The Heartland Line
Is sports betting legal in Illinois?
Illinois has had legal online sports betting since 2020, but state law keeps Illinois college teams, the Illini and Northwestern included, off its sportsbooks.
Reviewed 2026-10-10. Laws change; we re-check every state page each month and after any vote.
What Illinois fans can use today
Also licensed: Caesars. None of them may take a wager on an Illinois college team.
ExchangesLiveKalshi and Polymarket: federally regulated, a fee on each fill. Priced on the board with the fee removed.
This week’s Big Ten games, priced where Illinois can play
Favourite's moneyline on Novig against the best price at a sportsbook licensed in Illinois and the best exchange. Profit on a $100 position, fees taken out.
| Game | Favourite | Novig | Best book here | Best exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State at Indiana Sat, Oct 17 · 12:00 PM ET | Ohio State | -174 +$57.47 | -205 FanDuel · +$48.78 | -178 Kalshi · +$52.41 |
Prices refresh about every ten minutes. Open a game for the spread, the total and every venue.
The law in Illinois, in plain English
The Sports Wagering Act allows online and retail books under the Illinois Gaming Board, and the major apps operate. The same law bars wagers on Illinois college programs, so Illini and Wildcats fans cannot back their own team at a home-state sportsbook.
Prediction markets are available but contested. A 2026 budget law (SB 3019) added a state license and tax for prediction markets, and Kalshi and the CFTC have both sued to block it. Novig is available in Illinois and lists Illini and Northwestern games; Kalshi operates in the state, while Polymarket US does not currently serve it.
Your teams
Questions Illinois fans ask
- Is online sports betting legal in Illinois?
- Illinois has had legal online sports betting since 2020, but state law keeps Illinois college teams, the Illini and Northwestern included, off its sportsbooks.
- Can I use DraftKings or FanDuel in Illinois?
- Yes. Both are licensed in Illinois, along with BetMGM, theScore Bet, bet365, BetRivers, Hard Rock Bet, Fanatics.
- Can I use Novig in Illinois?
- Yes. Novig is a CFTC-designated prediction market available in Illinois to traders 21 and older, and it prices every Big Ten game.
- What about Kalshi and Polymarket?
- Both prediction markets operate in Illinois under the same federal framework as Novig. They quote a probability rather than a line and charge a fee on each fill; this site shows all three side by side with the fee taken out.
- What is the minimum age?
- Novig requires traders to be 21 or older. Sportsbooks in Illinois require 21 as well.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.