In Illinois, you are legally allowed to place bets on college basketball if you are 21 years or older.

There are numerous options available for college basketball betting, including futures, parlays, brackets, moneyline bets, point spreads, and totals. In Illinois, you can utilize online sportsbooks and apps for live betting.

It’s important to be aware when betting on NCAA that mobile wagers on state-based teams are prohibited under Illinois law. However, the recent enactment of HB 3136 now permits betting on Illinois college teams at physical sportsbook locations.

March Madness is in full swing, but there are no more Illinois teams participating. Both Illinois and Loyola Chicago were eliminated during the first weekend.

We’ve compiled a college basketball betting guide to kickstart your NCAA sports betting adventure. This guide covers the fundamentals, including various wager types and understanding the odds.

Live NCAA Basketball Odds at Illinois Online Sportsbooks

Below you’ll find a current snapshot of live college basketball odds at Illinois online sportsbooks. The first tab provides point spreads, moneylines, and totals for upcoming games, while the second tab gives futures odds for the National Championship, Final Four, and Conference titles. Check out our live sports betting odds feed for the complete NCAAB odds board. Click on any odds to directly visit the online sportsbook, claim your bonus, and start placing your NCAAB bets.

2022 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball

College basketball is highly popular in the US. Now, in Illinois, dedicated fans have the opportunity to bet on March Madness, as opposed to participating in the local office pool bracket.

Currently, 32 conferences made up of 351 teams across the nation are available to support. The season usually begins in late November with most teams taking to the basketball court with a single aim: securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The upcoming national championship tournament, also referred to as March Madness or “the big dance”, will kick off with a selection show on Sunday, March 13, 2022. This will then lead into the single-elimination tournament. The climax of this winner-take-all format will be the national championship on April 4, 2022.

Each season appears to have at least one Illinois team reaching the dance. In 2021, Loyola and Illinois were the latest teams to enter the men’s bracket. Yet, it’s unpredictable as to who might make a breakthrough and catch the selection committee’s attention in any particular year.

Is it Legal to Bet on College Basketball in Illinois?

Sports betting was legalized in Illinois in 2020 due to the passage of the Sports Wagering Act. Initially, the legislation did not permit bets on Illinois college teams, but this regulation was revised in December 2021.

In Illinois, the fundamental regulations for sports betting are as follows:

• To place a bet, even using a sportsbook app, you need to be a minimum of 21 years old and located within the state boundaries.
• Every bet must take place at a sportsbook that is legal and regulated. The oversight of regulation and licensing of sportsbooks in the state is handled by the Illinois Gaming Board.

The only significant limitation for NCAA basketball is that online betting on state teams is prohibited. However, with the enactment of HB 3136, betting on Illinois universities at physical sportsbooks is now permitted.

Illinois law is less restrictive compared to other states when it comes to sports betting. In states like New Jersey, Virginia, and Washington, DC, it’s prohibited to place wagers on any college event within their jurisdictions. However, when the Big Ten Tournament reaches Illinois, sports bettors will still have the opportunity to bet on the games via their mobile devices, as long as the bet doesn’t involve an Illinois team.

At Illinois sportsbooks, sports bettors have the opportunity to place wagers on any NCAA basketball team for which odds are available — and there will be a plethora of odds to choose from.

How to Bet on College Basketball in Illinois

You’ve likely already participated in some form of gambling related to college basketball. Even individuals who aren’t sports enthusiasts often find themselves in an office pool for March Madness. With new laws and the opening of sportsbooks in Illinois, there are plenty of options beyond just filling out a bracket.

If you have any prior betting experience, you’re fortunate. Betting on NCAA basketball is akin to wagering on basketball or any other sport. The fundamental principles remain the same and there’s nothing particularly distinctive about betting on college basketball.

Discussing the basics, let’s examine the five most prevalent bet types you’ll often encounter in college basketball wagering.

Moneyline

This bet is the most straightforward among all betting types. The bookies analyze a match between two teams and determine the likely winner. They assign that team a negative number, showing it’s the favored one, whereas the anticipated loser gets a positive number, indicating it’s the underdog. For instance:

Michigan State -110

Iowa State +225

It is evident that Michigan State is the favored team, indicated by a negative number. If you wish to earn $100 from a successful moneyline bet on the Spartans, your wager needs to be $110. If your bet wins, you would receive $210 in return—this includes the initial stake and a $100 profit.

Conversely, if you bet $100 on Iowa State and they manage to upset, your return would be $325. This includes your original $100 wager, along with a profit of $225.

Point spread

Though a tad more complex than a moneyline bet, the spread is still quite straightforward. When looking at a sportsbook, you’ll notice the spread odds displayed alongside other relevant information such as the teams involved, the match’s time and date, and odds for different kinds of bets. The point spread operates by the oddsmakers identifying the favored team and then establishing a predicted victory margin.

