You Still Can’t Bet On Illinois College Football Teams, But That Could Change This Season

The first college football game to take place in Week 1 is Illinois vs. Nebraska, but people of Illinois may not be able to wager on the Illini there.

This is due to the fact that wagering on collegiate teams within the state is forbidden in the Land of Lincoln. This has been a burning issue in the Illinois betting community, and it reached a climax during March Madness. Illinois secured a No. 1 seed and went up against Loyola-Chicago in the Round of 32. This unusual in-state March Madness showdown was one that no one could place a bet on.

However, during the latest legislative session, the House approved a bill that aims to overturn the ban on in-state collegiate betting. The catch? The ban would continue to be in effect online, with bettors only being allowed to place such bets in person at retail sportsbooks.

Rep. Michael Zalewski, a longtime advocate for repeal, shared with Play Illinois his aspiration that the compromise on in-person betting could pave the way for a mobile repeal in the future. However, for the time being, the focus is solely on in-person wagering.

The bill is still awaiting a vote in the Senate, which could potentially occur in the October veto session. Sen. Cristina Castro explained the reasons for the Senate not voting on the bill during the spring legislative session:

“The Senate was not given the chance to scrutinize and dissect it. I am of the belief that it is largely a clean-up act in relation to the Senate, rather insignificant. There are mere few items that I think we should investigate more in-depth since I last had knowledge of them before our adjournment.”

That being said, the House approved the act by a 96 to 11 vote. Consequently, it is highly likely that it will be passed once it is voted on in the Senate.

In the most favorable situation, we may be able to place bets on Illinois teams by the beginning of the Big Ten season.

Illinois college football teams are not beloved by betting areas.

The silver lining to not being prepared to bet on Illinois college football teams is that they are not expected to perform well in 2021.

The three FBS institutions in the Prairie State are Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois.

If you’re within the state, these teams’ odds will not be displayed on your sports betting apps. However, in other markets, this is how DraftKings Sportsbook sets the over/under win total for this threesome:

• Northwestern for over/under 6
• Over/Under: 3.5 in Illinois
• Over/Under: 3.5 for Northern Illinois

Perhaps it’s more unfortunate that you can’t imagine opposing these groups in their current condition than supporting them.

Northwestern is expected to have a decent performance, following their recent stint at the Big Ten Championship Game. However, they will be without quarterback Peyton Ramsey, who graduated, and offensive tackle Rashawn Slater and cornerback Greg Newsome, who were both drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Nebraska vs. Illinois chances

If you’re in a local business located in Indiana or Iowa, you are legally allowed to place bets on the Nebraska vs. Illinois event.

The Cornhuskers currently hold a 7-point lead over the Illini. The game will be held at Memorial Stadium in Champaign and will be broadcasted on FOX this Saturday at 12 p.m. CST.

Nebraska started as a 9.5-point favorite, indicating some shift in the odds for Bret Bielema’s inaugural game as head coach, favoring the home underdogs. The total point of discussion overall is 55.

Nebraska ended last year with a 3 – 5 record in the Big Ten, compared to Illinois’ 2 – 6. College football enthusiasts usually prefer Labor Day weekend, but August 28 is a date that soccer aficionados will definitely anticipate.