can match the glory of teams like the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, and even the White Sox finally got their moment in the sun with their recent World Series win. As such, we’ve made sure that our sportsbook comparison is perfectly suited for all sports fans in the Prairie State. Or maybe you want to find the best horse racing sites or the best
Formula 1 betting sites. We’ll help you find the right sportsbook for you and answer all your questions in our Illinois sports betting faq section.
We’ll help those brand new to sports betting find a sportsbook that makes it simple to put their first bets down. Plus, all seasoned pros will enjoy using our recommended sportsbooks, which have hundreds of advanced betting markets and cool features like live streaming. So whether you’re in Chicago, Joliet, Rockford, or Springfield, you’ll never be too far away from an awesome Illinois online sportsbook.
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The overdue arrival of sportsbooks in Illinois
Sports betting in Illinois became legal in March 2020, and its online counterpart was quick to follow, with the first online sports bets taking place in the summer of that year. While the arrival of legal sports betting was welcomed, it didn’t have the easiest of starts.
This is because the initial period saw sports fans having to register a sportsbook account by visiting the physical location of the partnered casino or sporting venue. For example, if you wanted to play at the DraftKings online sportsbook, you could have only registered an account in person at the Casino Queen outlet in East St Louis.
Thankfully, those arduous signing-up requirements have been abandoned. As long as you are over the age of 21 and are wagering within the state borders, you can legally sign up and start betting at any Illinois online sports betting site. So that you know, there is no requirement to be a resident of the Prairie State to bet online here.
The Illinois Gaming Board oversees the whole activity of sports betting. This organization has the power to distribute online gambling licenses and set the rules that all legit online sportsbooks in Illinois have to follow.
Such rules are broadly similar to what you get in other US states, meaning that you can legally bet on all professional, college-level, and international sporting events. The only thing that might catch some people out is that you cannot legally bet on non-sporting events such as elections or reality TV shows in Illinois. But if you want to bet on regular sports like football, basketball, baseball, and hockey, then Illinois is a great place to do it!
Looking for an awesome IL sportsbook? Try this betting site!
BetRivers wasn’t just the first online sportsbook to launch in Illinois. It’s also one of the best sports betting platforms you’ll find in the Land of Lincoln. The sportsbook was well known for serving up bets in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and so it wasn’t a massive surprise to find that BetRivers would be teaming up with Rivers Casino Des Plaines to treat Illinois sports fans to some great odds.
So as soon as you sign up to BetRivers Illinois, you’ll be able to get a tasty welcome that’ll double your first deposit. From here, you’ll be able to put that bonus to good use by wagering on seriously competitive odds for everything from the NBA and NFL to the MLB, NHL, and beyond. Plus, you can even participate in the Rush Rewards program to get a little extra back from all that real money wagering.
BetRivers is regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board, meaning it’ll have to provide a fair and safe betting service; otherwise, it would get its license revoked. Other important trust features include a variety of safe payment methods and quality customer support. All of this means that you should definitely sign up for BetRivers IL and try your luck! If you are not sure yet, check our
William Hill sportsbook Illinois bonus review; we’ll convince you!
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Five tips for staying safe with IL sportsbooks
You can never be too careful when you bet online. After all, you’ll play with real money and give each site sensitive personal information. So here are five things you can do to stay safe while enjoying sports betting in Illinois.
Do your research
One good thing about the internet is that it’s great for revealing when a sportsbook has been up to no good. So set aside some time to do some research into the reputation of the betting site that you are thinking of using. All of these should give you colorful insight into what other sports fans have experienced.
Gamble responsibly
We’d always recommend only betting with money that you don’t mind losing because everyone will lose sooner or later. The good news is that most sportsbooks will give you a simple way to limit your deposits so that you don’t go chasing after your losses.
Consider your payments
Only use the safest payment methods for making deposits and withdrawals. This means using recognized card brands like Visa and MasterCard or alternative payment options such as PayPal, ACH, or Play+.
Read the privacy policy
All good online sportsbooks will have a lengthy privacy policy that explains how it looks after your personal data. It might be boring to read through, but at least you’ll see what kinds of encryption technology the sportsbook has to keep your data safe.
Use our recommended sportsbooks
It might be obvious, but your best way of staying safe when sports betting in Illinois is to use one of our recommended online sportsbooks. After all, we’ve checked out each of these betting sites so you don’t have to.
Key ingredients of the best IL sportsbooks
We’ve already seen plenty of decent online sportsbooks coming to Illinois, and it looks like there are many more to come. Before we recommend each sportsbook, it must offer a fun, easy, and safe betting platform. Here are some of the key features that we look for in every Illinois sportsbook:
Regulation and security:
Each sportsbook will need to have Illinois Gaming Board regulation, and it’ll need to have a minimum HTTPS digital encryption to keep your data safe.
Payment methods:
We’d expect every betting site you visit to let you make fast, free, and safe deposits and withdrawals with a variety of trusted payment providers.
Customer support:
Our reviews will reveal those Illinois betting sites that have a great track record for featuring friendly and professional customer support.
