Best Illinois sports betting apps - January 2024

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Learn about the best Illinois sports betting apps with our guide, as we rank the best apps to use for your sports wagers in 2024.

The Best Illinois Sports Betting Apps 2024

Rank Betting Site Bonus States Claim

1

Bet $10+, Get $40 in Bonus Bets (up to $200)over your first 5 Days!

• TN, CO, OH, KY, MA, MD, WV Only.
• New users only, 21 or older. Full T&Cs apply.

Get Bonus

2

Get a 20 percent deposit match up to $1,500! With bonus code TRIB1500

• AZ, NJ, IN, CO, IA, IL, LA, MA, MD, MI, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY only.
• New customers only. Must be 21+. Welcome offer not available in NY & DC. Full T&C apply.

Get Bonus

3

Bet $5, Get $150 Paid in bonus bets

• CO, OH, LA, NJ, IA, KY, VA, only.
• New customers only. 18+ in KY, must be 21+ in all other states. Full T&C apply.

Get Bonus

4

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets!

• AZ, CO, IA, IN, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, PA, OH, TN, VA, WV, WY Only.
• New users only, 21 or older. Full T&Cs apply.

Get Bonus

5

Get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with code TRIBUNE1000

• AZ, CO, IN, IA, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MD, MI, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WY, WV
• New customers only. Must be 21+. Full T&C apply.

Get Bonus

More on the best Illinois sports betting apps

Best Illinois sports betting apps

Caesars Sportsbook

• App Store Rating - 4.6 from 11.3K ratings (December 2022)
• Google Play Rating - 4.5 from 5.1K ratings (December 2022)

Caesars Sportsbook is an official sports betting partner of the NFL and gives players the biggest, best promos and opportunities to earn reward credits with every bet you place - win or lose.

Downloadable for free, it also includes casino games and all the other sports you love.

Simply register your account and deposit funds using our safe and secure payment options and from there bet sports with live in-game bets, win more with profit boosts, play casino with live dealers or take a spin on a variety of slot games.

Remember, every bet earns reward credits to redeem toward bonus bets and bonuses, sports tickets, dining, getaways, VIP experiences and more.

BetMGM

• App Store Rating - 4.8 from 61.7K ratings (December 2022)
• Google Play Rating - 4.3 from 1.4K ratings (December 2022)

BetMGM Sportsbook is available across the state of Illinois, brought to you by the world’s leading resorts and casinos.

Currently, this exclusive 20 percent $1,500 deposit match offer can be claimed by any new bettor in virtually any BetMGM state, using the bonus code TRIB1500. To claim this offer, new users will need to meet a 10x wagering requirement within the first 30 days of registering their account, meaning that they need to bet 10 times the amount of sports bonuses received within the first 30 days of registering their account.

Critically, this offer is unavailable for bettors in Kentucky.

Bluegrass State bettors can still get in on the action with a $1,500 first bet insurance promotion when they sign up with the bonus code TRIBUNEMGM.

In addition to those promotions, new users in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia can get $200 in bonus bets with a $10 cash wager on any market. This offer is accessible through the BetMGM bonus code TRIBUNEGET.

With betting markets for football, baseball, basketball, hockey, MMA, soccer, tennis and college sports, you won’t be disappointed.

BetMGM provides real-time betting odds, enhanced offers and plenty of different betting formats from moneyline and point spread bets to parlays and futures, not to mention player props and live in-game betting.

Boosted bets are offered daily, while deposits and withdrawals are easy with the customer service top drawer for safe and secure transactions.

FanDuel Sportsbook

Bet $5 Get $150

• App Store Customer Rating - 4.8 from 343.4K Ratings (December 2022)
• Play Store Customer Rating - 4.8 from 41.7K Ratings (December 2022)

FanDuel Sportsbook is officially live in the state of Illinois to cater for all your sports betting needs.

Bet with a secure sportsbook app offering quick withdrawals, from straight bets to special NBA player props and March Madness futures.

FanDuel also covers the NHL, MLB and NFL as well as the Premier League and a host of tennis, UFC and golf competitions.

