About Arlington Park in Illinois
Arlington Park racetrack in Illinois has existed for more than 90 years. It first opened its doors on October 13, 1927, when it began hosting thoroughbred racing. Despite the chilly weather, more than 20,000 spectators showed up to celebrate the occasion in grand fashion. After surviving World War II and the Great Depression, the track thrived during the Golden Age of Racing.
In 1981, Arlington Park hosted the first Million Dollar Race — The Arlington Million — to be held anywhere in the world. The winner of this inaugural race was the horse John Henry, ridden by jockey Bill Shoemaker. A statue commemorates their triumph. John Henry went on to become the only horse to win this race twice, with another win in 1984.
In 2002, Arlington Park hosted the first Breeders' Cup Thoroughbred Championships ever held in the Midwest before a sold-out audience of 46,118. Five years later, during the 2007 race meeting, Arlington was the first track in the Midwest, and the fifth in the US as a whole, to install a synthetic horse racing surface when the cutting-edge Polytrack surface was introduced. Over the years, many of the best riders, trainers, and thoroughbreds have been seen at this track.
The Arlington Park site has been purchased by the Chicago Bears. They have plans to build a new NFL stadium on the site, meaning that Arlington Park will continue to offer top-class sports and customer service in the Chicago metropolitan region, along with hopefully opening a top IL sportsbook.
What types of gambling does Arlington Park offer?
Arlington Park offers two betting options to its guests.
Horse betting
Horse race betting in Illinois, and in Arlington Park specifically, is very popular Because technology has improved, bettors now have two main choices: they can place their bets online or in person at a racetrack.
“Win” means you came in first, “place” means you came in second, and “show” means you came in third. But you can also make “win/place/show” bets, which means something a little different.