You don’t have to look far past the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, Illini, or White Sox to realize Illinois is a major sports state. As is common with other major sport states, you have lots of people who love to bet on sports. Thankfully, it’s easy to bet online for real money by using any of these trusted Illinois sports betting sites.

If you’re looking to wager with real money on your favorite local team, or any other team around the country or globe, then you’re in luck. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the best Illinois sports betting sites currently offering their services.

All these sports betting sites can be trusted as they use the ethical and standard business practices that all legitimate sportsbooks enforce. These websites will provide players with all the information they need in order to successfully make their real money bets.

Also, these books are constantly updated and known for their accessibility and easy-to-use approach for all visiting patrons, making it simple and quick for anybody interested to place their wagers.

Illinois is just a governor’s signature away from having legal in-person and online sports betting. Lawmakers put in long hours over the weekend with the House approving a sports betting bill on Saturday and Senate lending its approval on Sunday. The Illinois sports betting bill now heads to the governor’s desk for one last approval. Oct 05, 2020 Unfortunately, the online casino world remains unlawful. Often states treat online sports betting and online casinos rather differently and this appears to have been the case in the Illinois legislature when they were re-evaluating the gambling regulations. Fantasy sports betting is, in fact, permitted in Illinois.

What Makes These Illinois Betting Sites Great?

Not a single one of you came here to find the most mediocre sports betting sites in Illinois. You want the best, and we think you deserve nothing short of that. Because we care that much, we wanted to make sure we were transparent about why you should trust our online sportsbooks review above any others.

Reviews and Rankings Are Unbiased and Can’t Be Bought

You cannot pay us for a higher ranking, better review, or placement on our recommended list. We take what we do seriously, and there’s no way we can stand behind our list of the top IL betting sites without standing firm on this.

Information Is Kept Up to Date and Regularly Audited

You’re not going to see online sportsbooks recommendations from years ago on our listings. Our team works tirelessly to keep our recommendations, stats, bonus codes, and betting information up to speed with the latest information.

Our Focus and Goal Is You

We can sum all of this up in one sentence—our focus and goal is you. If we can help you to find the best Illinois sports betting sites available on the market and you have a great experience, we’ve done our job.

Is Online Sports Gambling Legal In Illinois News

Is Sports Betting Online in Illinois Legal?

Yes. On the last day of the state legislature’s session in the spring of 2019, House and Senate lawmakers passed a bill expanding gambling online and at brick and mortar locations across the state. Proponents of the bill successfully pushed the argument that expanded gaming would bring in around $200 million in additional annual revenue to the state. This was a major step forward for Illinois sports betting sites.

Fast forward to the beginning of 2020 and the state is inches away from fully rolling out state-regulated online gambling. Initially, only brick and mortar casinos were allowed to apply for licenses, which cost $10 million each.

What’s unique is that not just casinos were included in being offered applications. Across the state, 10 casinos, three racetracks, and seven sporting venues were invited to apply. Yes, you heard that correctly—sporting venues are included.

Online-only websites like DraftKings and FanDuel are required to wait 18 months until they are allowed to apply. Even then, there will only be three licenses available to online-only providers, and they will cost twice as much at $20 million a pop. Still, we expect heavy competition for those licenses.

Banking Options at Illinois Sports Betting Sites

A chief concern from those looking into online betting in Illinois is the financial side. How are you going to deposit money into your online sportsbook? How do you get your winnings? How long does it take to get paid? Is the banking safe? All of these are great questions we’re going to address right now.

How Are You Going to Deposit Money Into Your Online Sportsbook?

Getting money onto Illinois online betting sites is quick and easy, thanks to technology and updated banking integrations. Popular methods include:

• Credit cards
• Debit cards
• E-wallets
• Cryptocurrency
• Direct bank transfers
• Money management services

How Do I Get Paid My Real Money Winnings From Illinois Sports Betting Sites?

Illinois betting sites pay customers through a multitude of different options. Each site will have a slightly different lineup of available banking options, but these are the most popular.

