IL Sports Betting: Best Illinois Sports Betting Sites 2024
Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
Table Of Contents:
When did Sports Betting become legal in Illinois
Since state-regulated online sportsbooks officially launched in Illinois on June 18, 2020, sports bettors in the state have been presented with a range of top-tier Illinois sportsbooks to choose from. As a new bettor, choosing the right sportsbook can be an intimidating step; however, it’s also one of the most important decisions you’ll make. To help you choose the best Illinois betting apps, we’ve put together this article reviewing the best online sports betting apps in Illinois.
Top Illinois betting apps
Below is a table that summarizes the most important information about the top five online sports betting apps in Illinois. You’ll find the top Illinois sportsbooks, their latest welcome promotions and an overall rating (we’ll explain the methodology behind our rating system later in the article).
| Rank | Sportsbook | Welcome Offer + Code | Pickswise Rating |
| #1 | DraftKings Sportsbook  | Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly 👑👑👑 | 4.98/5 |
| #2 | FanDuel Sportsbook | Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets If your bet wins 🎫🎫🎫 | 4.97/5 |
| #3 | Caesars Sportsbook | $1,000 First Bet on Caesars 💰💰💰 | 4.92/5 |
| #4 | BetMGM Sportsbook | $1,500 First Bet Insurance 🎁🎁🎁 | 4.85/5 |
Best Illinois sports betting sites reviewed
In this section, we’ll provide a more in-depth review of each of our top sports betting apps in Illinois to help inform your Illinois sportsbook decision.
Draftkings Sportsbook IL
DraftKings is one of the largest online sportsbook operators in the United States, and it’s our top-rated Illinois betting app for a reason. DraftKings started as a Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operator before online sports betting in Illinois was even made possible through the Supreme Court’s overturning of PASPA. This early entry into the sports betting industry has allowed DraftKings to refine its sports betting offering. DraftKings’ user interface is second-to-none, and you’ll find more bettor-friendly odds in a higher number of markets with DraftKings than any other sportsbook.
DraftKings welcome offer
New Customers that sign up for a new account with DraftKings and place a first bet of $5 or more will receive $150 in bonus bets instantly, no matter the outcome of the first bet.
Why you should bet with DraftKings
There are a number of reasons to choose DraftKings as your sportsbook for online sports betting in Illinois. DraftKings is the largest and most popular online sportsbook operator, offering high-value betting lines in an industry-leading number of markets. Its user experience is immaculate and they offer incredibly valuable welcome bonuses. Check out the full DraftKings Sportsbook Review for more information.
| Welcome Bonus: | 💲 New Customers that sign up for a new account with DraftKings and place a first bet of $5 or more will receive $150 in bonus bets instantly, no matter the outcome of the first bet. 💲 |
| Legal in Illinois from: | June 18, 2020 |
| Available Platforms: | Desktop / iOS / Android |
| Payout Speed: | 2 days (PayPal) – 10 days (Check by Mail) |
| Best Feature: | Daily Odds Boosts for existing customers to be used on any sport/market including Parlays |
| Pickswise Rating: | 4.98/5 |
FanDuel Sportsbook IL
Among online sportsbook operators in the United States, there are two sportsbooks that stand out among the rest, both in terms of popularity and quality: DraftKings and FanDuel. Both sportsbooks got their start in the DFS industry and have leveraged their experience and connections into a top-of-the-line online sportsbook offering. You’ll find a top-end user interface, valuable betting lines (including favorable odds boosts every day) and an enormous number of betting markets to choose from at FanDuel.
FanDuel Welcome Offer
New customers can claim $150 in bonus bets from a $5 wager. Once your first bet settles, you'll receive your bonus bets if it wins.
Why You Should Bet with FanDuel
FanDuel has one of the best reputations among sportsbook operators in the industry, largely due to its bettor-friendly odds in a number of markets. Their Same Game Parlays and odds boosts offer bettors advantages not found at other Illinois sportsbooks, and their user interface is both simple and refined. On top of these factors, you’ll also be treated to incredibly valuable welcome bonus promotions when you sign up.
| Welcome Bonus: | 🤑Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets If your bet wins🤑 |
| Legal in Illinois from: | June 18, 2020 |
| Available Platforms: | Desktop / iOS / Android |
| Payout Speed: | 3-5 days |
| Best Feature: | Fast deposits and withdrawals |
| Pickswise Rating: | 4.97/5 |
Caesars Sportsbook IL
Coming in third in our rankings is Caesars Sportsbook, which forms the beginning of the second tier of the best sports betting apps in Illinois. Like DraftKings and FanDuel, Caesars has extensive experience in the sports betting space, though not through a DFS offering; instead, Caesars has utilized its experience running their in-person retail sportsbooks to offer an incredible Illinois sports betting site. You’ll find competitive odds, a huge number of betting markets and generous promotions with Caesars in Illinois.
Caesars Welcome Offer
Caesars is offering a first bet insurance to all new customers who sign-up and place a first deposit $10+. If your first wager loses, you'll get your wager amount back in bonus bets up to $1,000. Just enter promo code PICKSWISE1000 at sign-up.
