North American Gaming Industry, Casinos, Sports Betting
Experience
Larry has covered US gambling for decades, explaining how sites evolve under changing regulations. Drawing on years of reporting on Las Vegas, he uncovers trends that drive decisions across North America.
21+. New customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, or WY (excl. NY). Must toggle on this promotion in your bet slip and wager $100+ cash on any market (min. odds -500) within 7 days of account opening to receive $100 in Bonus Bets each day for your first 4 days. Must opt in each day to claim Bonus Bets. Bonus Bets issued in connection with this Promotion expires 24 hours from issuance. Terms apply-see Fanatics Sportsbook app. Gambling Problem? Call or Text 1-800-GAMBLER, 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
In November, the state’s overall sports betting handle was $779.85 million, placing Illinois in third nationally behind New Jersey at $1.258 billion and Nevada at $1.086 billion. The “handle” refers to the amount of money bettors wager on sporting events.
After Illinois, the next highest sports-betting handles were Pennsylvania’s $761.6 million and Michigan’s $500.5 million.
November’s Total Lower Than October’s
Despite Illinois’ impressive numbers in November, the total was down 7.2% from October’s handle of $840.4 million.
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs Apply. Play Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, DC, IL, KY, LA, MD, MS, NJ, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY), Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), Call 877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov. (NC), Call or Text 800-889-9789 (TN).
However, October benefitted from having five NFL weekends, compared to four weekends in November.
In addition to the extra weekends in October, five World Series games between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves were played during the month. The Braves clinched the Major League Baseball title in the sixth and final game of the series on Nov. 2.
Illinois Sports Betting Handle, November vs. October
Month
Total handle
Mobile Handle
Revenue
November
$779.853M
$745.967M
$79.327M
October
$840.440M
$803.449M
$52.597M
Change
Down 7.2%
Down 7.2%
Up 50.8%
Mobile Wagering Accounts for Most Illinois Sports Betting
Most bets in Illinois during November came from mobile devices such as Illinois betting apps and computers. In November, bettors in Illinois wagered $745.96 million on mobile devices, or 7.2% less than the $803.44 million wagered in October.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY-RESET, (800) 327-5050 or visit http://gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/PR/WY). Void in NH/OR/ONT/PR. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new DraftKings customer. $5+ first-time bet req. Max. $100 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Bets that expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Plus, upon bet placement, get 1 promo code to redeem a 1-month ESPN Unlimited subscription, courtesy of DraftKings. New and eligible returning ESPN subscribers only. Subscription auto-renews monthly at then-current price (currently $29.99/mo) (plus tax, where applicable); cancel anytime. FOR EXISTING DISNEY+ AND HULU SUBSCRIBERS: offer cannot be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu. This is an offer for a separate ESPN Unlimited subscription and must be managed separately. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited bundle available via http://plus.espn.com. Promo code expires 1/7/27. Subject to ESPN’s Subscriber Agreement. Terms: http://sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 5/31/26 at 11:59 PM ET.
The total from online sports betting sites during November in Illinois represented 95.6% of all sports bets placed in the state during the month.
Football Tops November Betting Chart
Football was the most heavily bet sport in Illinois during November, with a handle of $256.4 million. The next most frequently bet sports were basketball ($225.8 million), tennis ($39.7 million), soccer ($27.6 million), and ice hockey ($23.4 million).
November’s football betting figure might have been boosted by the Chicago Bears’ 16-14 victory over the Detroit Lions in the NFL’s popular lineup of Thanksgiving Day games.
After winning bettors were paid, Illinois’ overall sports betting revenue in November topped $79.3 million, up 50.8% from October’s revenue total of $52.5 million.
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