As we get closer to kickoff of Super Bowl 57 between the Eagles and Chiefs, the anticipation grows for Illinois football fans.
If you’re an Illinois sports betting fan like me, it’s an especially exciting time. Because the Super Bowl is a highly wagered-on event, mobile sportsbook operators offer the best welcome bonuses of the year ahead of the big game.
I cherish this time of year for a few reasons. For starters, it’s my last opportunity to bet on the NFL until next season starts in September. I also like to shop around the Illinois Super Bowl betting welcome bonuses to see which catch my eye.
Below is a list of the top welcome offers in the IL sports betting industry, plus a few other things I’m doing to enjoy the Super Bowl.
It’s important to browse each sportsbook
Professional handicappers always advise bettors to have accounts with multiple sportsbooks. That way you can browse each of them and get the best line possible for a given wager.
Why not apply the same logic to selecting a sportsbook ahead of Super Bowl Sunday?
Sportsbook operators know a lot of Illinoisans are looking to create accounts and wager on the big game. These are the seven licensed sportsbooks in Illinois, and they’re all competing to offer the best welcome bonus:
My favorite new user bonuses are the ones that provide a first bet bonus. The way they work is if your first wager up to a certain amount loses, they’ll provide you a full refund in the form of bonus bets.
This makes your first wager a win-win because even if it loses, you’re getting money back so you can keep betting on more events. That’s why I’m strongly considering signing up with the Caesars promo below, and then placing a wager with at least +200 odds to maximize my payday if it hits.
FanDuel Sportsbook Illinois welcome bonus and Gronk promotion
I believe FanDuel is a top option for Illinois sports bettors. Not only have they upped their welcome bonus to a no sweat first bet up to $3,000, they’re also running a promotion so peculiar that it’s entertaining.
Signing up with FanDuel grants you access to the Rob Gronkowski ‘Kick of Destiny’ promotion. Here’s how it works:
- Create a FanDuel account
- Place a $5 Super Bowl wager on any market of your choosing
- If Gronk attempts a field goal live during the broadcast, FanDuel will reward you with up to $20 in bonus bets
Gronk doesn’t even need to make the kick for you to cash out with bonus bets.
This is the craziest Super Bowl promotion I’ve ever seen and I would get major FOMO if I didn’t partake in the fun.
The Super Bowl brings odd prop bets
Another reason I love the Super Bowl is all the obscure prop bets that you don’t get in regular football games. You can wager on things such as:
- Will the combined jersey numbers of touchdown scorers be over 160.5?
- Will there be a flea flicker?
- Will a kick hit the crossbar or upright?
- What color will the post game Gatorade bath be?
DraftKings allows you to make cross-sport wagers in relation to the Super Bowl. You can bet whether Ja Morant will have more points than Travis Kelce has catches when each play on Sunday. Or if Jalen Hurts will have more rushing yards than LeBron James has points, assists and rebounds.
Savor the last NFL game of the season
The beauty of the Super Bowl is you can enjoy it however you’d like. Maybe you’re like me and you like finding whacky prop bets. Or you could be a no nonsense bettor that prefers betting on the point spread and total.
Even if you’re not a football fan, it’s fun getting together with friends and family for a Super Bowl party. The big game gives you the opportunity to pig out with an assortment of dips and entrees, all while watching the most entertaining commercials of the year.
If you’re a music fan, the Super Bowl has something for you too with Rihanna’s highly-anticipated halftime show.
But if you are a bettor like me, be sure to stay updated on the promos offered by each sportsbook. New ones are popping up daily and you don’t want to miss out on a great offer.