You can make the decision whether you believe the favorite will win by a margin greater than the indicated spread. If they do, this is termed as ‘covering the spread’, and a bet placed on the favored side would be victorious. However, if the favorite secures victory by a lower point margin than the spread or loses entirely, then a bet of this nature would result in a loss. In this instance, a bet placed on the underdog would be successful. Here is an example to illustrate this:

Villanova -6.5 (-110)

Temple +6.5 (-110)

The book predicts that Villanova will win the game by more than 6.5 points. You could wager $110 on Villanova if your research supports this prediction, potentially yielding a $100 profit. However, if Villanova wins by only three points, you would lose your bet. On the other hand, for bets on Temple to win, it must either lose by less than 6.5 points or win the game outright.

Totals

You might be familiar with what’s known as a totals bet, or the over/under. This betting method relies on sportsbooks providing an anticipated combined score for a game. It then allows you to place a wager on whether you believe the combined score of the two teams will exceed or fall short of that total.

Thus, the winner isn’t important; it’s the overall final score that counts. Let’s consider a hypothetical game between Wisconsin and Marquette for illustration:

Over: 135.5 (-110)

Under: 135.5 (-110)

Betting on this game and choosing the over would result in a win if the final score is 75-67. However, a final score of 67-60 would result in a loss.

Similar to the point spread, the line is frequently set at a half-point to prevent an exact match. This could lead to a “push”, resulting in a refund of all bets.

Parlays

Parlays are a type of bet where two or more wagers are combined onto one slip, heightening the payout if all your selections are accurate. Nonetheless, the risk heightens with every added wager, so it’s essential to balance these aspects.

You have the option to place a parlay wager using the previously mentioned single bet types, but keep in mind that every one of your selections has to be correct for you to win. If even one of your selections is incorrect, you will lose the bet.

Live betting

This type of bet, occasionally referred to as an in-game bet, enables you to place bets on NCAA basketball games as they unfold in real time. Odds on aspects such as quarter totals, player props, and more in college football continuously change during the live game, allowing you to place bets at any stage of the match.

Almost exclusively, live betting is only available on online sports betting sites and apps, as these platforms can instantly adjust the odds as the action unfolds on the court.

NCAA basketball futures and props

Are you confident in predicting the national champion even before the start of March Madness? Do you believe you can anticipate the over/under on a particular team’s victories? Or even guess the coach of the year? Sportsbooks are ready to give you a peek into what the future might hold.

If you’re intrigued by placing bets on events yet to occur, you should explore the college basketball futures market. This market opens in the offseason and remains active throughout the season, adjusting the college basketball betting lines according to the events. If a team performs well against high-quality opponents, the March Madness odds may alter to mirror this.

Proposition bets, also known as props, are bets placed on individuals or events unrelated to the final outcome of the game. For example, a prop bet could be a wager on whether the final score will be an odd or even number.

NCAA Regular Season, Conference Tournaments and March Madness

The college basketball season is divided into three segments. Initially, there is the regular season where teams vie for the best record and the chance to participate in the NCAA Tournament. The conference tournament represents the second phase of the season, and winning it ensures a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Automatic bids are awarded to conference tournament winners, while the rest of the teams are selected separately. The season culminates with the NCAA Tournament, also referred to as March Madness.

• Regular Season: At the Division I level, most teams usually participate in about 25 to 30 regular-season matches. The season generally commences in late November and ends in early March. During this period, each team’s performance and record contribute to its standing or seeding in the conference tournament. This record might also assist a team in securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament, if it doesn’t emerge victorious in its conference tournament.
• Tournaments for Conferences: Following the regular season, tournaments are held by each of the 32 conferences to crown a champion. These tournaments usually take place in the first half of March, and the victors of each tournament secure automatic entries into the NCAA Tournament.
• NCAA Tournament: When March rolls around, the frenzy is set to kick off. The excitement begins with Selection Sunday, when the selection committee reveals the teams who have made the tournament cut, including the conference tournament winners and those who have received at-large bids. The tournament spans over a couple of weeks. This is an ideal opportunity to explore different betting options and participate in real-time NCAA basketball wagering activities.

How to Watch NCAA Basketball in IL

There are numerous methods to watch NCAA men’s basketball in Illinois during the regular season.

Primarily, regular cable and network channels, including ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN2, FS1, Fox, CBS Sports and CBS are available to you. Additionally, channels focusing on teams from a specific conference, such as the Big Ten Network, can also be accessed.

During the NCAA Tournament, games will be broadcasted on CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV. If you do not have access to these channels, there’s no need to fret. Sports bars across the state will showcase the games, and you can also keep track online.

You can also visit CBSSports.com or download the March Madness app on your iOS or Android mobile device to keep track.

