Illinois Sportsbook Promos and Betting Offers

The legal Illinois sports betting market is huge, competitive and poised to grow. That’s a win for IL sports bettors. Competition means fantastic Illinois sports betting promos, bonus bets and welcome offers. Top sites like Caesars, BetMGM, FanDuel and others are now offering generous welcome bonuses to get you started. To help you navigate the Illinois sportsbook bonus world, we will walk through all the ins and outs of Illinois sports betting bonuses.

Top Illinois sports betting promos

Best Illinois sportsbook bonuses

When getting ready to sign up for a new sportsbook, the following question should pop into your head: What’s in it for me? As mentioned, the competitive landscape translates into multiple offers you can use to your advantage. All eight Illinois online sportsbooks have welcome offers, and from these we’ve selected our top six to recommend:

Caesars Sportsbook IL

• Bonus Offer: $1,000 First Bet on Caesars
• Promo code: PLAYIL1000

New sign-ups at Caesars Sportsbook in Illinois can receive one of the many “first bet” offers being offered by Illinois sportsbooks. If you lose your first bet at Caesars the site will refund your stake amount back as a bonus bet up worth up to .

BetMGM Sportsbook IL

• Bonus Offer: Up To $1,500 in Bonus Bets If Your First Bet Doesn’t Win*
• Promo Code: PLAYIL

New BetMGM Sportsbook users also can take advantage of a generous welcome offer that rewards them with bonus bets if they happen to lose their first wager after signing up and depositing. *Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l terms.

FanDuel Sportsbook IL

• Bonus Offer: Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Guaranteed PLUS 3 Weeks of NFL Sunday Ticket
• Promo Code: Click to claim promo

FanDuel Sportsbook offers a new users the chance to make an initial wager of at least $5, and if they win their wager they receive bonus bets to help get them started on the site.

DraftKings Sportsbook IL

• Bonus Offer: Up to $1,300 Bonus
• Promo Code: Click to claim promo

This welcome offer is one of the best you’ll find across the industry. Once you click on our link to create a new account at DraftKings Sportsbook, the doors are open for an excellent three-part offer.

BetRivers Sportsbook IL

• Bonus Offer: $500 Bonus – 2nd Chance Bet
• Promo Code: PLAYIL

Much as it does in other states, BetRivers Sportsbook has a nice welcome offer for Illinois bettors that gives them bonus bets back if they lose their first wager. This “2nd chance” promo gives you another shot to win as you get started on the site.

Fanatics Sportsbook IL

• Bonus Offer: Bet and Get up to $1,000 in Bonus Bets
• Promo Code: Click to claim promo

Fanatics Sportsbook is the newest sportsbook in IL and comes with a unique welcome offer for Illinois bettors. Once you’ve created your account and deposited, for the first 10 days on the site your initial bet will be matched with an equivalent bonus bet worth up to $100. Bet the max. all 10 days, and this bonus can be worth up to $1,000 in bonus bets.

Different types of bonuses and promotions

While bonus offers abound at online sportsbooks and sports betting apps here in Illinois, not all are created equal. There are different rules that you need to follow for each. Here’s a look at the typical bonus offers you’ll come across at sportsbooks.

First deposit bonus

For this offer, sportsbooks will match your first deposit up to a certain amount. It could be a certain percentage, such as 20%, or a full dollar-for-dollar match. In either case, the bonus will be for up to a capped amount, e.g., $500.

A minimum deposit is generally required to qualify, typically a nominal amount of $25 or less. There may also be a playthrough requirement for funds to be released, so be sure to understand the offer’s full terms and conditions.

For example, the book may release your funds in increments, such as $1 for every $25 played. There could also be time requirements to complete the bonus, such as within 30 days.

Bonus bet

A bonus bet is another popular way for online and mobile sportsbooks to welcome new users. After you make an initial deposit, you can place your first wager in bonus fashion of up to a certain amount, sometimes as much as $1,000.

If the bet is a loser, the site will refund you the wager amount in the form of site credits. The credits aren’t eligible for immediate withdrawal, but there’s sometimes a 1x playthrough requirement.

A 1x playthrough means that you have to wager that amount again. If the site gives you back $25, you must bet that same amount once for the funds to be eligible for withdrawal.

Match bet offer

This offer works similarly to the bonus ones, but you can still benefit even if you win on your first bet. For the match bet, the book will give you the amount of your first wager in site credits, whether you win or lose.

Naturally, there will be caps attached to the amount of the bet eligible, but it’s still a generous offer. The amount the book credits to you will have playthrough requirements that you’ll have to meet before the funds are free and clear.

If you receive a matched bet of $100, that amount will be in your account as either site credit or bonus bets. Once you play that amount on the site, the amount of the match will be yours to do with as you wish.

Money back bonus bet

The money-back offer resembles bet insurance, a promotional offering that sportsbooks hand out from time to time. If you place a bet and lose in a certain fashion, the site will credit you back the wager amount.

Those funds would then be subject to a playthrough requirement. Money back will apply to the proverbial bad beats and may vary. Examples include an MLB bet that goes awry in extra innings or an NFL wager that loses in overtime.

As you may expect, the money-back bet needs to be played through on the site. Any winnings from that point are yours to keep, but the operator won’t credit you the money-back bet to your account again.

How do bonus bets work?

You’re ready to get started with sports betting and have heard of some great bonus offers for the taking. Now what? The first step is to place yourself in a position to take advantage of them by clicking our exclusive links to get started.

Beyond that, there are some key things you need to know. Let’s take a look.

Why do sportsbooks offer no deposit and bonus bet bonuses?

Sportsbooks are in the business of attracting as many users as possible. This is especially true when they enter a new market, such as Illinois. In a perfect world, the users they attract will become loyal customers.

Users have several options for where to place their sports betting dollars. The landscape is competitive, so operators must do what they can to stand apart from the crowd.

Enter bonus offers. Users who take advantage of these offers wind up with free funds, while sportsbooks benefit by having more customers in the fold.

How do I claim sportsbook bonus offers?

For our recommended operators, the process is simple. All you have to do is click through on our exclusive links to create an account. If there’s a bonus code necessary, we have it here. You’ll enter it when prompted.

What you need to do from there will vary by offer. In cases where it’s free funds for signing up, the book will credit your account immediately. Many offers require an initial deposit, while other offers apply to your first real money wager.

In all cases, as long as you follow the steps we’ve laid out, you’ll be good to go. Remember that there may be time limits on activating the offers or playthrough requirements, so be sure you understand what you need to do.

What else do I need to know?

As mentioned, the clock may start ticking on certain offers after you create your account. For example, you may have to make a deposit within a certain time frame or place a bet by a certain date.

The best advice is to take the time to review the terms and conditions at the sportsbook on any bonus bet offers. There are often specific requirements in place, such as a minimum odds requirement for the bet to be accepted.

Also, the bonus offers may only be allowable for certain straight wagers, while others may allow a parlay or other exotic wager. Once again, review the rules on-site for additional details and requirements.

Pros and cons of IL sports betting bonus offers

Bonus bets allow you to check out a sports betting site with limited or no risk. Another benefit is you can start with a bigger bankroll than you may have available by taking advantage of the maximum offers.

It’s tough to find a downside to free money, but you should be mindful of a few things. The most important are the playthrough requirements as well as time limits that may be in place.

As long as you know what you’re signing up for and understand what’s expected of you, then you shouldn’t run into any issues. For clarity, it’s always a good idea to give the bonus bet rules at the site you are playing on a once-over to avoid confusion.