Illinois is the second-largest sports betting market in America, behind only New York — bettors here staked around $15.5 billion in 2025. But the story that defined the Illinois market in 2025 wasn’t the handle; it was a tax. On 1 July 2025 the state added a first-of-its-kind charge on every single wager: 25 cents per bet for an operator’s first 20 million bets a year, then 50 cents after that. It sits on top of an already-steep graduated revenue tax of 20% to 40%, plus a 2% Cook County levy and a Chicago city charge.
The fallout landed squarely on bettors. FanDuel and DraftKings — who between them take three-quarters of Illinois bets — both started passing the cost on as a per-bet surcharge in September 2025. The effect was immediate: Illinois bettors placed roughly five million fewer bets that month than a year earlier, even as total handle rose, because people stopped firing off $1 and $2 longshot parlays. bet365 only charges the fee on bets under $10; a handful of other books raised their minimum stake instead. Illinois is regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board, the age is 21, and the market has been live since 2020.
Best Illinois sportsbooks we recommend
All four of our partners operate in Illinois — including BetRivers, whose parent company Rush Street Interactive is based in Chicago. You’ll need to be 21+ and in-state to claim any offer.
| Illinois sportsbook | Welcome offer | Code |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | Bet $5, get bonus bets if your bet wins | No code |
| bet365 | Bet $10, get $365 in bonus bets | USB365 |
| BetRivers | $250 second-chance bet (1x play-through) | USBTRV |
| Hard Rock Bet | Bet $5, get $150 if your first bet wins | No code |
BetRivers — the local pick
If you’re betting from Illinois, BetRivers has a genuine hometown claim — Rush Street runs it out of Chicago and also operates Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. Beyond the local angle, it’s the value choice: a $250 second-chance bet at 1x play-through, and iRush Rewards that pay off for regulars. It was also among the books that did not pile a per-bet surcharge on customers, which matters here more than anywhere.
FanDuel
FanDuel is the most-used app in Illinois and prices the Bears, Bulls and Cubs as sharply as anyone. The honest caveat: it added a 50-cent per-bet surcharge in September 2025 in response to the state fee (it briefly suspended that charge in mid-2026 during the NBA Finals while lawmakers argued over the tax). If you bet bigger and less often, the surcharge barely registers; if you fire small parlays, factor it in.
bet365
bet365 is the best in-play option in Illinois, with the deepest live markets and streaming on selected events. Worth knowing: it only applies the per-bet fee to wagers under $10, so it’s friendlier than FanDuel or DraftKings if you bet above that. New Illinois customers get a Bet $10, Get $365 bonus-bet welcome.
Hard Rock Bet
Hard Rock Bet rounds out the four with the widest game library and a rewards programme shared with its casino side. New Illinois players get Bet $5, Get $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins.
Which Illinois sportsbook is best for whom
There’s no single best sportsbook in Illinois — the right one depends on how you bet. Here’s the quick version:
| Best for | Illinois sportsbook | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best app & same-game parlays | FanDuel | the most-used US app, sharp pricing and the best SGP builder |
| Best for live & in-play betting | bet365 | the deepest in-play markets and streaming on selected events |
| Best bonus terms | BetRivers | a $250 second-chance bet at just 1x play-through, plus iRush Rewards |
| Best casino crossover | Hard Rock Bet | the widest game library, jackpots and shared casino rewards |
| Best all-round promos | DraftKings | the biggest app and the busiest promo calendar |
| Best loyalty perks | BetMGM | MGM Rewards shared across casinos and sportsbook |
The other licensed Illinois sportsbooks
Illinois has around ten online books. We don’t link to or rate the rest, but the major names are here:
- DraftKings — co-leader with FanDuel; also added a per-bet surcharge (with some exceptions for larger single bets and big parlays).
- BetMGM — announced a surcharge of its own; strong MGM Rewards tie-in.
- Caesars — broad coverage, Caesars Rewards.
- Fanatics — FanCash rewards; was slower to add the fee.
How to beat the Illinois bet fee
The surcharge is per bet, not per dollar, so the simple defence is to consolidate: one considered $20 wager costs you the same fee as one $2 wager, where five small bets cost five times over. Betting with a book that didn’t pass the fee on — like BetRivers — or one that only charges it under a threshold, like bet365 above $10, sidesteps it entirely. And as always in a high-cost state, shop your line across apps before you stake.
Illinois apps, markets and responsible play
Every Illinois book has iOS and Android apps with geolocation; register anywhere, bet in-state. You’ll find all major US and global leagues, with the usual restriction on in-state college player props. If betting stops being fun, Illinois offers free, confidential help 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER, and licensed books include deposit and self-exclusion tools.
How to find the best betting site in Illinois
Finding the best betting site in Illinois is less about one winner and more about matching a book to how you play. Start with price: a half-point better on a Illinois spread beats almost any sign-up bonus over a season, so compare the odds on the markets you bet most. Then weigh the things you feel every week — how stable the app is, how quickly Illinois withdrawals land, and whether a bonus’s wagering terms are actually clearable. Keeping two Illinois accounts so you can shop the line is the single habit that pays off most.
Local and global events to bet on in Illinois
Locally, Illinois betting tends to revolve around the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks. Beyond the home interest, Illinois bettors get every blue-riband event on the calendar — the Super Bowl, March Madness, the NBA Finals, the World Series, the golf majors and the tennis Grand Slams. The headline act for 2026 is the FIFA World Cup, co-hosted across North America and likely to draw record wagering from Illinois as it runs.
All Illinois sportsbook apps
Every legal Illinois betting app, with a direct link to each. The Illinois books we partner with show our current bonus; the rest are listed for reference.
- FanDuel IL — visit sportsbook: sportsbook.fanduel.com — Bet $5, get bonus bets if your bet wins
- bet365 IL — visit sportsbook: bet365.com — Bet $5, get bonus bets — code USB365
- BetRivers IL — visit sportsbook: betrivers.com — Second-chance bet — code USBTRV
- Hard Rock Bet IL — visit sportsbook: hardrock.bet — Bet $5, get bonus bets if your bet wins
- DraftKings IL — visit sportsbook: sportsbook.draftkings.com
- BetMGM IL — visit sportsbook: sports.betmgm.com
- Caesars IL — visit sportsbook: caesars.com/sportsbook
- Fanatics IL — visit sportsbook: sportsbook.fanatics.com
Illinois sportsbooks FAQ
Why am I being charged a fee per bet in Illinois?
Some books pass on the state’s 2025 per-wager tax (25–50 cents a bet). Not all do — BetRivers didn’t, and bet365 only charges it under $10 — so the book you choose changes whether you pay.
What’s the best sportsbook in Illinois?
FanDuel for scale and pricing, bet365 for live betting, BetRivers as the local, lower-fee value play.
How many sportsbooks are legal in Illinois?
Around ten online operators, regulated by the Illinois Gaming Board.
Is sports betting taxed in Illinois?
Operators pay 20–40% of revenue plus the per-bet fee and local levies; the per-bet surcharge is the part that can reach you as a customer.
What’s the minimum age to bet in Illinois?
21, online and at retail.
How to check whether a Illinois sportsbook is legal
Before you deposit, confirm a Illinois sportsbook is the real thing. A licensed Illinois book shows its approval from the Illinois Gaming Board in the app or site footer, makes you verify that you’re 21 or older, and runs a geolocation check to confirm you’re physically in Illinois before each bet. If a site takes crypto only, claims you need ‘no ID’, or is licensed offshore, it isn’t regulated in Illinois — and you’d have no protection if a payout went wrong. Every Illinois book we list above clears that bar.