App design:
You’ll want to use a betting app that’s easy to navigate and responsive enough to handle all the bets you throw at it.
Welcome bonuses:
All good sportsbooks will put on bonuses for new customers, and we’ll check the small print of these deals to ensure they’re good enough for you.
Reward programs:
We’ve seen many gambling sites that feature a good reward program that gives you credit for all of your wagering.
Betting markets:
You’ll be given many betting markets for all elite sports at each of our recommended Illinois sportsbooks.
Betting odds:
Our sportsbook reviews will always carry out odds comparison tests so that you can instantly see who is offering the best betting odds in the Land of Lincoln!
Live bets:
Live betting is great fun, and it’s something that you can do at all of the featured online sportsbooks.
Betting limits:
Nobody wants to be limited in how they bet, so we’ll make sure that you get to play at an online sportsbook with limits that are right for you.
The highest-rated sportsbooks for Illinois sports bettors
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Players from Virginia accepted
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Subject to meeting qualifying criteria. Minimum wager $5. Minimum odds -500 or greater. $10 minimum deposit. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. Available in app only. Max. prize, game restrictions, time limits and T&Cs apply. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
New Customers Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins!
Players from Virginia accepted
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Helping you find top Illinois sportsbooks
We know that there are many different kinds of sports fans in Illinois, and so we wanted to give you a few basic tips about finding your own perfect sportsbook. Each of our featured sportsbooks gets the basics right, but you should shop around these betting sites to see which is best for the following features:
Sport specialization
Some sportsbooks go in deep to give you extra betting options for certain sports. So if you were a massive Chicago Bears fan, you’d want to play with a sportsbook that gave you hundreds of betting markets for each game. Likewise, F1 fans will want to find the best
Formula 1 betting lines.
Losing bet refunds
You’re going to lose a sports bet every now and then, so you may as well do some research to find a sportsbook with one of those losing bet deals. While the refund might come in the form of site credit, you’ll at least be able to try your luck again later on.
Device compatibility – find the best Illinois sports betting apps
Legal sports betting in Illinois means betting from your mobile device. So make sure that the sportsbook you want to use has the best sports betting apps that you can use on the operating system of your smartphone or tablet.
Conclusion – Check back to enjoy the best in Illinois sports betting
It’s an exciting time to enjoy sports betting in Illinois. After all, sports betting in Prairie State has only been legalized for a few years, and many awesome online sportsbooks are competing for your attention. Plus, many new betting sites are lining up to open in Illinois, so you’ll need our help to ensure you find your perfect online sportsbook.
All of this means that it’s smart to return to this page to ensure that you don’t miss out on any unbeatable betting odds or bonuses. So keep it here to get the best Illinois sports betting experience possible!
Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose when you bet $5!
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus, Min. Deposit: $10
Go to Bet365
Get Bonus
Subject to meeting qualifying criteria. Minimum wager $5. Minimum odds -500 or greater. $10 minimum deposit. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. Available in app only. Max. prize, game restrictions, time limits and T&Cs apply. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
New Customers Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your Bet Wins!
Players from Virginia accepted
Min. Deposit: 5
Go to DraftKings Sport
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Legal sports betting Illinois FAQ
❓ Is it legal to try Illinois sports betting online?
Read our guide to see whether betting on sports online in Illinois is legal. After all, there have been many changes in the legislation regarding
online gambling in Illinois
in the past few years, and you’ll need to know whether you stand in regard to the law. So check out our guide to see whether Illinois has followed the likes of Indiana by legalizing online sports betting.
📱 Who has the best Illinois sports betting app?
You can’t be the
best online USA bookmaker
unless you can take good care of your mobile customers. This is because people want to be able to bet on sports from the comfort of a smartphone or tablet. So please read our guide to the best IL sportsbooks where we examine what kinds of betting apps they have to offer. Perfect for seeing who has the best iOS and Android sports betting apps. Do not miss our mobile sports betting apps offerings!
👀 What is the process for Illinois online sports betting registration?
You might know that Illinois has had a fairly complicated process for signing up for online sportsbooks in the state. This means that you might not be able to register a new customer account from your laptop or mobile. So please read our guide to see how you can sign up at an IL sportsbook. From here, you’ll be able to have fun playing with the
best betting odds for NFL
teams like the Bears.
✅ What is the Illinois sports betting law?
Illinois has recently experienced many changes in how you gamble online. While online casino gaming is still illegal, there have been big developments regarding online sports betting. So although there might not be too much competition to be the
best online casino in Illinois, it looks like things could be different for sports betting. Please read our guide to find out why.
⭐ What is the Illinois sports betting age?
Our
US sports betting guide
revealed that each state has the power to set its own gambling laws, which obviously impact the minimum age for sports betting. This means that some sports fans in Illinois might not be old enough to use an IL sportsbook. So make sure that you read our guide to sports betting in Illinois to see how old you have to be to bet on sports in the Prairie State.
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4.6/5
Subject to meeting qualifying criteria. Minimum wager $5. Minimum odds -500 or greater. $10 minimum deposit. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. Available in app only. Max. prize, game restrictions, time limits and T&Cs apply. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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