Take advantage of the in-game betting offers, same game parlay plus features and boosted event betting odds or try your hand at a host of casino games.

• Get your FanDuel Sportsbook bonus code

Mobile Operators coming soon to Illinois

Illinois is one of the largest sports betting marketplaces in the country, with the state collecting nine figure tax revenue.

Despite the massive popularity of sports betting in the Land of Lincoln, there are some nuanced regulations in the state that make the betting landscape distinct from any other legal state.

For example, when online sports wagering was initially legalized in the state, there was a qualification that required users to register in person. While that legislation eventually expired, over the first few months of legalization the handle and revenue generated from online betting was surprisingly low in comparison to other states. That’s in large part due to the restriction requiring in person registration.

That is just one example, but since the in-person registration law ended, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) has slowly opened up to more operators.

As such, we’ve listed some of the newest books that are slated to go live in the state in the near future.

Circa

Circa initially applied for a Management Services Provider license on May 16, 2022 and was approved in late April, 2023.

Circa Sport Director of Operations Jeffrey Benson indicated to Sports Handle that the Las Vegas-based operator will be live in “...late August/early Sept[ember]” after securing a partnership with Full House.

As part of that partnership, Full House helped open a temporary retail with the fitting name The Temporary in Waukegan. The casino — which opened In February — is equipped with a sportsbook.

That potential launch date would make Circa the first new operator in the state since BetMGM in March, 2022. If everything goes according to plan, Illinois could see another mobile operator by the late summer or early fall.

Hard Rock

While there’s already the Hard Rock Rockford Casino, the IGB recently approved a sportsbook at that location provided the dining conglomerate “comply with IGB rules before sports wagering can offered in-person or online.”

Notably, a management services provider license was included as part of the proposal, thus Hard Rock will join the list of mobile operators coming to the Land of Lincoln.

The sports wagering operator license is held under the name 815 Entertainment LLC, which is the ownership group that helped bring the Hard Rock to Rockford initially. The sports wagering management service provider license is held by Seminole Hard Rock Digital LLC.

This comes as the IGB begins a dramatic push to approve more licenses, with the regulatory board granting 233 new licenses and “related approvals for casino gambling, video gaming and sports wagering along with renewal of existing licenses.”

Betway

Betway was notably part of that approval process as the IGB also approved an “online only sports wagering license” for DGC IL LLC.

DGC, Digital Gaming Corporation, was acquired by the Betway parent company Super Group in early 2023 and DGC IL is the local arm of that company.

As noted in the press release, this license is for online only, but the rapid approval shortly on the heels of the acquisition will potentially allow the gambling company to gain an advantage in Illinois early during their roll out.

ESPN BET

Penn Entertainment launched a new partnership with ESPN to create the new sportsbook, ESPN BET. This app will be a one-stop shop for sports fans and bettors alike. They’ll be able to watch all the games they wagered on with one, easy to use app.

The massive partnership marks a new approach to sports betting as ESPN was reticent to dive into the legal sports betting market until recently.

Part of the deal includes a rebrand of the existing sportsbook. As of Nov. 14, ESPN BET is officially live in Illinois and 16 other states.

New users in the Land of Lincoln and across the country can claim a generous welcome offer using the promo code TRIBUNE.

The current ESPN BET promo code TRIBUNE will unlock a generous offer bet and get. If you bet any amount, you can get $150 in bonus bets, broken down into five $20 increments and one $50 bonus bet, equaling $150 in total.

What makes a good sports betting app?

With so many great brands creating sports betting apps for players in Illinois to use, it may feel a bit overwhelming deciding on the best one for you.

As ever with choices like this, it depends on what you are after as a player, but here we’ve outlined some of the features that separate the best from the rest.

Interface design

With any app, how it looks is super important. Most people have enough apps on their smartphone to sink a battleship, so firstly it needs to run flawlessly. Any loading issues or bugs can’t be tolerated.

Once on the app, players need to be able to find the markets they want to play on seamlessly. Any struggles getting around will frustrate quickly and risk you turning off.

The top ones are easy to navigate and allow you to access what you are looking for fast.

