Another March With Less Madness: Illinois Could Bet $300M On The Big Dance With New Rules

Arguably, it’s the best time of the year on the US sports calendar. Moreover, just like last month, betting on March Madness is allowed in Illinois.

However, it isn’t exactly identical. As of March 5, one can now register for an Illinois sports betting account online. Yet, betting on Illinois college teams via your mobile device isn’t possible.

The rolls of social vision should be heard.

Currently, it is permissible to place bets on Illinois schools, a scenario that will change next year. However, bets must be placed at a physical sportsbook, such as a casino, racetrack, or OTB. Placing bets on personal properties or live betting is not allowed.

In the 2022 NCAA Tournament, two schools from the Land of Lincoln are represented: Illinois and Loyola Chicago. They both are in the South Region, with Illinois seeded No. 4 and Loyola Chicago seeded No. 10.

With that in mind, we will predict the amount Illinoisans are likely to bet on March Madness this year and provide some context on how we arrived at this juncture.

Illinois March Madness gambling estimates for 2022

In 2021, approximately $200 million in total March Madness bets were recorded by the state. For the same month, a sports betting handle of $633.6 million was recorded in Illinois, setting a record at that time.

Since then, a lot has changed. Illinois sports bettors set a new record in January 2022 with bets totaling $867.5 million.

We currently offer online enrollment, which was also available during last year’s March Madness. However, an 11-month period required in-person membership in between, complicating the projection of this material.

A few weeks ago, Play Illinois estimated that Illinois would register about $900 million in total bets for March 2022. That’s precisely why we’re here.

We at Play-illinois.com forecast that Illinois will bet $290 million on the 2022 NCAA Tournament, based on the same March Madness ratio as 2021, with a few extra million added for in-person Al undergraduate bets.

Why don’t you wager on Illinois teams online, Can & rsquo?

The 2019 Sports Wagering Act outright banned betting on Illinois school groups.

The industry has been a major subject of discussion ever since it began operating. Things escalated when Illinois and Loyola Chicago faced each other in the NCAA Tournament the following year. However, within designated areas, legal gambling on the game was not allowed.

However, there was a legislative push to alter the law, although it was not sufficient for complete legalization. In December, Governor JB Pritzker sanctioned HB 3136 into law, which permitted restricted in-person betting on Illinois schools. The bill also designated March 5 as the final date for in-person registration.

The physical warranty is valid until July 1st, 2023. Prior to this date or at that time, the government had three options:

• Reinstate the prohibition on betting on Illinois school groups.
• Revise the existing policy that limits in-person betting exclusively to interstate teams.
• Help mobile gaming on university campuses in Illinois.

If the trial phase proceeds without any issues, the third option is expected to gain more support by 2023. Josh Whitman, the Athletic Director of Illinois, continues to strongly oppose the policy. However, his influence may not be as significant by that time.

Chicago expands and edge times in Illinois and Loyola

The lines and tipoff times for the Illinois and Loyola Chicago games are provided here. Even though these won’t appear on your Illinois sports betting apps, you have the option to place bets on these games in person if you wish.

• No. 4 Illinois is set to play against No. 13 Chattanooga on Friday at 5:50 p.m. CST. The game will be aired on TNT and Illinois is favored to win by 7.5 points.
• Ohio State (No. 7) will play against Loyola Chicago (No. 10) on Friday at 11:15 a.m. CST, broadcasted on CBS.

Next month, Illinois and Loyola Chicago are set to meet in the Round of 32. However, this time, they wouldn’t be able to face each other until the Elite Eight.

Should this unlikely event occur, expect to see exceptionally long lines at Illinois’ sports financial books.