September 2021’s handle was $596.5m, up 95% from the same month of the previous year and up 49% from August 2021.
Gamblers placed daily bets worth $19.9m per day during September, up from $12.9m over the 31 days of August. Football drew $230.6m in wagers, basketball attracted $115.9m in bets and tennis generated $55.3m.
Joe Boozell, Lead Analyst for PlayIllinois.com, said: “The NFL, and to a lesser extent college football, is irreplaceable in its ability to motivate bettors.
“General interest in football helps Illinois’ sportsbooks overcome the struggles of the Chicago Bears and the ban on betting on in-state college teams. Plus, sportsbooks continued to capitalise on the playoff run by the White Sox in September.”
Online betting accounted for almost 96% of the state’s total handle for September, with DraftKings leading the market with $236.5m in combined online and retail handle, up from $149.2m for August.
FanDuel came in second with $156.2m in both online and retail bets, and BetRivers followed with $98.5m in wagers.
Boozel added: “September will set a US record for legal sports betting, and Illinois was able to meet those expectations.
“But as strong as September’s results were, in-person registration continues to limit Illinois’ ceiling. Assuming the Governor signs the bill that will put an end to the rule on March 5, Illinois will begin breaking through this monthly handle plateau in spring.”
