Few cities have such a rich a basketball history as Chicago. A plethora of talent has come out of the Windy City through the years. Folks across the great state of Illinois know their hoops and are also in tune with one of the year’s biggest betting events.
For a few weeks each spring, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament takes center stage in the world of sports. Affectionately known as March Madness, this event sees the top teams from across the nation square off to crown a champ. Chicago has served as a regional hub for the tourney many times, while homegrown talents have more than made their mark.
Names such as Isiah Thomas, Kendall Gill and Deron Williams have lit up the scoreboard while delivering mesmerizing performances on the biggest stage. The March Madness tradition in Illinois is a strong one, and we can all get in on the fun and excitement like never before.
Legal sports betting is now a-go here in Illinois. There’s no need to take a trek over to neighboring Indiana any longer, as there are plenty of places to play here at home. Our guide to March Madness betting in Illinois covers all you need to know. Let’s tip it off by taking a look at the top places to play.
Options abound for betting on March Madness here in Illinois. Our recommended operators have some outstanding bonus offers for new users. Here are the best Illinois sportsbooks for you to get in on the games.
See below for updated March Madness odds direct from Illinois online sportsbooks. Before the tournament you can bet on futures odds for teams to either make the Final Four or win the National Championship. Once the bracket is set you’ll find live games lines (point spreads, moneylines and totals) in the second tab. Click on any odds to go directly to the online sportbook, claim your bonus and start getting your March Madness bets in.
When it’s time to bet on March Madness, you’ll need a legal, regulated sportsbook to take care of business. Each of our recommended sportsbooks passes muster on that front. Even better, getting started is a quick and painless process.
First, click through our links to create an IL betting account and become eligible for exclusive bonus offers. You’ll be brought to the sign-up page to enter your name, email address and date of birth.
After that’s all set, you’ll click the submission button and your new account is official. You can take some time to browse around the college basketball betting markets, but be sure to take a second to download the app for your device from the sportsbook’s website.
Once you log in on mobile, you’ll have to add some funds — there are a several payment methods to choose from — and get ready to place your bets.
Keep in mind: Sports betting odds move fast, especially around March Madness time. The numbers won’t always be the same at each book, either. For example, BetRivers may have one price, while PointsBet is offering another.
There’s nothing wrong with having a favorite place to play, but signing up for multiple books via our links will help make sure that you’re ready to pounce on the best odds as they arise.
For every game on the docket during March Madness, sportsbooks will offer odds and lines. The listings at online sportsbooks will feature the main bet types and look like this:
Team | Point Spread | Moneyline | Total |
---|---|---|---|
Kentucky | +1.5 (-110) | +110 | O 139.5 (-110) |
Duke | -1.5 (-110) | -120 | U 139.5 (-110) |
Right next to the two team names are the odds for the main bet types. For this example, Duke is a 1.5-point favorite on the spread and favored on the moneyline, while the projected total has been set at 139.5 points. Here’s a quick refresher on how these basketball bets work:
Each of those three bet types will attract tons of action during March Madness, but there are other offerings to consider as well. Here are some other ways to wager:
Bracket competitions are a great way to ramp up the excitement of NCAA March Madness. That said, it’s tough to beat single-game wagers as they open the door to even more ways to win. You can also play in a bracket contest or two while focusing your main efforts on the individual games.
Be aware that Illinois sports betting law states that wagering on in-state collegiate teams is prohibited. That means that if any of the local teams get invited to the dance, you won’t be able to wager on those teams.
While that’s less than ideal, there’s nothing to stop you from rooting along as they advance in the tourney. In fact, that may make it even better as you can keep your betting and rooting interests completely separate.
So, which local squads have the best shot at making the tournament next time around? Let’s take a look at how some of the state’s top programs fared last season and where they finished up:
Of the above teams, Illinois, Bradley, Northern Illinois and Loyola-Chicago were in the best position for potential spots in March Madness. For the coming campaign, the Fighting Illini and Braves appear to be the top contenders.
The sheer number of games during March Madness can make wagering a bit intimidating. However, you can overcome that by taking a measured approach while focusing on the games you find the most appealing. Here’s a trio of things to keep in mind as you map out your March Madness betting strategy:
We mentioned keeping a watchful eye on the odds in the futures market, and the same applies to single-game bets. March Madness odds are released well in advance of tipoff, and you can be sure there will be line movement.
You should watch the line moves for some clues on which way the money is flowing. In addition, don’t be shy about checking out the prices at multiple operators. DraftKings may have a better price on one game, while William Hill may be tops on another, for example.
