Illinois Sports Betting Promo Codes for New & Returning Bettors 2024

With sports betting in Illinois on the rise after a recent change in local state legislation, more and more people from the prairie state are joining online sportsbooks and looking for the best bonus code to use when signing up for an account. Not only will this article tell you the best Illinois sportsbook promos for new users, but it will also discuss promotions for existing users and how to get them.

If you’re interested in getting the most bang for your buck while online sports betting, read below for more information on the five best Illinois sportsbook promos, the types of bonuses available, promotions available for existing users, and how to use them!

Overall 5 Best Illinois Sportsbook Promo Codes April 2024

Below are the five best Illinois sportsbook bonuses that range from deposit match bonuses to risk-free bets and can be obtained by signing up as a new user. To get these bonuses, click the links below and sign-up for an account from the screen they take you, and use our promo code if necessary.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Illinois?

Yes! After a recent change in legislation in 2019 with the Illinois Gambling Act, Illinois began to allow online sportsbooks, meaning that online betting became fully legal. While in-person betting and registration were permitted before that, online sports betting sites and online casinos were still prohibited.

Even though the law was changed in 2019, online sportsbooks didn’t make their way to the Prairie State until 2020, when three of them broke ground. Since then, two more have obtained licenses and are actively operating in Illinois.

Which Betting Sites & Promo Codes are legal in Illinois?

While there are a ton of available online sportsbooks in other states with more lax gambling laws, only seven have licenses in Illinois, meaning there are only so many to choose from. On the other hand, the good news about that is that the seven sportsbooks currently operating in Illinois are all top-tier, which means no matter who you choose to gamble with, you will be in good hands.

Read the table below for all of the Illinois online sportsbooks currently licensed and available, their welcome bonuses, their promotions for existing users, and when they became operational in the state.

Top Illinois Sportsbook Bonuses for New Users April 2024

While there might be few choices for online casino gaming and sportsbooks for Illinois residents, each of the options available have excellent sports betting bonuses for new users. While I won’t be reviewing all seven online sportsbooks available, please read below for the top five Illinois sportsbook bonus offers and how to get them as a new user!

PointsBet Sportsbook IL Promo Code

The PointsBet Sportsbook began operating in Illinois on September 12th, 2020, and was one of the first legal operators in the state. As it is in the rest of the country, PointsBet is a phenomenal sportsbook that features excellent promotions for existing users, many betting markets, and a range of betting options.

While PointsBet has some promotions for existing users, their welcome bonus really sets them apart as it provides double the industry standard bonus code. New users receive not one but TWO risk-free bets worth up to $2,000 in total when they click our links and use the promo code “GUSA“ during the registration process!

DraftKings Sportsbook IL Promo Code

DraftKings joined the ranks of other Illinois sportsbooks on August 5th, 2020, as it broke ground and became the second legal operator in the state. DraftKings is another titan of the industry as their sportsbook is available in 18 states around the country and is working on extending to other locations as well.

DraftKings is well-known for its excellent user interface that’s perfect for beginners and has many stats and resources for players to research while deciding on their bets. DraftKings provides players with a 20% deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000 and a free $50 bet after their initial deposit. No promo code is necessary; click the link below and register for an account.

Caesars Sportsbook IL Promo Code

Another sportsbook late to the party is Caesars Sportsbook Illinois, which initially launched on March 10th, 2022. The Caesars Sportsbook is best known for its phenomenal rewards program that features redeemable rewards that can be experienced at their different resorts around the country and great perks for higher tier members like guaranteed reservations!

Caesars Sportsbook knows how valuable its reward program is and provides new users with not only a $1,250 risk-free bet but also 1,000 tier credits and 1,000 rewards points to get started! Click the link below to get this offer and use promo code “GUSAFULL“ during the registration process.

FanDuel Sportsbook IL Promo Code

FanDuel is one of the largest online sportsbooks in the country; however, it was a little late launching in Illinois as it began operating on March 5th 2022. FanDuel prides itself on offering the most comprehensive betting options out of any other sportsbooks in the country and even allows users the ability to craft their own bet with a create a bet feature!

