Betting on the Chicago Cubs is completely legal in Illinois, and you can find Cubs odds at all legal online sportsbooks in the Land of Lincoln.
The Chicago Cubs are members of the National League in Major League Baseball, and Cuba fans are among the most passionate in the big leagues. This franchise is also popular throughout the country, with a national fanbase comparable to the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants.
This article focuses on how to bet on the Cubs in Illinois. If you are wondering, “Where can I bet on the Cubs,” then you have come to the right place.
Chicago Cubs Profile
The Chicago Cubs are one of the oldest professional baseball teams, founded all the way back in 1870, as Chicago White Stockings. The Cubs have been members of the National League since 1876, the first year the league was in operation.
Throughout much of the team’s history, this franchise has been known as the “Lovable Losers,” as they always seemed to come up short in big games. Until the World Series title win in 2016, the Cubs hadn’t won a championship since 1908.
The Cubs are members of the Central Division in the National League, and they are one of the most popular teams in the league. In 2022, the Cubs have entered into a bit of a rebuild, and they are not expected to be a contender for World Series titles for at least a few years.
The Cubs play home games at the legendary Wrigley Field.
- Cubs Record in 2021-22 (As of July 24, 2002): 38-57
- Futures Cubs Odds to win the World Series entering 2022 season: +500000
- League/Division: National League, Central Division
- Key Rivals: St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Key Cubs Players: Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Kyle Hendricks, Christopher Morel, Nick Madrigal
- Manager: David Ross
Is Betting On Chicago Cubs Legal In Illinois?
Online sports betting on Chicago Cubs games is completely legal in the state of Illinois, even though MLB fought against the legalization of this industry at first. The sports betting laws in the state of Illinois allow for betting on all major professional sports, including the MLB’s Cubs.
You cannot bet on in-state college teams in Illinois, but the Cubs clearly don’t fall into that category. If you see Cubs odds posted by a retail sportsbook or online sportsbook, then you are free to wager at that location.
Which Legal Sportsbook Apps Offer Cubs Betting?
Where can you bet on the Chicago Cubs online? Take a look at these seven mobile apps:
- Barstool Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- BetRivers Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- PointsBet Sportsbook
Do all Illinois sportsbooks offer betting on the Cubs?
Yes, you will find betting on the Chicago Cubs at all seven of the online sportsbooks in the state of Illinois. There really aren’t any restrictions or limitations on Chicago Cubs betting in the Illinois sports betting laws.
Some sportsbooks in Illinois might have different betting options for Chicago Cubs games, but everything is really on the table.
Popular bets available on the Cubs?
The most popular betting options on the Chicago Cubs really depend on the sports bettor, but there are some common bets that draw the most action. Here are four real-life examples of popular bets for the Chicago Cubs.
Betting on the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central Division is always a popular betting option. At FanDuel Sportsbook, you can take the Cubs at +30000 to win the division.
You can bet on either Seiya Suzuki (+900) or Christopher Morel (+2000) to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award at PointsBet Sportsbook.
A moneyline bet is always a good betting option when it comes to MLB. At DraftKings Sportsbook, you can take a bet on the Cubs at -145 over the Pirates in a July NL Central showdown.
Making a player prop bet is another popular bet when it comes to the Cubs and MLB. For a recent game featuring the Cubs, you could take Willson Contreras at +190 to record an RBI.
Best Illinois Online Sportsbooks
How Do I Calculate Chicago Cubs Odds?
Moneyline
The moneyline isn’t always a popular betting option in some sports, but it is when it comes to baseball. A moneyline is the easiest bet to make as you are just picking the winning team, and the moneyline betting odds also tell you how much money can be won.
If the Chicago Cubs are at -155 on the moneyline against the St. Louis Cardinals at +175 then the Cubs are the betting favorites. You would have to bet $155 on the Cubs to win $100 while a $100 bet on the Cardinals would come with a win of $175.
Point Spread
The Chicago Cubs spread is not always going to be a popular betting option as baseball isn’t a sport that features a ton of scoring. When it comes to betting on the Cubs and baseball, point spread betting is referred to as the run line.
It’s pretty common to see the run line for baseball games set at 1.5 total runs, and the betting lines are then different from there. Most spread bets have lines at -110, but that isn’t the case with run line betting.
If you see run line betting odds then they are going to look like the moneyline.
Totals
Total betting is a wager that is placed on the total number of runs scored in a game, and you can either bet on the over or the under. One nice thing about this type of bet when it comes to baseball is that the betting lines are usually set at -110 for each side of the wager.
If a game between the Cubs and Cardinals has a total betting line set at 8.5 total runs, then you can decide if you want to bet on the over or under. If the two NL Central rivals combine for at least nine runs, then the over would hit, but eight runs or fewer would make the under hit.
Since the lines are usually set at -110, it would take a $110 bet to win $100.
Props
Betting on props is another way to bet on the Cubs and any other MLB game, but it’s impossible to know what types of props will be available. Prop betting is available for both individual and team options and you have the ability to look for the betting markets with the best value.
All of the prop betting lines will resemble moneyline betting, but the odds will be much different depending on the bet.
Futures
One of the most popular futures betting markets when it comes to the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball is a wager on the eventual World Series champion. These odds are going to be laid out in an organized fashion, with the betting favorites having the best odds, and the worst teams in the league at the bottom.
These betting odds are going to be set like moneyline odds, and it’s easy to determine how much money can be won. Using an example bet of $100, the futures betting odds will tell you the potential payout.
Live Betting
Live betting has become popular in the U.S. sports betting industry, and baseball might actually be the sport that works the best for this option. Baseball is a sport that moves relatively slow, and that will actually give you some time to get a wager in.
Live odds and lines are going to be similar to the betting options discussed above, but they will just be coming and going in a much quicker fashion.
How Do I Bet On the World Series?
The World Series remains one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and this is the final series of the year in the sport of baseball. When it comes to the World Series, there are plenty of great ways to bet on this sport.
You can actually bet on the World Series winner well before the upcoming season starts, and those odds will remain open until a winner is decided. If you would rather bet on each game of the World Series, then this will be an option that is available to you as well.
In the section above, we discussed the different forms of MLB betting, but those same options exist for all World Series games. Simply look at the betting odds for each game and then determine what wager you are wanting to target.
The Cubs last won the World Series in 2016, and that win ended a drought of 108 years. That was the longest title drought in the history of professional sports. The Atlanta Braves won the 2021 World Series, making them the defending champions.