The business of legal sports betting is booming in the Land of Lincoln.
The Illinois Gaming Board announced a best-ever state handle of $1.08 billion in September last week, eclipsing the previous high of $1.07 billion set in March 2023.
With the NFL, college football, and baseball combining to make up more than half of the total wagers, Illinois saw its handle jump 60% month-over-month and 30% year-over-year.
Only New York and New Jersey posted higher handles in September, and Illinois sports betting is closing in on $8 billion for the year.
Land of Lincoln operators hauled in $86.2 million of gross revenue in September, up 84% from August and 10% from September 2022. Bettors held their own in football as sportsbooks combined to record a 2.3% hold and revenue of $8.3 million on NFL and college.
The state filled its coffers with $12.9 million in taxes paid out by sportsbooks. Cook County, which includes Chicago, got a cut of $925,554.
Online sports betting made up $1.03 billion of the overall handle while retail sportsbooks took in $34 million.
DraftKings stays on top
DraftKings again led Illinois in handle at $398.8 million. A 7.7% hold resulted in $30.5 million of revenue. FanDuel finished second in the state with a handle of $316.1 million, but a hold of more than 9% resulted in a September-best $32.4 million.
BetRivers was third with a handle of $83 million. Caesars recorded $66 million in wagers while PointsBet crossed $50 million as well. BetMGM reported a handle of $46.8 million. PENN Entertainment's Barstool Sportsbook, which transitioned to a new ESPN BET platform earlier this month, took in $38 million in wagers in September.
Coming and going
Circa Sports became the eighth online operator and first since BetMGM in 2022 to launch in Illinois in September. The newcomer was only active for the final three days of the month, producing a handle of $190,000 during that span.
Circa’s brick-and-mortar sportsbook at The Temporary recorded more than $35,000 in the amount wagered at its early opening.
Betway, meanwhile, withdrew its mobile licensing application last month.
