Illinois Leads US In Year-Over-Year Sports Betting Growth On NFL

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Written By Dave Briggs on September 13, 2022

During the NFL’s opening week, sports betting in Illinois saw a 60% increase compared to the first week of the 2021 season, marking the most significant year-over-year increase among all states in the country.

Over the course of last Thursday through Sunday night, GeoComply monitored the amount of sports betting activity in Illinois. The company provides geolocation and anti-fraud solutions to the seven officially licensed sportsbooks operating in the state.

There was a reported increase in sports betting activity in Illinois last weekend, with GeoComply recording approximately 8 million in volume. This is up from the 5 million volume recorded during the first weekend of NFL betting in Illinois last year.

Betting volume in Illinois saw a 60% increase, jumping from 5 million in 2021 to 8 million during the #NFLKickoff2022 weekend! The recent approval for mobile registration has sparked a gaming boom in IL. 💫 pic.twitter.com/2IsEfHAip2

GeoComply’s update was issued on September 13, 2022.

Illinois leads the nation in sports betting growth

Illinois ranked as the fifth largest state for NFL betting volume over the weekend, coming in behind New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan. Despite New York not legalizing sports betting in 2021, Illinois experienced the most substantial growth compared to the other states in the past year.

The ranking of year-over-year increases in sports betting volume is as follows:

The population of Illinois has grown by 60%, going up from 5 million to 8 million.
The population of Pennsylvania has increased by 30%, growing from 11.8 million to 15.3 million.
Michigan’s population grew by 26%, rising from 12.6 million to 13.6 million.
New Jersey’s population has increased by 7%, reaching 9.7 million from 7.7 million.

To conclude, GeoComply revealed a 71.5% surge in sports betting activity in all legal, regulated US markets during the NFL opening weekend compared to the previous year. The company reported a total volume of 103.1 million, a notable rise from 60.1 million in 2021.

GeoComply’s CEO, Anna Sainsbury, remarked in a press release that the NFL season has had an incredible beginning. She also pointed out that the rise in legal betting shows a change in behavior among Americans, who are moving away from offshore sportsbooks and choosing regulated options within their states. Sainsbury emphasized that this shift was the intended outcome of legalization by lawmakers and regulators, aiming to protect consumers and increase tax revenues.

Gains in Illinois a result of easier sign-up process

The yearly increase in Illinois’ growth can be attributed to the new law passed in 2021 which allows residents to sign up for online sportsbooks. This law went into effect on March 5.

Prior to this change, individuals looking to register for online sportsbooks in Illinois had to visit a physical casino to complete the registration process. This requirement meant that some users had to endure a three-hour drive just to sign up for certain apps.

The immediate implementation of online registration resulted in a sudden surge in sports betting revenue in Illinois.

Illinois held the second spot in sports betting revenue until June, with New York leading the way. In the first half of 2022, Illinois earned $344 million from sports betting, while New York topped the list with $608 million in revenue.

Illinois ranked third in the nation for sports betting handle in 2022, behind only New York and New Jersey. Sports gamblers in Illinois wagered over $4.75 billion in the first half of the year. By comparison, New York had a handle of almost $8.6 billion and New Jersey saw around $5.8 billion in bets during the same period.

Chicago Bears victory could lead to more gains for Illinois

Despite playing in a monsoon and being 6.5-point underdogs at home, the Chicago Bears pulled off a 19-11 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. This unexpected win may attract more fans to bet on the Bears in future games, potentially leading to a significant increase in sports betting revenue in Illinois.

Furthermore, Circa Sportsbook is on track to be the eighth licensed and regulated sportsbook operator in Illinois by the conclusion of the NFL season. Circa has teamed up with Full House Resorts and plans to launch a temporary casino in Waukegan, IL in December. Once the casino is open, Circa will begin its operations as well.