While FanDuel is an industry leader in several categories, including promotions for existing users, it somewhat lacks a welcome bonus that stands out. The FanDuel online sportsbook welcome bonus code features a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000. No promo code is necessary, just click the link below and register for an account!

BetMGM Sportsbook IL Promo Code

BetMGM is another 2022 addition, as it opened its virtual doors in Illinois on March 7th. BetMGM is a jack-of-all-trades as it has several above-average features, like its rewards program that rivals the Caesars Sportsbook and its ongoing promotions that rival FanDuel.

BetMGM features a standard welcome bonus of a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000. The BetMGM Illinois bonus code is “GAMBLEUSA,” which should be applied during registration. Remember to click the link below to start the process, or you won’t get the total bonus!

Illinois Bonus Types for New Players

New player welcome bonuses have continued to evolve as sportsbooks around the country continue to grow and gain new players, meaning that while this list has all of the current bonus types, more will likely be added in the future.

Risk-Free Bets

Risk-free bets are one of the most common welcome bonuses for new players and are featured on several different sportsbooks as their sign-up bonus. A risk-free bet is essentially a bet that’s made on someone’s first wager (for new players), and if it loses, it is given back to the player in the form of free bets.

It’s similar to bet insurance; however, risk-free bets are given back in free bet increments, while bet insurance is given back directly. While this is not the best kind of welcome bonus, it does allow players two chances at winning their first bet, which is very beneficial, especially for beginners.

Free Bets

Sportsbooks give out free bets as a way to draw in customers because they are a very enticing way to gain new users. Free bets are generally given to users for making some form of deposit or bet (normally on a specific betting market) and can be used to gain a nice bankroll quickly.

While many sportsbooks, like DraftKings, give new users a $50 free bet after their first deposit, many smaller sportsbooks have new users place a bet on a specific market (like the NFL) and receive a large number of free bets in return. For example, bet365 (which is not yet available in Illinois) gives users $200 in free bets for just a $1 bet!

Free Bets No Deposit

As mentioned above, some new user bonuses allow users to receive free bets for making a deposit or placing a bet; however, some sportsbooks will give users free bets without requiring them to make an initial deposit. For example, The Barstool Sportsbook gives new users a $10 free bet just for signing up for an account!

Deposit Bonus

A deposit match bonus is my favorite form of bonus code because it allows users the most freedom to use their free bets. A deposit match bonus is when a sportsbook provides an extra percentage of the user’s initial deposit in bonus cash that’s given to the user based on how much they play.

For example, DraftKings features a 20% deposit bonus that is released to the player as they work through their playthrough requirements. This means that if a player were to deposit $5,000 (which would give them $1,000 in bonus cash), they would need to work through their playthrough requirements (more on that below) to earn the $1,000, with increments of bonus cash being released to their account as they gamble.

Insurance or Cashback Bonus

A first bet insurance deal is very similar to a risk-free bet; however, the money is returned to your account if you lose rather than receiving that same amount in a free bet credit. Insurance works on your first bet; if it loses, the amount spent on it will be refunded to your account.

While this is essentially the same thing as a risk-free bet, it differs in the sense that the money given back can be withdrawn, whereas risk-free bets give money back in a free bet credit, which must be spent on the platform.

Best Illinois Betting Apps with Regular Promotions

Any online sportsbook can have a solid new customer bonus to attract users to their platform, but the best will feature great ongoing promotions to retain those customers. While the online sportsbooks listed above feature some of the best promotions for new users, this section will discuss the sportsbooks with the best promotions for existing users.

DraftKings Sportsbook Bonuses for Returning IL Players

The DraftKings Sportsbook features some of the best Illinois sports betting promos for ongoing users because of the sheer number of promotions on the site and app every day. Whether it be NFL betting promos or promotions that provide users with a subscription to NBA League Pass, DraftKings features pretty much every ongoing promotion listed in the following section for large bonuses. The DraftKings refer a friend and the Dynasty scheme are also worth checking out.

Barstool Sportsbook Offers for Current IL Customers

The Barstool online sportsbook features several different Illinois sports betting bonuses for ongoing users that are quite unique. With Barstool originating as an online media brand, many of their media personalities have huge followings, which their sportsbook has taken advantage of. What I mean by this is Barstool features unique boosts for bets that their media personalities have publicly taken, allowing people to follow the bets of their favorite podcast hosts!

FanDuel Sportsbook Offers for Returning Bettors

FanDuel, similar to its rival DraftKings, features a plethora of different ongoing promotions that provide users with enough Illinois betting promos never to make a standard bet again. Whether it be parlay insurance, odds boosts, or free bets, FanDuel provides it, and its users can use it almost every day.

BetRivers Sportsbook Promo Codes for Current Users

The BetRivers Sportsbook is perfect for Illinois sports bettors to use for ongoing promotions like odds boosts and refer-a-friend bonuses. While it’s a smaller online sportsbook, it doesn’t feature as many promotions as FanDuel or DraftKings; however, the promotions they do feature for existing users should be used because they’re generally very high value! NFL parlay insurance and odds boost for MLB bets sets them as a great betting app for IL players.

BetMGM Sportsbook Sportsbook IL Promotions

As mentioned above, BetMGM features similar promotions to FanDuel and DraftKings; however, similar to BetRivers, it needs to keep up with the sheer number of promotions available. While it has fewer ongoing promotions, the ones they run are high-value, and they feature a reload bonus more often than any other betting platform (which is very rare)!

Illinois Sports Betting Promo Codes for Existing Players Explained

As I mentioned above, promo codes and bonuses for existing users are a great way for sportsbooks to retain sports bettors, which is why they are so popular in such a saturated industry. If you need to know or you need clarification on what an ongoing promotion is, read below for an in-depth look into the different types of promotions for existing users!

Odds Boosts

Odds boosts are the most common promotion for existing users, and they come in two different varieties, pre-made and make-your-own. Pre-made odds boosts are exactly what they sound like and are bonuses that are featured on select events, straight bets, or parlays. These bonuses are primarily located on the homepage and can range from boosts on moneyline bets to prop bets.

On the other hand, make-your-own odds boosts are not pre-made and can be placed on any event (although generally, they will require the bet to be in a specific market like NFL or NBA). These boosts will be a certain percentage that’s multiplied by your original odds and can be on straight bets, parlays, and even same-game parlays. Sometimes they will even give you a bigger boost for the more legs you have in a parlay or same-game parlay!

Bet Insurance

Bet insurance is very similar to a risk-free bet because it provides a safety net for your risk if the bet loses. However, bet insurance doesn’t give your money back in the form of a free bet; it fully reimburses your account up to the specific amount the bonus was worth (or up to the amount wagered if it was less). It’s one thing to provide users with a site credit, but it’s another to give users cashback, so take advantage of these bonuses when you see them!

Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses are the rarest of promotions for existing users and are generally given to users through email who haven’t used the online sports betting site in a long time as a way to get them to use the site again. They are essentially deposit match bonuses for existing players that give users an extra percentage of their deposit in bonus cash.

While deposit bonuses don’t necessarily feature a promo code that you need to enter to receive the bonus, a reload bonus will always require one because of how rare they are. These promo codes are unique and can only be used once, so don’t share the code if you receive one!

Free Bets for Existing Players

Free bets for existing players are generally earned by the player for completing a specific task, for example, making three parlay bets on NFL season games over the span of the week. Similar to risk-free bets, a single free bet has a max amount that can be earned through these tasks, so be sure to read the terms and conditions, so you’re not overspending on the bets for the task (unless you want to).

As mentioned above, a 2nd chance free bet can also be given to users for losing a risk-free bet, which are also offered as ongoing promotions for existing users, so keep an eye out for those to receive a free bet if you lose!

VIP and Loyalty Schemes

VIP and loyalty programs are also available on many sportsbooks and are essentially how users can receive free bets. VIP programs give users several different betting tasks that users can use to earn promotions, including free bets, risk-free bets, odds boosts, and any other kind of promotion.

Many of these programs rank their users based on how many tasks they complete, meaning that the more you complete them, the better they will become!