Customer service

The majority of bettors will be new to sports betting apps, so it’s important that sportsbooks provide as much help as possible using them.

Usual methods of support such as live chats, email and FAQs are the bare minimum players can expect, but the better apps will go the extra mile when it comes to customer service.

Responsive 24/7 live chat fits the bill, with an email address you can click on important for those who prefer to explain any issues they have that way.

A free-to-call phone number goes a long way, as does calming text explaining all this.

Live betting section

Most sports betting apps in Illinois - if not all - will have a live betting section. This is about as key as it gets, given live betting is one of the newer and most exciting ways to wager in the state.

How quickly markets load, the availability of different markets and up-to-date odds are all pivotal.

Those with plenty of live markets running and short loading times allowing you to wager during games are the order of the day.

Deposit/withdrawal methods

Not every sports betting app will allow you to use the same deposit and withdrawal methods, so it’s important to select one which meets your payment criteria.

Imagine this, you’re a fully-fledged Skrill advocate but the app you downloaded quickly to place a bet on for the big NFL clash on Sunday won’t let you use it. Crisis!

As well as that, different apps will have faster or slower deposit and withdrawal times, meaning you could either be waiting days for your winnings or already using them to make your next win.

The ones with a wide variety of payment methods are the best, but always make sure the way you want to pay is all hunky dorey before parting with your cash.

Customer experience/reviews

One of the most effective ways of telling whether or not a sports betting app is going to satisfy or disappoint is by assessing customer reviews.

Any sportsbook you consider should be listed by the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Store (Android), where you’ll find plenty of information about them along with feedback from bettors.

The highest-rated apps as judged by the people playing them will allow you to decide whether or not they warrant being on your phone.

Live streaming

With more eyeballs on more sport than ever before, the very best sports betting apps offer live streaming.

Whilst placing your wagers on matches, races and events, these apps will allow you to watch the subsequent action live on your mobile device.

How to bet with a mobile sports betting app

If you’ve not used a sports betting app before, brace yourself for a new world of excitement.

Those more familiar with desktop sites might find things more cramped initially, but stay with it as once you’re used to betting on mobile, it’s much easier.

Bettors comfortable with using mobile-optimized sites on web browsers won’t find it that different at all.

Below we’ll walk you through the process of betting on a sports betting app.

Choose your sports betting app

First things first, when preparing to bet on a mobile sports betting app you need to choose your preferred option.

Every sportsbook app we recommend is tried and tested and all come with their own set of pros and cons.

You should always do your own research before depositing money on any sports betting app or online casino for that matter.

But with sports betting still relatively new to the state of Illinois, some apps might be better suited to new players than hardened pros and vice versa.

Creating your account

As soon as you’ve selected the right sportsbook app for you, it’s time to crack on and sign up for your own account.

The best sports betting apps like FanDuel and BetMGM allow players to create their own sportsbook account via their mobile app or desktop site, giving you the freedom to choose how to set yourself up.

When creating your account you’ll need to remember any promo or bonus codes, as you usually have to put them in here to activate them.

Taking advantage of sign-up offers

With some many options available to players when it comes to mobile sports betting, you simply must make the most of as many sign-up offers as you can handle.

Every sportsbook worth its salt will have a generous welcome offer allowing you to either try their offer with some first bet insurance or with a healthy bonus attached.

However, don’t forget that not every offer or promotion advertised by a betting app can be taken advantage of, because often you will have multiple options to choose from.

Given you can pretty much always sign up with a new sports betting app to get your hands on a fresh new deal, it makes sense to keep one eye on sign-up promotions.

Deposit funds into your account

The best sports betting apps allow you to deposit funds into your account in a number of different ways, ensuring you’ll be able to use the payment method that works for you.

All the sportsbooks we’ve recommended instantly place funds into your account when depositing, meaning you can start betting immediately.

Once you’ve made that crucial first deposit, your chosen method will be automatically saved making sure you don’t waste any time inputting all your details again.

Depending on the app you’ve chosen, depositing should allow you to claim that pivotal sign-up offer - regardless of what kind of deal it is.

