Is Sports Betting Legal In Illinois
Sports laws are changing and many are asking is sports betting legal in Illinois. Aside from deep dish pizza and a great jazz scene, Chicago is probably most known for being a great sports town. Whether cheering on the Bears, the Cubs, or the Bulls, sports fans from Illinois rank among the absolute best in the nation. Such passion for sports teams will no doubt breed a lot of interest in sports betting to help make the games even more thrilling. It's a shame then that most Illinois residents are unaware that there are several great options to gamble and wager on sports legally and safely. Sports betting is now completely legal in Illinois. This means that without a doubt, sports betting is legal in Illinois.
There used to be federal restrictions that prevented lawmakers to legalize and authorize sports gambling. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was that law. This law was overturned back in 2018 and it gave the states the ability to formally legalize and regulate sports gambling laws. It is taking states some time before they can all have legal and regulated sports gambling. One year after the overturn of PASPA, Illinois has legalized and regulated sports betting. In this page, we will go over the legality of sports betting in Illinois.
Land-Based Sports Betting in Illinois:
Like we have already mentioned, land-based sports betting in Illinois is now legal. Lawmakers worked together to make sure that sportsbooks could open in Illinois as soon as possible. Thanks to the efforts of the governor and the state lawmakers, land-based sports gambling is now legal. But it is not available just yet. There is still a long process that must happen before sportsbooks can open in the state. For now, the best way for you to bet on sports in Illinois is by going to an online offshore sportsbook. Once land-based options open up, we will update this page accordingly.
Legal Online Sports Betting in Illinois:
Alongside land-based sports wagering, lawmakers allowed for state-based online sportsbooks to open up. Much like land-based sportsbooks, these online books are not available just yet. In fact, it may take longer for online sportsbooks to open than the land-based ones. Does that mean you have to wait until these state-licensed sportsbooks open to make your sports bets? No. This is because there are many great online sportsbooks suited to the needs of Illnois clients that can provide a great way of fulfilling all your gambling wants. By being based out of the country, these sites do not have to wait for Illinois to get ready to launch sportsbooks. They have been operating legally for over a decade and will still be available after the state-based online sportsbooks open up. They will be better too because state-licensed sportsbooks are not allowed to take bets on Illinois college games, but online offshore sportsbooks can.
Bovada Sportsbook - Widest Selection Of Betting Odds Of Any Sportsbook
If you want to start placing your bets online but find your head spinning from all the different options out there to work with, the Bovada online sportsbook is a great place to start for Illinois residents. Through many years of providing quality service to account holders from Illinois, the name Bovada has become synonymous with legitimacy in regards to online gambling. Not only does it come endorsed by media outlets like FOX sports and ESPN, but it boasts a decorated track record of five star customer reviews and unparalleled service. Bovada's devotion to their client base doesn't stop at merely providing a quality outlet for legal, legitimate gambling, however. Bovada goes the extra step to ensure that their customers feel welcomed and valued by greeting new users with an excellent sign-up bonus by matching 50% of your first deposit. Using this offer, new bettors in Illinois can be gifted up to $250 in free play to be used anywhere in Bovada's sportsbook. Now betting with Bovada is looking like a much better value than that flight out to Vegas.
Top Illinois Sports Betting Sites
What's The Bottom Line? Will I Get In Trouble For Betting On Sports?
Whether you've picked the Cubs to win the world series or you think that the Bulls just drafted the next Michael Jordan, as an Illinois resident, you can place any bet you like online. While you wait for state-licensed sportsbooks to open up, it's easy to get caught up thinking Illinois residents are limited to state lotteries, slot casinos and fantasy games like FanDuel if they want to legally earn extra money betting on sports. But thanks to many great overseas online sportsbooks, that assumption is incorrect, and players from Illinois are welcome to place bets to their heart's content. Even though lawmakers were successful in regulating sports betting, these websites will surely remain the hotspot to bet on sports in the state long after these state-based sportsbooks open up.