• E-wallets
• Cryptocurrency
• Direct bank transfers
• Money management services
• Credit and debit cards (in some cases)
• Checks by courier

How Long Does It Take to Get Paid Your Winnings From IL Sports Betting Sites?

Depending on the cashout method you choose, your money will arrive in your bank account or e-wallet account between a few hours and a few days. The only exception to this is checks by courier which can take up to two weeks to arrive.

Is the Banking at Illinois Sports Betting Sites Safe?

As long as you stick to using trusted and vetted options, your banking and site experience will be safe. All of the top options recommended in this guide utilize proper high-level encryption, perform regular site audits, and put your safety as their top priority.

What Sports Can I Bet on at IL Sportsbooks?

When it comes to what you can bet on at the options listed here, the list is pretty long. First, you’ll be able to wager on all of the four major sports—basketball, baseball, hockey, and football. This means the Bulls, White Sox, Cubs, Blackhawks, and Bears fans have full access to a wide array of wagering options on their favorite local teams.

For those looking to get sports betting action elsewhere, though, you’ll still be covered. These Illinois online sportsbooks offer action on many other sports, including college sports, soccer, tennis, golf, auto racing, combat sports, politics, entertainment, dog racing, horse racing, and much more. Honestly, if it’s something that can be bet on in the world, one of these online sportsbooks will offer some type of action on it.

Regarding the types of bets available, expect to see an impressive list of wager types including all popular bets and more unique wager types like parlays, in-game wagers, teasers, pleasers, and more. Those looking into online betting in Illinois will have extensive flexibility when it comes to selecting wagers.

Getting Started Betting Online in Illinois Now

At this point, you don’t have anything holding you back from diving into the action. Check out any of the options on our list of the best Illinois sports betting sites now, and you’ll be making real money bets in a matter of minutes. Long gone are the days of having to drive to a sportsbook in another state to place a bet.

The Illinois legislature has caused a few problems for online gamblers, as they have obfuscated the reality of the legalities of online gambling in Illinois. We want to help our readers find the truth about online gambling, and we can tell you that there are many options available. If you decide that online gambling is something you are interested in, you definitely want to look at the laws regarding the games in Illinois, as they could potentially cause you some trouble that you would rather not deal with.

Betting on the Kentucky Derby in Illinois

The state of Illinois has no shortage of gambling opportunities as lawmakers recently gave the green light to sports betting. While the state has banned some forms of online gambling (casino games and online poker) it hasn’t made online horse betting illegal and that is what keeps Kentucky Derby bettors that find themselves in Illinois satisfied. There are a plethora of options for Derby punters in Illinois to choose from as they can elect to place their bets at a retail sportsbook or at an online offshore sportsbook. The latter is likely to have better odds which result, in higher winnings for those residing in The Prairie State. Not only are the odds better but using online sportsbooks to bet on the Kentucky Derby also gives gamblers a chance to receive a generous bonus or promotion as well.

Mobile NFL Betting in Illinois

Since Illinois has legalized online sports betting there has been a horde of users flocking to their mobile devices to place bets on the Chicago Bears who are the only NFL team in the state. The biggest advantage to using mobile betting is that gamblers can place a bet on the Bears or any professional football team from anywhere within Illinois, as long as their mobile device is connected to a steady internet source. Making mobile NFL bets in Illinois is easy and bettors should also try to take advantage of any mobile betting bonuses that sportsbooks will be offering this NFL season. As mobile betting continues to grow, expect this to be the most popular way to bet in the state in just a few years.

Live NFL Betting in Illinois

Bettors that have always wanted to bet on if Nick Foles will rush for a touchdown coming out of halftime have to be glad that live NFL betting has made its way to Illinois. That’s just one example of the many in-game betting props that will be available at legal sportsbooks throughout the professional football season. Online sportsbooks available to Georgia bettors such as Bovada, BetOnline and 5Dimes all offer live betting on both their desktop and mobile versions. These sites are some of the best in the entire sports gambling industry and bettors will never have to worry about the latest live betting odds not being posted in real time by choosing one from the trio.