Choosing your market

Given the enormous amount of sport that is played across the globe daily, the best sportsbook apps need to offer a wide range of markets for players to bet on.

All of the most popular sports like basketball, baseball, hockey, football and soccer need to be covered, along with sufficient markets for the likes of tennis, golf, MMA, rugby and the rest.

Once you know what sport you’re betting on and the market in which you want to place the bet, you just need to settle on the type of bet.

From moneyline to spread and totals to parlay betting, understanding these bet types is essential before you hand over your hard-earned money.

Different sportsbooks offer alternative betting selections too, such as same game parlay, player props and many more.

Placing your bet

When looking to place your bet on any of these top sportsbook apps, you just need to choose the market you want to wager on and enter the amount you’ll be wagering with and press ‘Place Bet’.

All the best apps will have simple and quick processes for placing bets, with some showing you how much you’re set to win should the wager come in once you’ve entered the stake amount.

Once placed, these top sports betting apps permit players to cash out your wager for an amount that’s higher or lower than your original stake, depending on how to match plays out.

If your bet ends up a winner, your winnings are expected to arrive in your account within an hour or so of the game ending, at least this should be the case.

Advantages of betting apps

Ease of use

Sports betting apps are the easiest ways to bet in Illinois, given everything you need to place and win a bet is on your phone.

Your wager, winnings, markets, promotions and everything else related to the wager exist in your pocket.

Being able to wager on the move and wherever you want really makes online sports betting as easy as it ever has been.

App-only offers and promotions

Some mobile sportsbook apps offer promotions and bonuses only available on the app. These deals aren’t available for online site users, so you’ll need to have the app installed to be able to take advantage of them.

Some mobile sports betting apps offer promotions and bonuses only available on mobile apps.

These promotions are not available for online site users, so you’ll want to have the app installed to be able to take advantage of the offer.

Notifications

Sportsbook apps allow players to turn on notifications for events you wish to follow, allowing you to keep up with what’s happening without having to even open the app.

A huge advantage here is that certain sports betting apps notifications are faster than others, ensuring you’re the first to know about that touchdown, home run or goal.

Safety and security

Every sports betting app worth its salt will have a range of security features, along with your mobile device’s own password/Face ID/Touch ID. Combined security features could look like this:

• Password complexity
• Face/Touch ID verification
• Enhanced app security logins
• Two-factor authentication
• Security questions

With so many different variations of security controls, your money is always safe and secure sitting in your mobile sportsbook app.

Quick transactions

The best betting apps will let you deposit and withdraw funds in a variety of ways, with most mobile sportsbooks accepting Apple and Google Pay, meaning your deposits will be done in a matter of seconds.

Most sportsbook apps will save your details automatically, ensuring the next time you wish to deposit you won’t have to worry about entering all your details in again.

Mobile live streaming

Illinois sports betting apps can provide sports streaming for bettors, which allows you to actually watch the game you have bet on from your phone.

With live streaming through the app, you’re able to bypass TV companies schedules and other blockers between you and the action.

Illinois betting apps customer ratings

Illinois sports betting apps FAQs

Which betting apps can you use in Illinois?

The best sports betting apps in Illinois include BetMGM, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetRivers.

Are sports betting apps legal in Illinois?

Yes, since March 2020 when sports betting was made legal at retail sportsbooks.

The first online sportsbook websites and apps followed suit in June 2020, after Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation the previous June finally permitting legal sports betting in the Prairie State.

Can you bet online on sports in Illinois?

Yes, with Illinois approving sports wagering in June 2019 as part of a sweeping gambling expansion bill. At least initially the law required customers to sign up at a bricks-and-mortar sportsbook to bet online.

How do I bet on sports in Illinois?

By completing online registration in person at a retail casino, although that particular law ended on March 5, 2022 so now players in Illinois can bet on sports online easily.

Is FanDuel legal in Illinois?

Absolutely, because of the legalization of sports betting in the state back in 2019 after Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Sports Wagering Act.

Can I gamble online if I live in Illinois?

Yes, now it’s perfectly legal for sports wagering, social casinos and lottery gambling online in Illinois. However, real-money online casino gaming has not yet been made legal.