Online sports betting is back in Illinois.
In a surprise Friday afternoon news drop, Governor J.B. Pritzker has re-signed an executive order, allowing users in Illinois to sign-up for sports betting accounts and place wagers without having to visit a casino in person.
The Action Network has confirmed that both DraftKings and BetRivers are live with online registration/betting.
[DraftKings is offering new sportsbook customers a $1,000 sign-up bonus. Bet now!]
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This is a particularly big win for DraftKings; before Pritzker’s ruling, users had to trek all the way to DraftKings at Casino Queen in East St. Louis, Ill., to complete their registrations. That’s a nine-hour round-trip in the car that has been eliminated for users who live in and around Chicago.
Pritzker’s order is good for at least 30 days and can be extended beyond that at the governor’s discretion.
[Find the best sports betting sites and offers on our Illinois hub]
Illinois Sports Betting History
This is the latest in what has been a wild ride for Illinois sports bettors.
After Pritzker signed a bill allowing sports betting in the state, the first bet was placed in early March. Unfortunately, for Illinoisans, they could sign up only in-person at a casino, and of course the country was shut down shortly after due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But Pritzker signed an executive order in early June, allowing sports bettors to sign up, deposit and bet all online from the safety of their homes. That continued for 53 days, until, on July 26, he decided to not re-issue that order, thus forcing hopeful new Illinois bettors to travel to casinos yet again.
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Pritzker’s decision came just days before DraftKings was set to launch in the state.
Pritzker’s latest ruling is a boon for BetRivers and especially DraftKings, which will get a head start in acquiring customers over FanDuel, its main competitor in the sports betting space.
Along with FanDuel, expect PointsBet, BetMGM and William Hill to be in a rush to get live in Illinois, which represents a huge market opportunity for all sportsbooks, given the population of the state and its passion for sports.
With 12.7 million people, Illinois is now the second-most populous state to offer full online sports betting, behind only Pennsylvania.
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