Online Sports Betting in Illinois

If you’re as passionate about sports betting as we are, then you’ll be delighted to hear that Prairie State residents can now bet online simply, safely, and securely – and all from the comfort of your own home. 

Read on to find out how it works, and discover all the awesome Illinois sports betting sites there are to choose from. Or, to dive into the top betting sites Illinois has to offer, head on over to our Best Online Sportsbooks in Illinois page!

ABOUT ONLINE SPORTS BETTING IN ILLINOIS 

The most important thing you need to know about online sports betting in Illinois is that players no longer need to register in-person at a casino or racetrack before they can place their first bet online. 

That’s right, you can now sign up, deposit and place your first online wager in Illinois all from the comfort of your own home. The need for in-person registration was removed as of March 5th, 2022. Thank you, Illinois General Assembly bill HB 3136! 

Not only that, but the bill also allows for college sports betting, albeit only at casinos – but that for sure paves the way for online college sports betting in Illinois soon, so watch this space!

About Betting America 

We hope BettingAmerica.com will be your trusted resource for legal online gambling in America. You’ll find only the most user-friendly, reliable (and fun!) Illinois sports betting apps and sites right here. 

Caesars, BetRivers, FanDuel and DraftKings are just a few of the spectacular online sportsbooks that have launched their platforms in Illinois.

On this page, you’ll find everything you need to know about online sports betting in Illinois, including:

• Which sports you can bet on in Illinois
• How old do you need to be 
• How to sign up for online sports betting in Illinois 
• Tips on finding the best promos, free bets, and welcome offers
• The many ways you can place sports bets online in Illinois, and how the different bet types work  
• How to make deposits and withdrawals on online betting sites in Illinois 
• And much, much more!

The legal stuff 

As we mentioned, if this will be your first time playing on Illinois online sports betting sites, you simply need to register a new account to get started. Once that’s out of the way, you’re ready to get playing – and winning! 

FAQ:

Ready to find out more? Get clued up on everything you need to know about Illinois online sports betting in our frequently asked questions below.

IS ONLINE SPORTS BETTING LEGAL IN ILLINOIS?

---

Yes. Sports betting was legalized in Illinois in June 2019. The first in-person wagers were placed on March 9th, 2020. BetRivers was the first online platform to go live in June 2020.

WHAT SPORTS CAN I BET ON IN ILLINOIS?

---

You can bet on all sports. Depending on the time of year you will find markets available for the major professional sports, college sports and other international events including but not limited to:

• NFL
• NCAA Football
• NBA
• NCAA Basketball
• NHL
• MLB
• Golf
• Nascar/Auto Racing
• Tennis
• UFC/MMA
• Boxing
• Soccer
• Rugby
• Australian Rules
• Cricket
• Table Tennis

CAN I BET ON COLLEGE SPORTS IN ILLINOIS?

---

While you may bet on college sports in Illinois, you have to do so in person at the sportsbook. (In the eyes of the regulators, this makes sense, because it makes it impossible to bet on Illinois college sports outside of state lines.)

In other words, you can’t place a wager on your favorite college sports team from your living room, but only from a registered casino or sportsbook premises.    

In addition, only tier one wagers (full game spreads and over/under bets) can be made. You may not place proposition bets on individual player performances.

HOW TO BET ON SPORTS ONLINE IN ILLINOIS

---

You can set up a new account by going to the website of your sportsbook of choice via desktop or laptop and following the steps for new customers. Alternatively you can download the sportsbook’s app on your iPhone or Android device and complete the registration process within the app itself.

Can I place a bet while outside Illinois?

No. State and Federal Law prohibits betting on IL online sportsbooks from outside the state. This is enforced by Geolocation Technology. You are however free to register a new account and even make deposits and withdrawals from outside Illinois.

ILLINOIS SPORTSBOOK DEPOSIT METHODS

---

There are a wide range of deposit methods for funding your sports betting account in Illinois. For many people the easiest option is a credit or debit card. E-Wallets such as PayPal or Skrill have become an increasingly popular choice in recent times. Prepaid cards, eChecks and online banking are also commonly available.

Credit/Debit Cards:

Most online sportsbooks accept these for deposits. Options may be restricted to Visa and Mastercard. Some banks may block these transactions as they don’t allow deposits onto any type of gambling site despite the legalization of U.S. sports betting in 2018.

