Q&A
- Can I bet on college sports on BetMGM Sportsbook? Yes, you can bet on college sports at BetMGM Sportsbook Illinois, but there are some limitations. State law restricts betting on in-state college athletic programs, but you can make wagers on other college sporting events.
- Is there a mobile BetMGM Sportsbook app? Yes, mobile betting represents over 90% of all of the sports betting action in Illinois, and the BetMGM Sportsbook IL app is up and running. There are special promotions and bonuses that are offered on the BetMGM Sportsbook app.
- Can I bet anonymously at BetMGM Sportsbook? No, you cannot wager anonymously at BetMGM Sportsbook or any of the other online sportsbooks in Illinois. The first step before you can place a legal wager is to create an account at BetMGM and then ensure that you are inside of the state before you can legally make a bet.
- Does BetMGM Sportsbook offer prop bets? Prop betting is available at BetMGM Sportsbook and that includes both individual and team props. You can find prop betting options for nearly every sport that is offered.
- Does BetMGM Sportsbook have a rewards program? Yes, the rewards program from BetMGM Sportsbook is one of the best in the industry. MGM Rewards points can add up quickly and you can unlock prizes such as free hotel stays or other cash prizes.
Methodology
BetMGM
BetMGM Welcome Bonus
No review of BetMGM Sportsbook is complete without talking about the welcome bonus that is available to all new customers. You won’t find a BetMGM Sportsbook deposit bonus, but making a deposit will unlock a first bet rebate to be used at the site.
There is a first bet rebate worth up to $1,000 available to all new customers at BetMGM Sportsbook, and the hope is that you won’t have to use it. If your first wager is successful then you won’t receive a BetMGM new player bonus, but it is there for those that lose that first bet.
BetMGM free bets are awarded a bit differently than some of the other operators that you will find in this industry. If your initial losing wager was over $50 then you will receive five separate free bets that come in 20% increments of your initial stake.
There is a 1x playthrough requirement with the free bet that is issued, and you can’t simply withdraw the bonus money until you have at least wagered it one time. Free bets do expire as well, and you will need to use all of the free bets within seven days or that money will be gone.
If you are using the “Play Now” links on this BetChicago page then it will automatically unlock the top BetMGM new player bonus that is available.
How Do I Start Playing At BetMGM Sportsbook?
Before you even start playing at BetMGM Sportsbook, there are some steps that you will have to go through. These steps aren’t meant to scare you away as you can accomplish all of this within minutes.
The first step is to download BetMGM Sportsbook on either an Android or iOS device. You can find the BetMGM app either on the Play Store or on the App Store, and it will be the latest and most updated version.
From there you are going to want to begin the registration process, and you will be asked for some specific personal information. You will need to provide information such as your name, date of birth, address, email address, and social security number.
After you have chosen a username and password then you should be logged into your new account at BetMGM. You will then move to the banking portion of the site, and it is here where you will fund your account.
If you have a BetMGM signup code then this is where you are going to want to enter it in as it can unlock the top offer. You can still get the first bet rebate when signing up for a new account, but that only happens after a deposit is made.
BetMGM Sportsbook has a long list of deposit options available, and those options include:
- Credit/Debit Card
- Online Bank Transfer
- Neteller
- PayPal
- Skrill
- Prepaid Card
Once your account has been funded then you are ready to head to the sportsbook section of the site and begin looking at all of your wagering options. You will have to ensure that location services are on so that BetMGM can track your location and make sure that you are within the state of Illinois before placing a bet.
This same process will be used on both an Android and iOS device, but things could look a bit different between the two versions of the app.
BetMGM Sportsbook Illinois Fact Sheet
Who regulates BetMGM Sportsbook in Illinois?
The Illinois Gaming Board is in charge of regulating the legal online sports betting industry in this state. The IGB awards sports betting licenses and then ensures that BetMGM is following state rules and regulations.
Who is BetMGM Sportsbook’s land-based casino partner in Illinois?
