The Ides of March were kind to Illinois sports betting apps, with the state setting a new handle record during the month.
Overall, the Prairie State raked in $1,072,701,361in wagers during the month, surpassing January’s state record of $1,070,033,292.
The handle total for March represented a 22.5% month-over-month increase from the $875,387,789 the state’s sportsbooks received in February and a 10.4% jump year-over-year (from $971,278,389 in 2022).
The IL sports betting revenue figure in March came in at $97,159,642, up 42% from February and 60.3% year-over-year (from $60,629,327 in 2022). March’s revenue figure was the second biggest in state history, behind the $102,088,548 delivered in October 2022.
Overall, the state’s sports betting tax haul of $15,730,312 was up 42.4% from February’s total of $11,046,351, putting a final touch on a historic month.
The top sports for Illinois bettors in March were basketball ($509,290,178), tennis ($80,152,797), soccer ($41,446,963), hockey ($35,531,721) and baseball ($16,226,770). Other sports handle wrapped up at $55,563,058, while Illinois’ parlay handle wound up being $292,443,125.
Illinois Sports Betting Handle, March vs. February
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Where Illinois’ March Handle Ranks Nationally
So far, Illinois’ March sports betting handle ranks second nationally, behind New York’s total of $1.792 billion and ahead of New Jersey’s $1.025 billion haul.
Illinois finished ahead of Nevada ($829.842 million) and Pennsylvania ($723.545 million), while newcomer Ohio ranked between those two, at $738.613 million during the third month of the year.
Through the first quarter of the year, Illinois sportsbooks have taken in 19.9% more in sports betting handle ($3,018,122,442) compared to the same period last year ($2,518,158,083).
Of Illinois’ five $1 billion handles, two have come in the first quarter of 2023, while the other three came in October ($1,029,615,448), November ($1,029,615,448) and December ($1,028,471,257) of last year.
The state ranks third nationally when it comes to the number of $1 billion handles, at five, coming in behind New York (14) and New Jersey (11), while ranking ahead of Nevada (four) and Ohio (one).
Illinois retail casinos had revenue of $131.0 million in March and $128.1 million in April. Legislation to approve online gambling in Illinois didn’t make much progress during the 2023 General Assembly session.