Online Gambling Age For Illinois Residents

Illinois gamblers will find that there are age limits on every form of gambling. If you are 18, you can begin participating in a few styles of play. First off, bingo games, the lottery, horse and dog race betting, online bingo and online poker can all be enjoyed. For those who are 21, the rest of the options become available. Land casinos, online casinos, online poker and online sports betting are also available.

Illinois Online Gambling Laws

Unlike almost every state in the Union, Illinois actually has laws that mention online gambling. If you live in the state of Illinois, you will find that there is something of a ban imposed on online gambling. The law simply says that anyone who 'knowingly establishes, maintains or operates an Internet site that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet or to make a wager on the result of any game, contest, political nomination, appointment or election by means of the Internet,' is violating the law. However, the Illinois legislature has pushed back against this in a number of ways since the repeal of PASPA on a federal level.

While this makes it seem like only those who actually host a gambling site are subject to punishment under the law, it may just be those who are operating this site that is subject to punitive action. Also, it is worth noting that Illinois previously had laws that permitted residents to bet on horse races online. The important word there is 'previously' because, at this very moment, it is not legal to do so. But, it's not all bad news. Sports betting is currently legal in the state of Illinois! The most recent change in status came when the first sportsbooks opened on March 9th, 2020, and that officially inaugurated legal sports betting in the state of Illinois. Online sports betting is slated for arrival in 2021.

Gambling Sites That Accept Illinois Residents

Despite the murky legal climate in the state of Illinois, there are plenty of online gambling sites that accept Illinois residents. We are here to share information, and this is part of the information that we want to share. While we cannot assure you this is legal, and we do not recommend you partake if it is illegal, we will show you where you can join to play.

Bovada: Find Casino Promotions When You Bring On A Friend

Some say that the town of Superman is Metropolis in southern Illinois, and that means that the people in this state know a super good site when they see one. Bovada is the best overall gambling site in Illinois. This site has many different things to offer, including complete sportsbooks for making wagers, poker rooms with weekly tournaments, and lots of fun casino games. This sportsbooks have full listings for NFL, NCAA, MLB, and NBA leagues. In addition, the sportsbooks feature fun betting like propositional and futures. Fly on over to the website and take a leap into signing up, it’s quick and easy. Best of all, you won’t find any villains there.

Bovada offers all of its heroes great bonuses with no strings attached. It’s free for all players over the age of 21, and Bovada offers the greatest lines and odds for all its sportsbooks. Not even kryptonite could stop its players from making their fortunes, all from the comfort of their own personal fortress of solitudes. You won’t need X-Ray vision for these books, the layouts of all Bovada’s sportsbooks are easy to read and understand. The large amount of lines will give everyone a chance at betting on their own favorites. Join us at Bovada.lv for an experience unlike any order, spandex wearers are always welcome. Go To Bovada!

50% - $250 BONUS!

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SportsBetting: Bet On The Bears While The Game Is Going

Plenty of online gambling sites and Bovada stands on top of them all! Already having the quickest and safest depositing options, Bovada also has an online casino that included a live dealer. With something so cool like that, there is no way that bettors can't find a way to flip their money in the online casino. There is also plenty of blackjack games and slot games there that can be played. Bovada has it all and that includes sports as well. Now with all these options, you can sign up and still get some amazing promotions that can reward you some extra funds while playing these online casino games. Make sure to sign up for Bovada quick as you can and bring a friend as well cause there is a reference promotion as well! Go To SportsBetting!

Is Online Sports Gambling Legal In Illinois State

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Online Casinos That Accept Illinois Residents

Residents of Illinois will have access to a number of different casinos, and these have proven to be some of the better options for gambling on the market. If you are going to play these games, we recommend that you stick only to the best and most trusted options around. These casinos are limitless in terms of possibilities, and safety is guaranteed.

Lucky Red

A great online casino for Illinois residents is Lucky Red Casino. Within the casino, players will find a wide selection of great games to take advantage of, with slots, table games and more available. A great bonus of up to $4,000 is available on first deposits, using the bonus code LUCKYRED400.