BetMGM received the first online-only sports betting license in Illinois, and that means that it is not required to have a land-based casino partnership. The Par-A-Dice Casino is mentioned on the BetMGM Sportsbook site, but there isn’t a retail sportsbook at that location yet.
Does BetMGM offer access to other online games?
BetMGM does offer online casino gambling in other states, but that is not a legal option in Illinois. There aren’t any DFS options at BetMGM Sportsbook in Illinois, but there are some different contests that you can enter throughout the year at the sportsbook.
How Do I Get Paid When I Win?
Here are the best BetMGM cashout options:
- ACH/eCheck
- PayPal
- Online Bank Transfer
Sports Offered at BetMGM Sportsbook
One reason that BetMGM Sportsbook is one of the best options in the state of Illinois is that you will find a long list of sports to wager on. All of the most popular professional sports are there, but you will also find some niche, or unique, sports to wager on.
Illinois does have a ban on betting on in-state college teams, but that is really only one of the major restrictions. This is also a state with a lot of professional teams that help to drive the sports betting industry.
Here are some of the sports (and teams) that you can wager on at BetMGM Sportsbook:
- NFL: The Chicago Bears are the most popular team in Illinois and one of the oldest franchises in the league. The Bears haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1985, but they still draw plenty of betting action each year.
- MLB: Illinois has a pair of Major League Baseball teams, and there is a great rivalry between them. The Chicago Cubs are on the Northside and the Chicago White Sox are on the Southside.
- NBA: The Chicago Bulls won six NBA championships in the 1990s, but haven’t been as successful as late.
- NHL: The Chicago Blackhawks won three titles from 2010-2015 and became a very popular team during that time.
- MLS: The Chicago Fire are members of Major League Soccer.
- WNBA: The Chicago Sky gave the state its most recent title as they won the league championship in 2021.
- NCAA: The Illinois Fighting Illini and the Northwestern Wildcats are two Big Ten teams that are in Illinois. Betting on these teams is not legal at BetMGM Sportsbook.
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- Golf: PGA Tour, LPGA Tour
- MMA
- Motorsports: Formula One, IndyCar Series, NASCAR
- Rugby Union
- Soccer: La Liga, World Cup, English Premier League
- Tennis
- Olympics
Betting Markets Offered at BetMGM Sportsbook
You will find plenty of different betting types offered at BetMGM Sportsbook, and there will be competitive odds and lines for each option. Here are seven of the most common betting markets offered at BetMGM Sportsbook:
- Moneyline: A moneyline bet is a wager in which you are picking the winning team or individual in a certain matchup. There will be an underdog and a betting favorite in each matchup, and the odds will be based on the probability of an outcome.
- Point Spread: Point spread betting is available in some form for all sports, but it’s most popular with basketball and football. Betting against the spread means that you are not only picking the outcome, but also determining the spread when a game ends.
- Totals: A totals bet is also referred to as an over/under and it’s another one that is popular with the major professional sports. Betting the over/under means that you are focusing on the total number of points or runs in a game, and the winning/losing team doesn’t matter.
- Props: Betting on props can be done when looking at either individual stats or team stats for a certain game. Prop betting used to only be available for certain situations, but it’s not available for nearly every single sporting event.
- Futures: A futures bet is not a bet that is based on just one single game, but rather an entire season. You will find futures betting markets for which team will win an upcoming championship, or for player awards handed out at the end of a season. Future betting odds change often depending on how things are playing out.
- Live Betting: A live bet is a wager that is placed while a sporting event is underway. The odds and betting lines for a live bet can come and go quickly, and you won’t have much time to make this type of wager.
- Parlays: All of the betting options mentioned above can also be parlayed into one larger wager. Parlay betting increases the difficulty of a bet, but it also means that you will have a bigger payout since you have combined multiple wagers.
State-By-State Analysis
Risk Free Bet
$1,000
Available In
AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY