Disclaimer: Golden Nugget is not yet live in Illinois. This review is speculative based on its offerings in other states. We will update this review once the Illinois sportsbook launches.
Golden Nugget is one of the most recognizable brands in gambling. Golden Nugget Online Gaming entered into a partnership with Wilmot Gaming Illinois in November 2020 to help launch the sportsbook.
In this Golden Nugget Illinois review, you’ll learn how to sign up, the Golden Nugget welcome bonus is and more.
By using the bonus code PLAYBONUS, you will be eligible for a risk-free first bet on the Golden Nugget Sportsbook app for up to $100.
The way the welcome bonus works is simple. When you create your new account and use the bonus code, you’ll receive a refund on your first bet at Golden Nugget — up to $100 — if it loses. If your bet wins, everything remains the same.
Your refund will come in the form of a free bet, not as cash. Also, your first settled bet with Golden Nugget is the eligible wager, not necessarily your first bet. Other terms and conditions also apply.
Online Sportsbook | Golden Nugget Sportsbook IL |
---|---|
Bonus Code | PLAYBONUS |
Bonus Offer | Risk-free first bet, up to $100 |
Last Updated | December 8, 2020 |
Golden Nugget Sportsbook has plenty of promotions available for Illinois sports bettors:
With new promotions coming out often, make sure to watch your email and the Golden Nugget promo page.
Yes, Golden Nugget Sportsbook is legal in Illinois. Golden Nugget Online Gaming (GNOG) signed a 20-year deal with Danville Development in 2020, which allowed GNOG to enter the sports wagering market in the Prairie State.
Sports betting became legal in Illinois when Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Sports Wagering Act in June 2019. The first legal sports wager occurred in March 2020.
Illinois law states that you must register in person when creating an Illinois sportsbook account. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mobile registration has been allowed temporarily for extended periods of time. When and if in-person registration returns is not known, but PlayIllinois has the latest status here.
Also, be aware that while betting on college sports is allowed in Illinois, wagering on games involving Illinois-based colleges and universities is strictly prohibited.
Creating your Golden Nugget Sportsbook account should take only a few minutes, whether on the app or website. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Depending on when you are signing up for your Golden Nugget account, you may have to do so in person. Golden Nugget doesn’t have a retail partnership in Illinois. The company plans on building a casino in Danville; however, as of December 2020, the casino application hasn’t been OK’d by the Illinois Gaming Board.
Before going over what you need to know about the Golden Nugget app, here’s a guide for downloading and installing it onto your Android or iOS device.
You can use our links to the sportsbook site and follow the prompts to download the app for your device. Once you have clicked on the link from your phone/tablet, you will be asked if you want to download the file.
The download should take only a couple of minutes. When it’s complete click, on the file and select “Install.” You may be asked if you trust the source of the file you are about to install. Once again, select yes.
When the app finishes installing, you are ready to set up your account.
Once you open up the Golden Nugget app, you’ll notice that it’s more than just a sportsbook, it also is an online casino. So, if and when online casinos become legal in Illinois, you would be able to use it for that, as well. But for this review, we’re strictly looking at the sportsbook portion.
Down the right side of the page are links to your account, make a deposit, contact support or follow some of Golden Nugget’s social media pages.
The middle of the screen is where the bulk of the action is, including where you will see live games and other games. A dropdown menu in the middle of the screen displays promos, a betting guides, a look at your betting history and more. Next to that is your bet slip, where you’re able to see all your pending bets.
Here are what we consider some of the best features of the Golden Nugget Sportsbook app:
Here are our thoughts on a few of the areas where Golden Nugget online sportsbook could use some improvement:
Here’s a list of the types of sports wagers you can make at Golden Nugget, along with an explanation and example of how they operate:
Golden Nugget online sportsbook in Illinois has odds and lines on about any team and league.
When it comes to pro sports, you can bet on the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS and UFC using the Golden Nugget app. But that’s far from all; there also are markets for the PGA Tours, in tennis you can bet on the WTA and ATP, and for motorsports, there’s NASCAR and IndyCar action.
If soccer is your sport, but the MLS isn’t enough, there are international leagues galore like the English Premier League, Champions League and Spain’s La Liga, just to name a few.
Finally, you can even try your luck with smaller, fringe sports.
You’ll notice that we’re only talking about professional teams. In Illinois, it is illegal to bet on games involving Illinois-based colleges and universities.
There are two Chicago MLB teams to bet on at Golden Nugget: the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. The two teams have been around for more than a hundred years each, and both the North Siders and South Siders have won three World Series titles a piece.
In the NBA you’ve got the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won six NBA titles in an eight-year span in the ’90s thanks to His Airness himself, Michael Jordan.
Another iconic franchise makes its home in Chicago, and that’s the Chicago Bears of the NFL. The Bears have only won one Super Bowl, back in 1985 against the New England Patriots, but the Bears have more players (35) in the Pro Football Hall of Fame than any other organization.
The Chicago Blackhawks are another top organization from the Windy City. Not only have the Hawks won six Stanley Cup titles overall, but three of them have come since the 2009-10 season.
There are two more pro teams from Chicago that you can bet on using the Golden Nugget Sportsbook app. There’s the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, who are not affiliated with the Bulls, making them one of the few teams not allied with their NBA counterpart.
Then there’s the Chicago Fire. The Fire became one of the few franchises in all the sports to win a championship in their inaugural season in 1998. Chicago has reached the MLS Cup Finals on two other occasions, losing both times.
For those who are new to online sports betting in Illinois, futures betting is when you wager on season-long or championship events instead of only betting on one game.
Sportsbooks tend to differ in exactly what type of futures markets they offer their users, but here’s a look at the futures markets you likely will see at Golden Nugget in Illinois.
Future odds can change quickly when a team makes a big trade or free-agent signing or when a star player is lost for the season, like what happened to the Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson prior to the 2020-21 NBA season.
One of the best parts about the Golden Nugget online sportsbook is the number of methods you have to both deposit and cash out, remotely and in person. Here’s a look at all your options when it comes to funding your Golden Nugget Sportsbook account:
Note that the Amex, Visa, Mastercard and VIP Preferred methods require deposits of at least $20, while the other choices require only $10.
Here are your options for withdrawing money from Golden Nugget:
If you want a check mailed to you, the minimum is $300, while for a bank wire transfer the minimum is $500. For PayPal and a Play+ card, you can cash out only $10. And if you use VIP Preferred, you must withdraw at least $20.
Another benefit is that customer support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can call 1-855-873-1010, and you can email [email protected] Or you can go to the Golden Nugget app or website and live chat with someone from the customer service team.
As part of legal, regulated gaming, Golden Nugget promotes responsible gambling practices.
The Golden Nugget’s website includes information about organizations you can contact if you have a gambling problem. Golden Nugget also lets you set restrictions on how much you can gamble and how often. If you have a serious problem, you also are able to exclude yourself completely from Golden Nugget’s online sportsbook.
It is way too early for Golden Nugget to be considered the best sportsbook in Illinois. While it has the backing of one of the top names in the casino industry, it’s not enough to put it in the class of other sportsbooks in Illinois, such as FanDuel, DraftKings, William Hill or PointsBet.
All those sportsbooks have proven to have what it takes to be among the best in the Prairie State. There’s no reason why Golden Nugget can’t reach those lofty heights eventually.