Online Sports Betting Sites That Accept Illinois Residents

Want to hit the odds on sports? If so, you have found your options on this site. We are going to share you with the best and most trusted sports betting sites, and each of these will allow you to hit lines from all over the world. If you are going to play through these sportsbooks, you could very easily make a living.

Bovada

Illinois players will have a great time at Bovada Sportsbook, able to wager on all of their favorite sports and teams. Bet on the Bears to win the Super Bowl or the Cub to win the World Series. Ok, so more likely the White Sox. But regardless, Illinois players can wager on whatever they want. A first-deposit bonus of 50 percent up to $250 on the first deposit.

Online Poker Sites That Accept Illinois Residents

Online poker rooms are easily the most desired form of online gambling, but also one of the harder to locate. We have done what we can to bring our readers a list of the best possible poker rooms, and these are the rooms you will want to stick to if you are going to play the games online.

Bovada

Bovada poker is a great online room to join if you are a player from Illinois. These players in the state are accepted and welcome at Bovada. Illinois players can enjoy up to a $1,00 bonus on a first time deposit into the site, and enjoy a ton of great games.

Online Bingo Sites That Accept Illinois Players

Bingo players are another set of gamers who can find their style of play online. If you want to hit the cards from your home, you will be able to easily do so with the different bingo sites we have found. While not that many bingo halls still operate, you should have very little trouble finding an appropriate agent for your gaming. We only allow the most trusted of all gambling sites, and we can tell you that these bingo halls are no different.

Is Online Gambling Legal In Illinois?

Online gambling is legal in Illinois as long as you are a resident and not a business entity. The Illinois Compiled Statutes does include a law regarding internet gambling, however, it is not directed toward bettors. 720 ILCS 5/28-1 states that those who reside in the state cannot establish internet sites with the intent of collecting wagers. Clearly, the law only applies to gambling businesses and not those who merely want to place bets. Aside from this section, there are not any regulations regarding using the internet to gamble. There is nothing in the ICS that punishes or penalizes online bettors in any way.

You can use legitimate online gambling sites that take players from the state of Illinois. These sites are able to legally accept USA players and there are hundreds of gamblers that join every day. All of the legal gambling sites that we review are reputable and highly regarded in the industry. When you want to use safe online gambling sites in IL, start with the websites that we mention.

Are Online Casinos Legal In Illinois?

Tough question. If gambling on the Internet is legal, then online casinos are also illegal. We are not going to sit here and tell you that this is totally true, but we can tell you that gambling online may be a risk. You are unlikely to ever be arrested, but breaking the law is unacceptable in our eyes.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal In Illinois?

This is another relative unknown. While we do have the text of the law at our disposal, we cannot actually say whether or not the games are legal or illegal. We recommend consulting your attorney or a paid legal professional before you engage in online sports betting if you are worried about getting in trouble with the law.

Article: Is online sports betting legal in the USA?

Are Sportsbooks Safe In Illinois For Online Wagering?

While there is cloudiness over the legality of sports betting in the state, Illinois residents really need not worry about whether they're going to get into trouble for betting sports online. This is because there are way too many people that do it and to try to catch each person would be insane. Rather, Illinois is sure to focus it's efforts on the catching those who provide gambling opportunities to it's residents, whether it be online or in real life. That guy you know that puts $20 on every Bears and Bulls game doesn't get in trouble does he? And, neither do the thousands of other Illinois residents that wager online too. Plus, using the sportsbooks for Illinois players that we have listed on this page guarantees that you are wagering with an establishment that isn't located in Illinois or even the United States. These sites are out of the reach of the government and absolutely will not disclose any of your personal information.

Is Online Poker Legal In Illinois?

Poker players who live in Illinois have many options available, but the sad truth is that it may be a crime to hit the felts in Illinois. The legislature specifically mentioned games of skill in the text of the law, which is why these games may be illegal.