Electronic Wallets:

Availability is dependent on the individual app/site but established eWallets such as PayPal or Skrill are an option on some sportsbooks. You can only withdraw using eWallets if you deposited with the same method first. Deposits usually process immediately.

Bank Transfer:

Sports bettors can deposit by sending money directly from their bank accounts.

Prepaid Cards:

These are like gift cards that players can use similarly to credit/debit cards to deposit any amount up to the value of the card. You can also withdraw to the prepaid card.

PayNearMe:

Some sportsbooks offer this deposit-only method however you cannot withdraw via PayNearMe. You simply select it as your deposit option with the sportsbook, then decide on the amount you would like to deposit and the sportsbook sends you a unique barcode. You can then go to your nearest 7-Eleven/CVS/Family Dollar where the cashier will scan the barcode and you pay them the amount of the deposit. Typically, your deposit will process within 15 minutes and is then available to use on the sportsbook.

Check:

You can deposit and withdraw using electronic check (eCheck) and you can withdraw by paper check. Typically, you cannot deposit directly to a sportsbook using a regular paper check. With eChecks, after a player requests their bank to transfer money from their bank account into a sportsbook, the request is first passed through a clearing house before the funds are transferred.

ILLINOIS SPORTSBOOK WITHDRAWAL METHODS

---

Typically there are fewer options for withdrawing and it takes longer than depositing. The most common form of withdrawal is by check, paper or eCheck. If you want to withdraw by a particular method you must first have used that same method to deposit.

WHERE CAN I BET ONLINE IN ILLINOIS?

---

You can bet online with any of the legal sportsbooks listed below. All are affiliated with a land based sportsbook.

Illinois Online Sportsbook List 2022:

• Online Sportsbook  –  Land Based Partner Casino
• DraftKings Sportsbook  –  Casino Queen
• BetRivers Sportsbook  –  River Casino Des Plaines
• PointsBet Sportsbook  –  Hawthorne Race Course
• FanDuel Sportsbook  –  Fairmount Park
• Caesars Sportsbook  –  Grand Victoria Casino
• Barstool Sports  –  Hollywood Casino (Aurora)

HOW OLD DO I NEED TO BE TO BET ONLINE IN ILLINOIS

---

You have to be 21 years or older.

HOW TO SIGN UP ON A SPORTS BETTING APP IN ILLINOIS

---

To ensure you don’t miss out on a new account bonus, locate a promo code or follow one of the “Get Bonus” links near the top of this page.

– iPhone:

Choose a sportsbook and follow the links to their website. You will be directed to the App Store download page. When you have installed the app on your iPhone or iPad simply follow the registration instructions provided.

– Android:

Real money gaming apps are now also available for Android users in the Google Play Store. Follow the links to your chosen sportsbook’s website and you will be directed to the Play Store. Download and install the app and follow the instructions to complete your registration.

What do I need to set up an online sports betting account?

• Name
• Address
• Date of Birth
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Social Security Number (last 4 digits)
• ID may be required to verify your account

IS ILLINOIS ONLINE SPORTS BETTING SAFE?

---

Yes. Once you sign up with a regulated sportsbook that is approved by the Illinois Gaming Board, it is completely safe.

Who Regulates Online Sports Betting In Illinois?

The Illinois Gaming Board, founded in 1990, is a five member board appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. It is responsible for regulatory oversight of riverboat gambling, casino gambling, video gaming and sports betting in the Prairie State. It ensures all operators are comprehensively vetted so your funds, identity and privacy are totally secure when placing wagers online.

WHAT TYPE OF BETS CAN I MAKE IN ILLINOIS

---

Find some details on the different wager types you can make at Illinois online sports betting sites below. 

Moneyline Bets:

This is the most popular bet type, it is simply betting on a specific team to win. The team with the negative sign is the favorite and the team with the positive sign is the underdog.

Example: New York Jets are @ -165, New York Giants @ +140: the Jets are favorites and the Giants are underdogs. In this example if you bet on the favorite, the Jets, you have to bet $165 to win $100. If you bet on the underdog, the Giants, you’ll bet $100 to win $140. Moneyline bets on solely who wins.

