Illinois Sees Record-Breaking Betting Levels Industry

Illinois Sees Record-Breaking Betting Levels in November

By Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer Updated: 31 January 2024

Amelia Walker Senior Content Writer

Amelia Walker is a Senior Content Writer at Betting.US. She has a law degree and deep knowledge of the gambling laws in the United States. Her mission is to keep players informed about responsible gambling, while her passion for sports helps her create useful guides. Amelia has over a decade of experience in betting, which has positioned her as a trusted voice among our readers.

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According to recently released data, Illinois has seen record-breaking betting levels recently. Over recent months, the state has seen a big increase in the amount of money people bet on sports.

In September, people in Illinois bet more money than ever before, setting a record of $1.07 billion. This record was broken in October with $1.1 billion, and then again in November with $1.4 billion.

According to Play USA:

December is typically a fantastic month for gaming, sports betting included. Knowing that there tends to be a spike in betting activity in December, we should see the handle sneak up at least a few million dollars. Or, in a best-case scenario, surpass $1.5 billion.

For the past six months, the amount of money bet on sports in Illinois has been going up. A lot of this was down to betting on professional sports like baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. It’s expected that the handle will rise again when December’s figures are released.

According to Play USA:

December is typically a fantastic month for gaming, sports betting included. Knowing that there tends to be a spike in betting activity in December, we should see the handle sneak up at least a few million dollars. Or, in a best-case scenario, surpass $1.5 billion.

There are two main types of bets people make. These are Tier 1, which refers to basic bets on a single game, and Tier 2, which describes more complicated bets like parlays and futures.

A Breakdown of Betting Figures

In November, people in Illinois bet a total of $1.07 billion on professional sports. This was made up of $567 million in Tier 1 bets and $501 million in Tier 2 bets.

These numbers were higher than October’s total of $1.01 billion. When it comes to the figures for December, experts think the total amount bet might reach or even go past $1.15 billion.

Most of the betting on professional sports in November was done online, with only around $27.5 million coming from in-person betting. Betting on college sports also went up significantly. It jumped from $147.8 million in October to over $305 million in November, thanks to the college football and basketball seasons.

With officials having high hopes when it comes to the December figures, there could be great news on the horizon for sportsbook operators and the state. The rise in figures could continue during the early part of this year, with the Super Bowl and March Madness still to come.

Lower Betting Amounts in the Early Part of 2023

The monthly betting totals in Illinois for 2023 show that November had the highest amount with $1.4 billion, followed by October’s $1.1 billion, and September’s $1.08 billion.

The earlier months of the year, such as August and July, saw lower amounts, with $664.3 million and $609.8 million, respectively. However, last year enjoyed a strong start with $1.07 billion bet in January 2023 and similar amounts in March and February.

These numbers suggest that December will probably have a higher total than November, continuing the trend of increasing amounts being bet in fall and winter.

Also, with March Madness coming in March, there is a possibility that the total amount of money bet on sports in Illinois could reach a new high of $1.6 billion. This would be a new record and is a reflection of how popular sports betting has become in the state.