Referral Bonuses

Referral bonuses are exactly what they sound like and are given to players who refer friends to the sportsbook after they’ve made their initial deposit worth up to a certain amount. To receive this bonus, the user will need to find the refer-a-friend bonus promotion and opt-in to receive their unique sportsbook promo code.

After you have the promo code, the new user you referred will need to enter it during the registration process, similar to regular Illinois promo codes.

How to Redeem Illinois Sportsbook Promo Codes

Redeeming an Illinois promo code for online casino promotions is very simple and only takes a few extra seconds when registering for an account or making a deposit if you receive a reload bonus code. If you’re registering for a new account, there will be a promo code section during the sign-up process that will have you enter the promo code to receive the promotion.

In the case of reload bonuses, users will need to go to the deposit screen and enter the promo code there. If the screen does not feature a promo code section (which it should, depending on the sportsbook), the user will need to find the promo code section, which will generally be on the sportsbook’s menu near your account.

Sportsbook Bonuses Rules

Each sportsbook promo has a different set of terms and conditions that the user must adhere to to receive their bonus, and each sportsbook’s terms and conditions for each bonus will vary. What I mean by this is FanDuel’s risk-free bets will have different terms and conditions than risk-free bets on DraftKings and so on.

Each promotion will have a minimum and maximum bet amount; for example, the welcome bonus from FanDuel (a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000) requires users to place a minimum wager of $10 and a maximum wager of $1,000. Similarly, each promotion will also require users to bet on events with minimum odds (typically -300), meaning that the user cannot bet on certain things.

Deposit bonuses, whether they be welcome bonuses or reload bonuses, also require users to make a minimum deposit as well. While users can deposit more than the possible bonus they can receive, most sportsbooks allow this and will still give users their bonus.

Another common rule for deposit bonuses is the playthrough requirement (which I touched on above) which makes users bet a certain amount of money to receive their bonus cash. While not every sportsbook has this rule, almost all of them do, and almost all of them are five times the amount of your initial deposit, meaning if you deposit $100, your $20 in bonus cash will not be available until you bet $500.

There are several terms and conditions for each promotion, so be sure to read them through before trying them out!

How to Use Illinois Sportsbook Promo Codes for Individual Markets

An Illinois sportsbook promo code can be used in many different ways; however, many will require users to bet on specific markets to earn their promotion. Read below for the different examples of promotions and bonuses for some of the major sports!

Football Betting Bonuses

Whether it be the NFL or college sports, several different sportsbooks offer bonuses specific to football in the U.S. because of how popular the sport is around the country. Football bonuses for existing users are the most common and can range from earning free bets, risk-free bets, odds boosts on straight and parlay bets, and bet insurance.

Sportsbooks like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM all feature several NFL promotions; for example, DraftKings features up to a 100% odds boost on same-game parlays every day there’s a regular season game. Bonuses can also be tailored to your location, so look for promotions like odds boosts for different Chicago Bears straight bets!

Basketball Betting Bonuses

With the popularity of the NBA is on the rise, sportsbooks feature several NBA betting promos, including odds boosts on parlays and prop bets, as well as risk-free bets. Similar to football, there are also NCAA basketball bets allowed on most online sportsbooks, as well as international leagues like FIBA and the EuroLeague.

Similar to the above, these bonuses can be found by going to the different league pages, although international leagues will likely not feature promotions. Because it’s less popular than football, there will be fewer promotions on a weekly basis, although the beginning and end of the regular seasons, as well as the playoffs, will always feature a lot of promotions!

Hockey Betting Bonuses

While many sportsbooks feature up to twenty different hockey leagues around the world to bet on, the NHL is the only league that sportsbooks in the U.S. will feature bonuses for. Similar to the NBA, these bonuses probably won’t be around during the entire season, but featured during the beginning and end of the season, along with the playoffs.

Every sportsbook varies, but the typical bonuses for hockey bets are just odds boosts; however, some offer VIP bonuses that can be earned through hockey bets because it’s a more niche sport. Keep an eye out for these bonuses to use for the Chicago Black Hawks!

Baseball Betting Bonuses

Bonuses for MLB betting are similar to that of football and basketball promotions in the sense that they are more frequent than the more niche sports like hockey and golf. Bonuses include bet insurance and odds boosts, so be sure to use them, whether it be on the White Sox or the Cubs!