Point Spread Bets:

Also known as betting the spread, this bet is on who wins and by how much. It is used to even out the odds between two unevenly matched teams. The sportsbook estimates which team is expected to win and by what margin. The favorite has a negative sign and the underdog has a positive sign. Players then bet that the team expected to win will exceed the margin of victory and “beat the spread” or players will bet the underdog will lose by fewer points than the margin thus “cover the spread”.

Example: Patriots vs Rams. Patriots are favorites (-5), they have to win by six points or more to beat the spread and the Rams would have to lose by four points or less to cover the spread. If a game results in the exact number e.g. in this case if the Patriots win by exactly five points it would be a ‘push’ and bettors on either side would be returned their original wager. The spread is often expressed in half points to avoid a “push”/tie.

Total Bets – Over/Under:

This is a single wager that the combined score of a game will be over or under what the sportsbook sets it at before the game. The bettor is not concerned about which team will win but is concerned on the combined number of points/goals/scores scored by the teams by the end of the game. Those who think the score will be higher than that set by the sportsbooks are “taking the over”, those who believe the score will be lower are “taking the under”. Normally expressed in half points to avoid ties.

Parlay Bets:

This is a type of wager that combines multiple individual bets into one bet. In order for the player to win, all the individual bets have to win. Despite your odds being lower to win, when you do win your payout is significantly higher. Parlays allow players to risk a small amount to win big.

Teaser/Pleaser Bets:

These are a form of parlay bets. The differences are 1) all bets within Teaser/Pleasers are Point Spread Bets or Total Bets and 2) the spread is shifted either for the bettor (Teaser) or against the bettor (Pleaser). All the lines are shifted in the same direction either for you or against you for the same amount of points.

Teaser: Here lines are adjusted in the player’s favor thus the player has a better chance of winning, however this will be at a lower payout than a standard parlay.

Pleaser: The line is adjusted in the opposite direction of a teaser thus the line is adjusted in the sportsbook’s favor so the player has a lower chance of winning than a regular parlay but the payout will be at a much higher rate than a standard parlay.

Prop (proposition) Bets:

This is a bet on something occurring that is not necessarily directly related to the final score. It is also known as a side bet. E.g. Lebron James Assists in a game 10.5; you could bet the over or under. Tom Brady 3.5 Touchdown Passes in a game; again you could bet the over or the under. Betting on the number of fouls in either half of a game or on someone running a mile in under five minutes would also be examples of prop bets.

Futures Bets:

These are bets on an event occurring in the future. For example, you could bet on the New England Patriots to win the Superbowl at the start of the season. These are particularly popular in soccer, golf, tennis and Olympic events.

In-Play/Live Betting:

This is betting on a particular sporting event after it has started. Odds are adjusted in real time depending on score lines, various statistics e.g. possession, injuries etc. Live betting allows continuous betting throughout the duration of a sporting event. Moneyline, Spread Bets, Prop Bets, Totals can all be placed during In-Play betting.

Round Robin Bets:

This is similar to a parlay bet. A parlay is a collection of single bets combined into one bet; a round robin is a collection of parlays placed into one bet. As a result you do not have to win every bet within the round robin to win some money, there is room for some losses. However payouts will not be as high when some of the parlays within the round robin lose.

PointsBetting (Only on PointsBet):

This is a brand new type of bet offered by PointsBet only. Wagers are placed on the points a team win by rather than simply the outcome of a game. E.g. $5 placed per point the Jets win by so if for example the Jets win by 9 points you would win $45, however if the Jets lose by 5 you lose $25. Essentially the winnings or losses are magnified depending on “how right” or “how wrong” you are. Wagers can result in big wins or but big losses can also occur.

Decimal/European Odds:

These are different formats for expressing odds. The decimal odds number represents the amount a bettor wins for every dollar wagered. For the decimal odds the number represents the total payout including the original wager amount, not just the profit.

Example: Decimal odds of 4.5 and you bet $1. If your team wins you get $4.50 back i.e. $3.50 profit. European odds, also known as fractional odds, are more common in European betting markets.

To convert fractional to decimal, divide the top or first figure by the bottom or second figure then add 1.

Example: 7/2 in fractional odds = 7 divided by 2 = 3.5 then add 1 which results in 4.5 in decimal notation.

Want to find out about the hottest promos, odds boosts, reload bonuses, loyalty programs, and more?

Head over to our Best Online Sports Betting in Illinois page!