Why You Should Bet with Caesars
Caesars, like the other best sports betting apps in Illinois, offers bettor-friendly odds on a variety of markets. Its game lines are particularly well-known for fairness and accuracy, so those who primarily play these markets may be best served by Caesars. They also offer the extensive range of betting markets you’d expect with a big-name online sportsbook, along with competitive promotions, odds boosts, a solid sportsbook interface and an excellent rewards system.
| Welcome Bonus: | 💵$1,000 First Bet on Caesars💵 |
| Legal in Illinois from: | March 9, 2022 |
| Available Platforms: | Desktop / iOS / Android |
| Payout Speed: | 2-5 days |
| Best Feature: | Generous promotional offers |
| Pickswise Rating: | 4.92/5 |
BetMGM Sportsbook IL
Another major player in the Illinois betting app industry is BetMGM. Like the sportsbooks listed above, BetMGM has a ton of experience in the sports betting industry. This allows BetMGM to offer sharp betting lines, and you’ll often find extremely valuable betting lines on this Illinois sports betting app.
BetMGM Welcome Offer
BetMGM Sportsbook's New-user promotion gives a $1,500 first bet insurance. Just make a first bet up to $1,500, and if that bet loses, you'll get it back in bonus bets.
Why You Should Bet with BetMGM
BetMGM is an excellent choice for a wide range of bettors, particularly those that already have some experience with sports betting. Knowledgeable bettors will be able to take advantage of BetMGM’s user-friendly odds and odds boosts to swing the expected value of the bet in their favor; similarly, sharper players will be able to take advantage of early-release lines. Like our other recommended Illinois sports betting apps, BetMGM’s user experience is high-quality, with a top-notch sportsbook interface. BetMGM is also an industry leader in promotions, such as the welcome bonus discussed above.
| Welcome Bonus: | 💸$1,500 First Bet Insurance💸 |
| Legal in Illinois from: | March 5, 2022 |
| Available Platforms: | Desktop / iOS / Android |
| Payout Speed: | 2-7 days |
| Best Feature: | Great layout for easy use |
| Pickswise Rating: | 4.85/5 |
How we rate the best betting apps in Illinois
Choosing from the available Illinois betting sites is a difficult process, and the best choice will ultimately be dictated by your own priorities and preferences. However, in an effort to provide an objective ranking of the best sports betting apps in Illinois, we’ve created a ranking system that attempts to weigh the most important factors into a single score.
Under this rating system, the most important factor is the value of the odds provided. While this will vary based on the market, some Illinois sports betting apps are known to provide bettor-friendly odds, while others have a higher vig or consistently post more expensive lines. Since this factor will have the most immediate and obvious impact on your betting experience, it’s weighed the most heavily. The second most important factor is the number of available betting markets: this includes the number of sports offered, the number of events listed per sport, the number of betting markets per event, and the number of available bonus markets (such as same-game parlays, player props and live betting markets).
Beyond these two top priorities are a number of smaller factors that play a more limited, yet still important role. The first of these is the value of the promotions offered by the Illinois sportsbook, including their welcome bonuses and odds boosts (if offered). We also take the sportsbook’s user interface, the strength of its customer service, the number and speed of available deposit and withdrawal methods and the sportsbook’s overall reputation into account.
How to sign up with an online sportsbook in Illinois
- Navigate to the Illinois sports betting app’s home page and click the “create an account” or “sign up” option
- Create an account by inputting the required personal information and setting up a unique username and password combination
- Verify your personal information (often through the submission of a government-issued ID)
- Make an initial deposit (minimum deposit requirements vary by sportsbook)
Are Illinois online sportsbooks legal and legit?
Yes, each of the Illinois betting sites listed on this page is completely legal and safe to use. Online sports betting in Illinois was officially regulated in 2020, and all operational sportsbooks in the state must be approved and monitored by state agencies. As a result, you can rest assured that – so long as you use one of our recommended best sports betting apps in Illinois – you are safely and legally betting on sports.
In addition to Illinois the following states have also legalized online sports betting:
Andrew Wilsher
Managing Editor
FAQs
Yes, online and instore Sports Betting is legal in Illinois. The bill was passed in June 2019 and is live available throughout the state.
Our top-rated Illinois betting site is DraftKings Sportsbook Illinois, though each of our top five Illinois sportsbooks are excellent choices. Ultimately, the best Illinois betting site will depend on your own personal preferences.
DraftKings Sportsbook is the most popular Illinois sports betting app, with over $7.1 billion in wagers handled. FanDuel (just under $6 billion) and BetRivers (over $3.4 billion) round out the top three Illinois betting sites in terms of overall volume.
Based on each sportsbook’s total handle, it can be surmised that DraftKings and FanDuel have the most users by a fairly large margin.
All sites for online sports betting in Illinois have similar payout times, which depend on the withdrawal method you choose. Typically, the fastest methods will be online banking-style transfers, such as PayPal. The slowest will involve physical checks in the mail.