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Illinois is a city renowned for its love of sports. There is a team for everyone, and all of the major leagues are represented. Even if they don’t always have a great season or live up to their potential (or what their diehard fans imagine their potential should be!), Chicago is one of the best cities in the country for live sports.
As a great sports state, it naturally makes sense that Illinois would be one of the best states for sports betting. The people who live there are already passionate about sports, adding a little more excitement by wagering money on the Bulls or the Bears just makes it even better.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the main reasons why Illinois is the best state for sports betting.
The Basics of Sports Betting in Illinois
Illinois was one of the first states to legalize sports betting after the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2018. In 2019, the Illinois State Senate legalized sports betting online and in person. By March 2020, the first in-person sportsbooks started operating and in June 2020, the first online sportsbooks were launched.
Any adult inside the state line can place bets in Illinois, there is no residency requirement. The legal age for betting is 21 or older. There are also some rules governing what college games can be bet on. This is similar to how college sports betting works in other states and is a safeguard to protect young athletes.
In-person betting can be done at any casino, racetrack, or sports venue that has obtained the required licenses. This is great because you can bet on the game you’re watching without having to leave the stadium. These are slowly being opened and the latest news is that Draft Kings will partner with the Chicago Cubs to open a sportsbook at Wrigley Field soon.
Variety
One of the reasons why Illinois is the best betting state in the US is that they have achieved the perfect balance when assigning licenses. Some states are too concerned with tightly policing the industry and only allow a very limited number of sportsbooks to operate or only allow them to operate on tribal land (in the case of Washington state). Others are too lax and don’t do enough to protect their residents from betting apps that take advantage of them.
Illinois has found the balance between these two extremes. They don’t have a small license cap, but they do have a strong vetting system. This means that every legitimate sportsbook that wants to operate in Illinois is able to do so.
There are currently eight sports betting apps operating in Illinois and there are five more that have been granted licenses but need to work out casino partnerships before they can fully launch. The sportsbooks that are currently available in Illinois are BetRivers, FanDuel, DraftKings, PointsBet, Barstool, and Circa. These are some of the biggest names in the industry and bettors can feel secure placing their bets at any of them.
Bonuses
Welcome bonuses are one of the biggest perks of joining a new online sportsbook. Welcome bonuses help sportsbooks attract new customers and help new bettors get off to the best start possible. The best sportsbooks will also offer loyalty rewards and/or VIP programs.
Bonuses for Illinois bettors reflect the popularity of betting in the state. Some of the best bonuses from the top sportsbooks include free bets valued at up to $1,500, 10-second chance bets, or $200 in free bets when you bet $5. A perk you don’t often see is also offered by some sportsbooks⎯an N** League pass for three months. This allows you to watch any and all N** games live or on demand.
All of these bonuses can compete with those offered by sportsbooks in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and other leading betting destinations. This shows that Illinois bettors have secured their place in the market as one of the places to go in the United States for great betting options. This is obviously great news for Illinois residents and their neighbors in Wisconsin who can’t bet online yet.
Community
Illinois is a great state for building a community because it blends the aggressive attitude of the big city with that classic Midwestern charm. Gambling can sometimes feel like an isolating hobby since it’s just you and the betting app or cards. The strong sports culture and community in Illinois has helped to foster a good environment for bettors too.
Chicago is the kind of city where you can celebrate a win or pout about a loss and be surrounded by new friends who will help you feel better or share in your joy. That sort of community can help keep betting fun too because you’re doing it around others, not alone. This can take your mind off losses and help you avoid the temptation to throw good money after bad, trying to recoup from a bad bet.
Just don’t step into a White Sox fan bar wearing your Cubs gear and expect a positive reaction. Even Midwesterners have limits!
Range of Markets
We mentioned above that there are limits to college sports games you can bet on in Illinois. While this is true, this is basically the only limitation on what sports you can bet on in the state. Bettors in Illinois have access to a huge range of betting markets.
Since so many leading sportsbooks are operating in the state, they are able to provide odds on essentially every single sporting event you can imagine. Some focus more on the major US leagues, including the NFL, N**, NHL, MLB, and MLB. Others are happy to cater to international sporting interests and offer odds on sports like cricket and the big European soccer leagues. Of course, we also can’t forget the sportsbooks that put their main emphasis on horse racing.
Bettors in Illinois have access to all of the major and minor markets, making it a great state to bet in.
