Illinois Sports Betting Tops $1 Billion Again in July 2026

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Fri Oct 02, 2026, 8:00 am ET

Read Time: 3 minutes

Illinois Sports Betting Tops $1 Billion Again in July 2026

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Illinois sports betting operators extended their billion-dollar run in July. The 2026 FIFA World Cup also helped drive a sharp increase in wagering activity.

Online and retail sportsbooks accepted $1.05 billion in wagers during July. That figure represented a 21.7% increase from July 2025. It also marked Illinois' 12th consecutive month with more than $1 billion in handle.

The latest figures reported by the Illinois Gaming Board show how major sporting events can influence the state's betting market. The World Cup provided additional wagering opportunities throughout the month. Meanwhile, Illinois operators also benefited from a stronger hold compared with June.

World Cup Helps Push Handle Higher

The World Cup played a significant role in July's performance. The U.S. reached the round of 16, while several major soccer nations advanced deep into the tournament.

England, France, Argentina, and eventual champion Spain all remained involved during the latter stages. As a result, sportsbooks had a steady selection of high-profile soccer markets available to bettors.

Betting activity increased alongside the larger handle. Illinois sportsbooks recorded more than 21 million bets during July, representing a 13.2% year-over-year increase.

The tournament therefore gave US online sportsbooks another major event to promote during the summer. That additional activity came alongside the state's established baseball and basketball betting markets.

Illinois Sportsbook Revenue Reaches $116.5 Million

Operators also posted substantial revenue growth during July. Illinois sportsbooks generated $116.5 million in adjusted gross revenue, up 30% from the same month last year.

The statewide hold reached 11.1% during the month. That result represented a significant improvement from June, when bettors produced an unusually low operator win rate.

Several major operators contributed to the state's July revenue total.

Sportsbook July Handle Adjusted Revenue
DraftKings $382.7 million $42.5 million
FanDuel $286.1 million $36.9 million
Fanatics Sportsbook $89.1 million $7.9 million
BetMGM $67.7 million $6.4 million
bet365 $61.3 million $6.7 million
BetRivers $40.9 million $5.1 million

DraftKings generated the largest handle and adjusted revenue among the listed online operators. FanDuel also posted a strong July, producing a hold of nearly 13% on its $286.1 million handle.

Mobile Betting Remains Dominant

Mobile wagering continued to account for almost all Illinois sports betting activity. Online bets represented all but $13.8 million of the state's $1.05 billion July handle.

That split highlights the importance of digital platforms within Illinois gambling. Consumers continue to place the overwhelming majority of their sports wagers through online sportsbooks rather than retail locations.

At the same time, all six leading online operators reported year-over-year revenue growth. That broad improvement indicates that July's gains extended beyond the state's largest sportsbook brands.

Illinois Collects $29.6 Million in Taxes

The stronger sportsbook performance also increased state tax collections. Illinois collected $29.6 million in total sports betting tax revenue during July.

July also marked the first anniversary of the state's per-wager tax. Operators contributed $5.4 million through the 25- and 50-cent surcharge during the month. The surcharge is paid in addition to the standard state sports wagering tax, with the rate depending on an operator's wagering volume.

The per-wager tax has generated at least $5 million in additional revenue during each of its first 12 months. Cook County received 1.17 million from the overall tax collections.

Consequently, the July betting surge benefited both sportsbook operators and public coffers. Illinois now enters the remainder of 2026 with a sustained billion-dollar betting streak.

The July figures also show how a major international sporting event can supplement the state's regular betting calendar.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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