Illinois Ranks Third In Sports Betting For 2021

Illinois

Official reports have announced that Illinois was the third ranked state for sports betting handle in 2021. This development occurs on the back of a stunning Autumn performance, which saw October deliver a record monthly figure of $840.4m in sports wagers.

In perhaps the greatest signpost of how strong the state’s run rate is, local operators are disappointed that December’s figures didn’t topple October at the top of the podium. This was in spite of a staggering 61% uplift on the like-for-like 2021 figure. However, December still registered as the second-best month in the Prairie states fledgling sports betting history, with total handle coming in at a whopping $789.6m.

For the full year, the market produced a colossal $7.02bn, with a 94% chunk of this number facilitated by online platform activity. This washed through into a gross gaming revenue of $534.1m. However, Illinois’ small cartel of gaming operators were not the only ones to benefit from impressive sector returns, with state coffers being compensated with $84.7m due to the territory’s taxation scheme.

Although there could be some movement at the top of the leader board in 2022 owing to New York state’s new sports wagering enterprises, Illinois looks set for another bumper year. Local analyst Joe Boozell, argues that BetMGM’s entrance into the marketplace, coupled with the incorporation of new regulation, will only serve to catalyse this performance further.

Illinois’ sports wagering scene has been traditionally dominated by DraftKings and FanDuel, which has, in accordance with Boozell’s comments, ‘held the overall maturity of the market back’

This latest development will give the state another shot in the arm as it eyes up New Jersey and Nevada, currently holding the top two positions. New York’s January performance suggests they might soar up the rankings in rapid fashion, but few would bet against Illinois at least closing the gap on the other big boys.