At times, knowing what not to do can be just as important as knowing what to do. One of those times comes when you’re betting on sports. We’re all going to make mistakes and bad calls, and there’s no way to avoid that altogether.
However, there are also some betting pitfalls that you can steer clear of — provided that you know what to watch for, that is. Here are three potential landmines to steer clear of as you prepare to bet on March Madness:
In addition to avoiding the above missteps, you can mitigate even more of the potential damage by approaching March Madness with a clear plan. You should have a budget in place for how much you plan to wager, as well a targeted number of games per round.
For your bankroll, you can allocate a certain amount of money to single-game wagers and keep a portion aside for props and live betting. On the games, think through what you can reasonably handle and then whittle it down to your top options on the board.
The release of the March Madness bracket is one of the most anticipated events of college basketball season. The bracket lays out the schedule for the tournament, and serves as the basis for a slew of contests.
Bracket contests can be as simple as one from your office or favorite watering hole. You can also find contests online, some of which are free to enter while others ask for an entry fee. In all cases, those with the best scoring bracket can win prizes.
The free contests can be entertaining, but most of the bigger contests attract loads of entries. As such, winning or making some noise is a tough trick to turn. Paid contests with fewer entrants provide a more realistic chance of winning.
Online and sportsbooks and sports betting apps also offer contests in both categories. We’ll cover what to keep an eye out for in a bit. Brackets are a great way to get engaged with March Madness, but there’s also a lot to be said for wagering on the games.
From the First Four through to the national title tilt, there are 67 games to consider. There are numerous ways to wager on each game to boot, and by extension, even greater chances to win some money.
Now that sports betting has been legalized in Illinois, we can safely expect that the leading operators will go all out come tournament time. Beyond offering markets on all of the games, they’ll likely provide some big bracket contests.
While we don’t have the specifics yet, we can look toward what some of the top shops have done in other states in recent times. DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook have offered some rather big free-to-play contests in the past, for example.
They worked just like any other bracket contest: You pick the winner of each game for the entire tournament. Just be sure to fill your bracket out in full before the first game tips off. And check our guide to How to Predict March Madness Upsets, too.
There are prizes for the winner, but we once again have to point out that free games bring in plenty of users, so winning is far from easy. You should be on the lookout for paid contests from the top books.
The top-scoring brackets earn prizes, and DraftKings and FanDuel don’t have things on lockdown by any means. You should also keep your eyes open for March Madness contests from operators such as William Hill, PointsBet and BetMGM.
Another big part of March Madness excitement is that the early rounds take place at multiple venues across the nation. Well, that’s in normal times. It remains unclear if the 2021 edition will be like years’ past.
The 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled for the first time in history. The hope is that there won’t be any issues next time around, but we’ll have to wait and see on that front.
As originally planned, the 2021 tournament was scheduled to be held at multiple venues from the First Four through to the Elite Eight, with the Final Four and championship game held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The NCAA announced that the entire 2021 tournament will be held in Indiana. Here are the scheduled dates:
Overall, whether the tournament is spread across multiple venues or held in a single spot will be relatively irrelevant to betting. There will still be a whole host of ways to take part legally and safely in Illinois, and we can anticipate that the overall interest level will be high.
The Final Four is scheduled to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 3, 2021. The national championship game is set for the same venue on April 5. This year’s tournament may be different from prior editions. NCAA officials have floated the possibility of holding the entire event in a single city as opposed to holding the opening rounds at multiple arenas across the nation.
The 2021 edition of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will be held exclusively in Indianapolis, and environs according to NCAA officials. If the tournament was being played in multiple sites as originally scheduled, first and second round games were scheduled for the Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.
The broadcast rights for the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament are held by CBS Sports and Turner Sports. Currently, games are scheduled to be carried on the following networks.
All of the above networks are available on multiple cable, satellite and streaming providers. You should also be able to watch via app on the network that’s carrying the game, but note that valid login credentials are usually necessary.
For now, the best course of action is to visit NCAA.com and look for the men’s basketball section. You can sign up for additional information on the Final Four with your email address, and you’ll be contacted with specifics on prices and packages as soon as more details are available. Once tickets are released for sale to the public, you should be able to find them available via major ticket brokers and resellers.
Prices will vary by year and venue, but you’re looking at an investment of at least $200. That’s also the list price, so keep in mind that the cost will be inflated even further for any tickets that make it to the resale market. For an average ballpark price, you’re looking at a minimum of $200-$300 for tickets, but likely more than that.