With its iconic sports groups and the third most populous city in the United States, it’s no surprise that Illinois is rushing to legalize sports betting. The state officially legalized them on June 28, 2019, when Governor J. B. Pritzker signed SB 690.
Retail sports were introduced in Illinois in March 2020, and the state’s first legal sports bet took place at Rivers Casino Des Plaines on March 9. The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to sports in the state, but it soon continued online. When BetRivers became the state’s leading online sports site in June 2020.
Since then, several sites have joined us, creating a physically powerful market in the Prairie State.
There are 8 online sports sites in Illinois:
The legal age to play sports in Illinois is 21, which is the case in most states where sports are legal. If you are under 21 and wish to register on a sports site in Illinois, you will not be allowed to sign up.
Bookmakers verify your age when you sign up by verifying your identity with your social security number and date of birth, so you may not be able to create an account if you are a minor.
Illinois has several major professional sports teams, all of which are in Chicago.
The Cubs are one of the most famous and beloved baseball teams in United States. A founding member of the National League in 1876, he has played at Wrigley Field (MLB’s second-oldest ballpark) on Chicago’s North Side since 1914.
The Cubs spent 108 years between World Series titles from 1908 to 2016. An estimated five million other people attended the team’s victory parade in 2016, making it one of the largest gatherings in human history.
The American League franchise of Chicago, a founding member of the American League in 1901, plays on the south side of the city. He played at Comiskey Park from 1910 to 1990 before moving to U. S. Cellular Field in 1991.
Like the Cubs, the White Sox also endured a prolonged World Series drought, which spanned 88 years between championships from 1917 to 2005. The club was also concerned about the notorious Black Sox scandal in which 8 players were banned for life from MLB for conspiracy. with the players to pitch the 1919 World Series.
The Illinois NFL franchise was established in 1920 and has played at Soldier Field since 1924, making it the oldest stadium in the NFL. The Bears hold NFL records for maximum number of retirements and maximum number of players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They also rank second in wins for the Green Bay Packers.
Despite all their history and normal success of the season, the Bears only won one Super Bowl, when they defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX of the 1985 season. They lost their other Super Bowl appearance in the 2006 season to the Indianapolis Colts.
Founded in 1966, the Illinois NBA franchise enjoyed almost all of its good fortune in the 1990s. Led by Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson, arguably the greatest players and coaches in NBA history, the Bulls won their six championships in the decade with two hat-tricks (1991 to 1993 and 1996 to 1998).
The Bulls have struggled to reflect that good fortune since Jordan left the franchise after the 1998 title, failing to make the NBA Finals without him.
The Blackhawks were founded in 1926 as one of the NHL’s “Original Six” franchises. They have won six Stanley Cups, three in a span of six years, from 2010 to 2015.
Since 1995, the Blackhawks have played their home games at the United Center, which they share with the Bulls. The team has struggled recently, as it has failed to win a playoff series since its recent top championship in 2015.
The Chicago MLS team was founded in 1997 and plays at Soldier Field. It won the MLS Cup and the United States Open Cup in its inaugural season in 1998. The Fire won the United States Open Cup in 2000, 2003 and 2006, as well as the Fan Shield in 2003.
However, the team’s success has waned since its initial success, as the Fire has struggled to compete for the past two decades.
Illinois is also home to a number of vital Division I programs. However, if you live in the state of Illinois, you cannot bet online on any team in the state. All Illinois school group bets must be placed on the user if you are physically located in the state.
Located in Chicago, the Blue Demons play in the Great East. They still don’t have a football team, a well-known basketball team that has twice reached the Final Four. DePaul was a mainstay of the NCAA tournament in the 1980s, but he hasn’t appeared in March Madness since 2004.
Located in Champaign-Urbana in east-central Illinois, the Fighting Illini play in the Big Ten and have won several NCAA championships over the years.
The football program was founded in 1890 and has won five national titles, most recently in 1951. Illinois has won 15 convention titles and is 8-12 in bowl games, with its most recent bowl win dating back to 2011. The school has trained 17 university students. Members of the American Football Hall of Fame and six members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Illinois has had a lot of good luck on the court with more than 1,900 wins, nearly twice as many wins as losses. The Fighting Illini have never won an NCAA championship, but they finished second in 2005. They have appeared in five Final Fours and 34 NCAA tournament appearances.
Loyola is in Chicago and plays in the Atlantic 10. The Ramblers have not had a football team since 1930, however, they won the national basketball championship in 1963, beating the University of Cincinnati 60-58 in the naming game.
The Ramblers have enjoyed on-again, off-again good luck since then with four appearances in the Sweet 16. The closest to any other championship having achieved the Final Four in 2018.
NIU is in DeKalb and plays in the Mid-American Conference.
The Huskies began playing football in 1899 and won the Division II National Championship in 1963. They have won six convention championships since joining the MAC and have participated in 15 bowl games, winning five.
The men’s basketball team has also had good luck with 3 NCAA tournament appearances, the most recent in 1996.
Located in Evanston, Northwestern plays in the Big Ten and is considered the “Big Ten of Chicago” due to its proximity to the Windy City.
Northwestern has been playing football since 1882 and has won eight convention championships, adding three Big Ten titles since 1995. The Wildcats have played in 17 bowl games, winning seven.
Northwestern has recently taken a step forward on the court with its 3 NCAA Tournament appearances since 2017. The Wildcats have made the round 16 times.
Yes, sports apps are allowed in Illinois. There are 8 of them in the state, which introduced mobile sports in June 2020.
The exception is if you want to bet on an in-state school team, in which case you will need to place the bet in person.
Yes, DraftKings is legal in Illinois. Se introduced in the state in August 2020, becoming the second online sports betting site in the state after BetRivers.
Yes, FanDuel is legal in Illinois. It became the state’s third online platform when it was introduced in August 2020.
As in most states, you’ll need to be at least 21 years old to bet on sports in Illinois.
Illinois offers 8 online sports sites for sports bettors:
No, you don’t have to live in Illinois to gamble. As long as you are at least 21 years old and physically within the state’s borders, you can bet at any of the online sportsbooks in Illinois.
Illinois officially legalized online sports on June 28, 2019. Mobile sports were introduced to the state a year later in June 2020.
There are several tactics for depositing cash into your sports account in Illinois, and the following are added:
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