Golf Betting Bonuses

Golf promotions are probably the least common on the list, and they will really only be featured during large tournaments or PGA majors. Generally, the promotions available for golf are risk-free bets or bet insurance, while odds boosts, the bonus typically seen the most in other sports, are rarer.

Illinois Sportsbook Promo Codes Comparison

Sportsbook		Bonus Code	Promotions for Existing Users	Bonus Codes
FanDuel Illinois	Risk-free bet worth up to $1,000	N/A	● Odds Boosts ● Risk-free bets ● VIP and Loyalty programs ● Free Bets ● Parlay Insurance ● Reload Bonus ● Refer-a-friend bonus	Opt-in
DraftKings Illinois	20% deposit match bonus worth up to $1,000 and a $50 free bet	N/A	● Odds Boosts ● Risk-free bets ● VIP and Loyalty programs ● Free Bets ● Parlay Insurance ● Reload Bonus ● Refer-a-friend bonus	Opt-in
BetMGM Illinois	Risk-free bet worth up to $1,000	GAMBLEUSA	● Odds Boosts ● Risk-free bets ● VIP and Loyalty programs ● Free Bets ● Parlay Insurance ● Reload Bonus ● Refer-a-friend bonus	Opt-in
Caesars Illinois	Risk-free bet worth up to $1,250, 1,000 tier credits, and 1,000 rewards points	GUSAFULL	● Odds Boosts ● Risk-free bets ● VIP and Loyalty programs ● Free Bets ● Parlay Insurance ● Reload Bonus ● Refer-a-friend bonus	Opt-in
Barstool Illinois	Risk-free bet worth up to $1,000 and a $10 free bet	N/A	● Odds Boosts ● Risk-free bets ● VIP and Loyalty programs ● Free Bets ● Parlay Insurance ● Reload Bonus ● Refer-a-friend bonus	Opt-in
BetRivers Illinois	Risk-free bet worth up to $500	SPORTS	● Odds Boosts ● Risk-free bets ● VIP and Loyalty programs ● Free Bets ● Parlay Insurance ● Reload Bonus ● Refer-a-friend bonus	Opt-in
PointsBet Illinois	2 risk-free bets worth up to $2,000	GUSA	● Odds Boosts ● Risk-free bets ● VIP and Loyalty programs ● Free Bets ● Parlay Insurance ● Reload Bonus ● Refer-a-friend bonus	Opt-in

Summary

Illinois has a great list of online sportsbooks that all feature a lucrative welcome bonus code along with some nice promotions for existing users. All of the sportsbooks feature several different leagues to bet on as well as unique promotions for each league!

All in all, join as many Illinois sportsbooks as possible to take advantage of the different new user promotions available because there’s no limit to how many you can join. Whether it be a risk-free bet, a deposit bonus, or a free bet, sportsbooks in Illinois will have it as a welcome bonus!

FAQ

How Many Welcome Bonuses Can I Sign Up for in Illinois?

There’s no limit to how many sportsbooks a user may join, which means you can receive as many welcome bonuses as there are sportsbooks in the state! For now, that’s only seven sportsbooks in total.

What’s the Best Welcome Bonus in Illinois?

The welcome bonus code with the biggest potential bonus is for the PointsBet Sportsbook, which gives new customers two risk-free bets worth up to $2,000. While that’s worth the most, the best type of bonus is a deposit match bonus, which can be found at DraftKings and is worth 20% of the user’s initial deposit worth up to $1,000.

How Often Does a Sportsbook Update Its Illinois Sportsbook Promo Code?

That depends on the sportsbook; however, most of them don’t update their promo codes more than once every few months. Most welcome bonuses stay the same for an extended period of time, so if the bonus hasn’t changed, then neither has the promo code.

Which Sportsbook Offers a Risk-Free Bet as a Welcome Bonus?

Several different sportsbooks in Illinois offer risk-free bets as their welcome bonuses, including the FanDuel, PointsBet, Barstool, BetRivers, BetMGM, and Caesars Sportsbook.