All About Illinois Sports Betting Handle And Revenue

The experts at IllinoisBet.com have assembled this guide to explain what we mean when we talk about Illinois sports betting financial figures, which include handle, revenue and tax collections.

The sports betting market in Illinois includes retail sportsbooks at the state’s nine casinos, plus mobile sports betting apps from eight of the nine casinos (Harrah’s Joliet does not have a mobile sports wagering app but it has a retail sportsbook).

In the financial language of sports betting, handle is simply the total of all sports wagers made in the state during one calendar month. The handle can be specified as either retail (in person) or online (using a device such as a laptop, desktop or mobile phone). In Illinois, bettors wager hundreds of millions of dollars each month – sometimes more than a billion dollars – and the vast majority of the action is on Illinois sportsbook apps.

Revenue is what is left for the gambling operators after winnings are paid out. The tax collections from sports gambling is determined by a 15% tax rate (plus additional taxes for wagers placed in Cook County and the City of Chicago) that is applied to the operators’ Revenue.

Sport gambling in Illinois was legalized in 2019 with the Sports Wagering Act. The first legal sports bet was placed in March 2020.

Illinois Sports Betting, July vs. June

Illinois Sports Betting Handle and Revenue: July 2023

Illinois sports total wagering handle for July was $611.37 million, a 8.2% decrease from June ($665.77 million), but an increase of 18.4% from July last year.

The July revenue for mobile betting and retail wagering combined was $60.41 million, an increase of 10.5% over June ($54.67 million), and a jump of 31.1% from 12 months earlier ($46.08 million).

July’s mobile sports betting handle was $595.02 million, or about 97% of the state’s total monthly handle. The July mobile handle was down 8.1% from June ($647.72 million), and up 19.9% from July 2022.

In-person betting handle was $16.35 million in July.

Sports wagering generated nearly $9.75 million in taxes for July, an increase of 8.9% from June ($8.95 million).

July’s top five sports (by handle) were: Baseball $199.86 million; tennis $81.29 million; basketball $48.79 million; soccer $35.97 million, and golf $17.61 million. “Other sports” handle was $53.72 million, and parlay handle was $155.84 million.

Illinois Mobile Sports Betting History

Illinois Sports Betting Handle and Revenue FAQs

What were the handle, revenue and tax figures for sports betting in Illinois in 2022?

Illinois sports betting handle from January to December 2022 exceeded $9.75 billion. Revenue was about $795 million and the state collected $128.7 million in taxes for the calendar year.

What is the tax rate in Illinois for sports betting?

The tax rate for Illinois sports betting is 15% on adjusted gross sports wagering receipts, with an additional 2% tax applied to wagers placed within Cook County, and an additional 2% tax applied to wagers placed in the City of Chicago.

How often does Illinois release its online sports betting revenue figures?

The Illinois Gaming Board reports its figures for sports betting once a month.

Where do Illinois sports betting tax proceeds go?

Proceeds go to the Capital Projects Fund. The 2% tax that is imposed on receipts from sports wagering in Cook County is used for the county’s criminal justice system. 

Who regulates sports betting in Illinois?

The Illinois Gaming Board.

What is mobile sports betting handle?

Mobile sports betting handle refers to the amount of money wagered on mobile or online apps, by people using phones, laptops, or other online devices. Many operators running mobile apps offer Illinois sports betting promo codes to their customers. In Illinois, total handle refers to the combined handle of both online wagering and sports betting done at casinos.

What is handle vs. hold in sports betting?

Handle is the term used to refer to the amount of money wagered. Hold refers to what’s left after winning bets are paid out.