Illinois Sports Betting – Top Mobile Sportsbook Apps September 2020
Sports fans in Illinois have always had an appetite for making wagers. Many Illinois residents take annual trips to Las Vegas to legally place bets on their favorite sports; however, on March 9, 2020, River Casino Des Plaines took the first legal Illinois sports wager. This means residents of Illinois can now officially start placing bets on professional sports using some of their favorite mobile apps.
The idea of driving to a casino, parking, and walking in just to make a bet on the Chicago Bears sounds exhausting. That’s why there are a bunch of mobile apps that allow sports fans to place wagers from the comfort of their own home. Each mobile app operates slightly differently, but the premise of each of them is the same. Users want the ability to easily see the odds, place their bets, deposit/withdraw money, and take advantage of any other bonus offer such as a free $50 for signing up.
Sports Betting Apps in Illinois
Sports betting is legal in Illinois and mobile apps are live for Week 1 NFL games. Governor Pritzker signed an executive order allowing mobile sports betting in August 2020. Sports Mockery has partnered with the Top 3 sportsbooks. We have the highest bonuses online and there are over $2,000 in free bets waiting for you. Here is our list of the best sportsbooks in Illinois.
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1. DraftKings Sportsbook at Queen Casino
The DraftKings Sportsbook currently offers users a $1,000 bonus for signing up. They are operational in 8 of the 18 legalized states and offer a variety of ways to play. Pools are the ability to bet on anything from football games to television shows, many of them are free to enter. Promotional games offer users unique incentives for playing, sometimes it’s an all-expenses-paid trip. Mission-based games allow users to complete specific tasks and earn rewards they can use for wagering in the future. Lastly, they combine all of this functionality into one wallet so users can easily deposit and withdraw funds in a central location.
With over 93,000 ratings on iTunes, the DraftKings Sportsbook has a 4.8 rating. They advertise as the top-rated legal mobile sportsbook app in the country.
DraftKings Sportsbook New User Bonus
DraftKings offers $1,000 in free bonuses. $500 is in the form a risk-free bet and $500 is in the form of a deposit match. So, if you deposit $500, you will get a $500 risk-free bet and another $500 deposited free into your bonus account for you to bet with.
2. FanDuel Sportsbook Illinois
The FanDuel Sportsbook is one of the most popular methods to bet for daily fantasy players. Since July 2009, Fan Duel has been offering fantasy players a unique application to play a daily version of the game. They reportedly have a membership of over 6 million and their headquarters operates out of New York. The FanDuel Sportsbook is also offering users a $1,000 free bet for signing up. They feature several different styles of betting including “Superboosts” which allows users to take control of the odds with leverage. There are several prize pools with tens of thousands of dollars offered to the winners.
The FanDuel Sportsbook is available for iTunes and Android. It currently has over 71,000 reviews on iTunes with a 4.7 rating.
FanDuel Sportsbook Sign Up Bonus
FanDuel Sportsbook has what we consider to be the best bonus in Illinois. It’s a $1,000 risk-free bet without any play-through requirements on your winnings and free bet. Normally, if you win a risk-free bet, you need to play a certain multiple of that dollar amount in bets before you can withdraw your winnings. As an example, if you deposit $500 on another book, receive a free $500 bet, and win, your winnings will be held in a bonus account until you satisfy the play-through requirement and bet 3-10X your winnings. In that case, you would need to bet anywhere from $1,500-$5,000.
3. William Hill Sportsbook at Grand Victoria Casino
The William Hill Sportsbook is advertised as “America’s #1 Sportsbook” featuring several different gambling options for its users. They are legal in 13 states and they have “offered sports fans a superior betting experience for over 85 years.” Originally started in the United Kingdom, the William Hill Sportsbook expanded to the United States in 2012.
William Hill Sportsbook Bonus
William Hill is offering a free $300 bet for Illinois bettors. You must enter our Promo Code “MOCKERY300” when signing up in order to receive this offer. Click through our banner below and when on the registration screen, enter “MOCKERY300”.
BetRivers
BetRivers is an online sportsbook, operated by Rivers Casino Des Plaines, offering users a $250 bonus match on their first deposit. The BetRivers app has several features including live in-game betting, live streaming, daily promotions, and a loyalty program. The only downside is BetRivers appears to only be available for Android devices, they do not have a listing in iTunes.
The mobile app also features advertising for users to “plan a trip in-person” and visit the physical casino located at 3000 S. River Road in Des Plaines, Illinois. The presence of a physical casino gives some users peace of mind while placing wagers on their favorite mobile apps.
Overview of Sports Betting in Illinois
Sports betting has now been legalized in 18 states including Washington D.C. There are another four states that have bills passed, nine states with an active bill in place, and there are 19 others that have failed legislation (12) or no legislation at all (7). It’s clear there has been a push to legalize gambling across the country, but as of today, only 36% of the states can accept bets on professional sports.
Governor J.B. Pritzker signed legislation in June 2019 that permits sports betting in the state of Illinois, and Rivers Casino was the first establishment to take a legal bet. Since then the hype has only grown. Many people are starting to ask questions wondering where they can place legal bets in Illinois.
A timeline of Sports Betting in Illinois
On January 31st, 2019 Senate Bill 690 was filed with the Secretary of State and the first reading took place in the Senate on the same day.
After the third reading, on May 1, 2019, the Senate passed the Bill and it arrived in the House of Representatives.
After one month, and three readings, the House passed the bill with a short debate on June 1, 2019.
On June 5th the bill was sent to Governor Pritzker and officially approved on June 28th.
Public Act 101-0031 contains the full text of the bill that says the state of Illinois can now legally accept wagers on professional sports.
Tax Rate for Sports Betting in Illinois
The Illinois law states 25 percent of earnings will be taxed for sportsbook operators. Individual betting will be subject to a 15 percent tax rate. In comparison to other states, the Illinois tax rate is the fifth-highest with New Hampshire leading the way at a whopping 51%. According to the American Gaming Association, Americans spend close to $150 billion a year on illegal gambling. The legalization of sports betting in Illinois is expected to bring in $2.7 billion of revenue to the state and become a win-win for all involved.
Sports Betting Laws in Illinois
The Sports Wagering Act (230 ILCS 45) describes all the applicable laws when it comes to the process of betting for the state. There are currently 10 casinos in Illinois that allow for in-person sports betting along with a collection of mobile apps that also provide the services.