Illinois NCAA Basketball Teams

Illinois hosts numerous colleges with accompanying basketball programs. For the benefit of local fans, here’s a summary of the teams competing at the Division I level in the state:

• Odds for the Illinois Fighting Illini: Recently, the Fighting Illini have been garnering some attention. They enjoyed a successful streak during the 2019-20 season, which led to a national ranking. Their future appears promising.
• Odds for the DePaul Blue Demons: There have been fluctuations in their performance over the years, however, the 2019-20 season was fairly strong. They might continue to enhance their success based on this.
• The Loyola Ramblers are consistently competitive, frequently being discussed as the top team from Illinois. They also boast a commendable history in the NCAA Tournament.
• Bradley: Despite a sluggish beginning to the 2019 season, the Braves commendably recovered, which speaks highly of both the team and their coaches.
• Odds for the Northwestern Wildcats: Playing basketball in the Big Ten can be particularly challenging, and the Wildcats have had a hard time matching the top teams in the conference. However, they do have periods of impressive performance.
• In 2019-20, the Huskies from Northern Illinois recorded a 17-17 season. They had an impressive streak in the MAC Tournament, where they even managed to upset Toledo, though they were ultimately defeated in the semifinals.
• The Flames from UIC have a dedicated fan base who are confident that the program has the potential to secure more victories than it has been achieving.
• The Salukis of Southern Illinois underperformed against their opponents in the 2019-20 season, which was reflected in their results. Their actual capabilities as a team were superior to what their record suggested.
• The Redbirds from Illinois State have recently caused a stir in the Missouri Valley Conference and aim to continue doing so.
• The Cougars, from SIU-Edwardsville, ended the 2019-20 season with an 8-23 record. Despite this, only three seniors were on the team. It is hoped that the experience of the returning players will yield better results.
• The Panthers of Eastern Illinois didn’t have the most disastrous season last year, yet they compete in the relatively less challenging Ohio Valley Conference. They are capable of achieving victories, but their performance against formidable opponents is inconsistent.
• Western Illinois: This team puzzles many people. The Leathernecks usually boast a skilled team along with satisfactory coaching, yet victories seem hard to come by most years. The last significant successful stretch was during the 2012-13 season.
• The 2019 season proved challenging for Chicago State Cougars, ending prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team grappled with a dismal 3-29 record.

Tips for Betting on College Basketball

Should you be prepared to dive in and begin wagering on NCAA basketball games, it’s advisable to formulate the most effective betting strategy you can. Don’t fret about its initial perfection; your approach should continually evolve and enhance as you gain experience with more wagering.

We have compiled some college basketball betting tips for those new to sports betting in Illinois:

• Avoid Becoming a Specialist: With 351 Division I college basketball teams nationwide, it’s impossible to keep track of all. Rather, select one, two, or three teams and gain as much knowledge as you can about them. Utilize that research to place educated bets.
• Become a Fan: Tune into the games. Understand the mechanics of basketball and the tactics used by coaches. Observe how teams handle a significant lead and their approach when they’re lagging behind. There’s no superior method to gain knowledge than by being a fan.
• Be Wise with Your Finances: It’s not uncommon to be drawn to the notion that purchasing information and data is more convenient and beneficial than conducting your own research. However, remember that nearly all the information you can obtain from paid sources can also be found for free online. Utilize reputable sources like ESPN or CBS Sports. Follow your preferred basketball Twitter figures for a wide range of information. By compiling a diverse group of sources for your daily NCAA news and summaries, you’ll discover that free information is equally valuable.
• Understand your Team’s History: Do the teams you support usually perform well against conference rivals? Are they known for stepping up their game against nationally-ranked teams? Being aware of your teams’ historical performance and patterns could help you spot opportunities that bookmakers may have missed.
• Track the Money Flow: Ensure you’re aware of significant shifts in the college basketball betting lines for the games you intend to gamble on. If such shifts occur, find the reason behind them — is it due to a player’s injury or other team news? Is there a heavily favored team? Such line movements often present betting opportunities, so stay alert and monitor multiple sportsbooks to maximize your benefits.

Additional Reading: Identifying Upsets in March Madness

College Basketball National Champions from Illinois

People who follow college basketball in Illinois may find it surprising, but there was a time when a team from the Land of Lincoln claimed the national championship trophy.

In 1963, the NCAA Tournament title was won by Loyola, under the guidance of coach George Ireland, defeating Cincinnati. The match, which took place in Louisville, KY, required an overtime period to decide the winner. However, at the end, the Ramblers emerged victorious with a 60-58 score, securing the national title.

The Illinois Fighting Illini already had two national titles to their name before the big dance was ever established. In 1915, they were declared the national champions by the Helms Athletic Foundation after achieving a 16-0 record. The team was coached by Ralph Jones.

In 1943, almost three decades later, Illinois – under the coaching of Douglas Mills – achieved a 17-1 record for the season. The team was declared the national champion by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.