Online Racebooks That Currently Accept IL Residents

Horse enthusiasts have the pick of the gamut when it comes to online racebooks that currently accept IL residents. The online horse racing betting sites all provide the latest horse betting odds for you to wager on and earn cash. You can bet on the Triple Crown and watch the races with free live horse racing streams. There are also horse racing results and other archives that you can review to help improve your betting strategy. Horseplayers should always take advantage of the special promotions offered by online racebooks, such as free horse bets and deposit match bonuses. We recommend sites like Bovada and SportsBetting for IL residents. Both are accepting new horse players and membership is free!

How To Fund Your Online Gambling Account In Illinois

There are so many ways that you can fund your gambling account in Illinois. The methods that we prefer are those that are both expedient and reliable. Bitcoin is a same-day deposit option that will see funds credited to your account in minutes. You can typically send anywhere from $10 to $25,000 in a single transaction, and there are no fees charged by the online gambling site. Instead of having to enter your checking account information or credit card number, you can just transfer funds from your secure wallet to the BTC address provided by the online cashier.

Bank wire transfers are the most popular method for high roller gambling. You can send $20,000 or $200,000 – the sky is the limit. Visit the cashier to get instructions on where to send the transfer. After that, go to your bank account and transfer the funds directly to the cashier. There will be a fee charged by your bank for initiating the transfer. Within around 3 business days, your cash will be applied to your online gambling account. You can also opt to fund your account with checks, money orders, or MoneyGram options.

Mobile Gambling Apps In Illinois

You will find that there are numerous mobile gambling options in Illinois. Casino sites, online racebooks, and sports betting sites all offer mobile wagering platforms that allow you to gamble on the go. The apps are optimized for mobile, meaning you do not have to worry about graphics not rendering or the app constantly freezing. Rather than having to download an app, you can usually just visit the site from your tablet or smartphone to start gambling from your mobile. Take SportsBetting for example. If you visit SportsBetting.ag from your iPhone, you will automatically be redirected to the mobile site where you can bet on sports, horses, or play in the casino.

Illinois Legal Gambling FAQs

Will Bitcoin Transactions Go Through, Unlike Debit Or credit Cards?

Bitcoin is more reliable than debit or credit cards and the transactions will always go through. This is because bitcoin is decentralized, meaning there is no central agency or bank that will refuse to authorize your transaction. You are 100% in control of all deposits, and gambling sites will always send your bitcoin payouts within hours.

If I Send Bitcoins To The Wrong Person Can I Reverse The Transaction?

One of the biggest advantages and disadvantages of bitcoin is that the transactions are permanent. On one hand, you are guaranteed that transactions will go through because there essentially is no intermediary. On the other hand, once the transaction is sent there is no customer service team or administrator that can find the transaction and reimburse your BTC. Always review a bitcoin address several times before pressing submit.

Is Online Sports Gambling Legal In Illinois Lottery

Can 5Dimes Be Trusted By US players?

5Dimes can absolutely be trusted by US players. Since 1996, the operator has been in the online gambling industry and has grown to be one of the most well-respected brands. The site takes players from all over the USA and provides a variety of services. You can bet on the NFL, wager on your favorite horse to win, or play blackjack at the online casino. 5Dimes also has a reputation for reliable and speedy payouts. When it comes to trustworthy online gambling sites, 5Dimes is at the top of the list.

Mobile Gambling Apps In Illinois

You will find that there are numerous mobile gambling options in Illinois. Casino sites, online racebooks, and sports betting sites all offer mobile wagering platforms that allow you to gamble on the go. The apps are optimized for mobile, meaning you do not have to worry about graphics not rendering or the app constantly freezing. Rather than having to download an app, you can usually just visit the site from your tablet or smartphone to start gambling from your mobile. Take SportsBetting for example. If you visit SportsBetting.ag from your iPhone, you will automatically be redirected to the mobile site where you can bet on sports, horses, or play in the casino.

Will I go to jail for online gambling in Illinois?

Is Online Sports Gambling Legal In Illinois Today

While we have never heard of an arrest taking place in Illinois over online gambling, we cannot be 100% sure over whether or not you are completely free from arrest in Illinois. Residents who want to take the risk may, but we cannot guarantee that you will be able to play without total safety from arrest. We recommend you speak with a trial attorney before you begin to play.