Gamblers in the state wagered nearly $435 million on professional, college and other sporting events in October, up $130 million from the previous month, according to revenue totals released Thursday by the Illinois Gaming Board.
The eight Illinois sportsbooks saw total adjusted gross revenue — the money kept after paying out winnings — of $42.2 million. The state collects 15% in taxes, or $6.3 million.
More than 94% of the sports betting in October took place online, as mobile apps remain untethered from bricks-and-mortar sportsbooks during the pandemic. Last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker waived the requirement for in-person sports betting registration for a sixth time, through Jan. 9.
That has enabled Draft- Kings, which is partnered with the Casino Queen in East St. Louis, and FanDuel, the online app for the Par-A-Dice in East Peoria, to compete with Chicago sportsbooks for players, who never have to venture outside their living room, much less travel downstate, to register.
The BetRivers sportsbook and app fielded $115 million in wagers, while Par-A-Dice and its FanDuel app took in $106 million.
For the Casino Queen, 98% of its October sports wagering was online through DraftKings.
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
