Illinois Sports Betting Hits $128M Revenue in February

A Super Bowl Boost

The $1.6 billion handle, up 7.4% from February 2024’s Super Bowl month, marked six straight months above $1 billion. Revenue jumped 53.1% year-over-year, fueled by an operator-friendly Super Bowl LIX, with a statewide hold of 11%, a 3-point climb from last year.

The state collected $45.8 million in taxes, pushing 2025’s tax total near $100 million.

Online betting drove the surge, handling $1.12 billion and nearly all revenue, save $2.5 million from retail. Super Bowl LIX was a standout, with NFL bets generating $11.4 million in revenue from a $55.4 million handle, hitting a 20% hold. Total football wagering, including college games, reached $66.8 million with a 17% hold.

Around the $337.7 million comes from the parlay handle that yielded $76.1 million in revenue, per IGB data.

Top Sports and Operators

Basketball led all sports, with a $444.1 million handle from NBA and NCAA action, though its 4.4% hold produced $19.5 million in revenue.

Tennis ranked third, with $91.5 million wagered and $5.8 million earned. Basketball’s handle was huge, but low margins keep it in check. Other sports, like soccer, added $4.7 million in revenue from a $56.7 million handle.

Among online operators, DraftKings topped the handle at $420.3 million, earning $41.7 million in revenue. FanDuel, with a $357.3 million handle, nearly matched at $41.2 million, thanks to a stronger 13.8% hold versus DraftKings’ 9.9%.

Fanatics Sportsbook shone, posting a record $14.5 million in revenue from a $109.5 million handle, third-highest among operators. BetRivers edged BetMGM in revenue, $6 million to $5.7 million, despite a slightly lower $61.2 million handle compared to BetMGM’s $62.8 million.

Caesars lagged, with $49.5 million wagered and $3.3 million earned, while ESPN Bet and Hard Rock Bet saw modest activity. Circa Sports took a $134,000 loss.