Below is a round-up of the most exciting events that will take place in the Illinois sports betting market in 2023:
Bally Bet and Circa Sports opens new retail sportsbooks
Bally Bet is partnering with Bally’s Quad Cities Casino to offer retail betting and could open as soon as January 2023. Bally Bet operates in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, New York, and Virginia and offers a wide array of retail and online sports betting options.
Circa Sports has partnered with New American Place Casino to bring its popular sports betting brand to Illinois. Circa currently operates in Nevada, and its retail and online operations could open as soon as February 2023 in the Praire State.
Caliplay, Unibet, WynnBET, and Circa Sports are ready to launch
Caliente Interactive is a new player on the American sports betting scene but is well known in Mexico. Caliente just recently received its online-only license from the IGB and could launch as soon as the spring of 2023. The company will operate its betting site in the state under the name Caliplay.
In addition to Caliplay, these online sportsbooks have also received their licenses and are ready to launch this year:
Unibet
Unibet is headquartered in Malta and is an internationally known sportsbook operator since 1997. Unibet has over 11 million customers worldwide and is best known for its fast withdrawals and tremendous customer service.
Unibet is currently in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is expected to open its online presence in Illinois as early as this spring.
WynnBET
WynnBET filed for both retail and online licenses in June of 2022 and has yet to be granted an operating license. Wynnbet is a Las Vegas-based company with both online and retail presence in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia.
WynnBET remains undecided on which casino to tether its sportsbook to but more news should be available once their final application status is determined.
Circa Sports
Circa Sports is a Las Vegas-based sportsbook operator currently in Nevada, Colorado, and Iowa and could open both its retail and online presence in Illinois in the next few months.
Circa is awaiting approval from the Illinois Gaming Board and plans on tethering its retail operation to the Full House Resorts casino in Waukegan with an opening sometime in March. Their online operations are expected shortly after.
Upcoming Illinois sports betting events
There are also plenty of sporting events to look forward to in 2023:
NFL Wild Card Weekend January 14-16 2023
Wild Card Weekend is headed our way with six Wild Card games. The schedule hasn’t been decided yet, but we can expect the sportsbooks to offer its usual dose of prop bets, exotic wagers, odds boosts, and other special sports betting promotions.
Australian Open January 15-January 29th, 2023
Betting on pro tennis matches is big business in Illinois, as bettors wagered an estimated $70 million on last season’s event. Sportsbooks offer future wagers and their standard moneyline, spread, Over/Under, and various match and individual prop bet wagers.
Super Bowl LVII February 12, 2023
The Chicago Bears won’t be there, but Illinois sports gamblers will have plenty of wagering options to increase upon the $61 million Illinois bettors wagered on Super Bowl LVI.
The bookies get creative with amazing prop bet options, Same Game Parlays (SGP), live betting, numerous other promotional offers, odds boosts, and special parlay offers.
March Madness March 14-April 3, 2023
The Illinois Fighting Illini is one of the top 50 teams in the country and could make a serious run when the Big Dance begins. Illinois sports bettors weren’t allowed to wager on Illinois-based college teams last season.
That law has changed, and IL betting apps should see an increase to the estimated $278 million wagered in 2022. Expect the operators to offer many promotions, bonuses, and other specials for Illinois citizens to enjoy.
NBA Playoffs Begin April 15, 2023
The Chicago Bulls are currently the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference and have a legitimate shot at reaching the NBA playoffs.
Illinois sports bettors wagered more than $300 million in 2022, and we can expect that trend to continue in 2023. Look for special parlay, SGP promotions, and prop bet offers for this two-month event.
NHL Playoffs Begin May 2, 2023
The Chicago Blackhawks have work to do to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and their current five-game losing streak isn’t helping them accomplish this.
Illinois bettors wagered over $100 million during last season’s playoffs, and we should expect an increase to that number and many special promotions and SGP betting opportunities.
