Is William Hill sportsbook available in Illinois?
No, after previously operating in the state, the William Hill sportsbook is no longer available in Illinois. This is because Caesars Entertainment acquired parent company William Hill in a $4 billion deal in 2021.
As part of the acquisition, Caesars rebranded William Hill Sportsbooks to Caesars Sportsbook. So while you can no longer bet with William Hill, Caesars Sportsbook Illinois now offers its market-leading experience and promotions to Illinois bettors.
About the Caesars Acquisition of William Hill
In April 2021, Caesars Entertainment announced it was acquiring UK-based William Hill in a $4 billion deal. Caesars took control of William Hill's sportsbooks in the United States. This included their operations in 10 states at the time, including Illinois.
For Caesars, obtaining William Hill's sports betting platform and expertise helped accelerate their growth in the newly legal U.S. market. The acquisition made Caesars a major player in sports betting and online gambling by merging two industry leaders.
When did William Hill launch in Illinois?
William Hill was one of the first sportsbooks to go live when Illinois launched mobile sports wagering in June 2020.
Given William Hill's prior experience running sportsbooks in Europe, they were able to deploy their platform and offerings to Illinois bettors quickly.
William Hill operated successfully in the state until transitioning to Caesars Sportsbook in 2021 after the acquisition. Their early entry allowed William Hill to gain market share before additional competitors like DraftKings entered.
What happened to William Hill users in Illinois?
Users previously with William Hill Illinois accounts were automatically transferred to Caesars Sportsbook.
This ensured a smooth transition where users could retain their account details like username, password, and deposited funds.
Caesars effectively upgraded William Hill users to Caesars improved platform and rewards program. So former William Hill customers now enjoy access to Caesars' industry-leading experience.
With competitive odds and its reputation for user experience, Caesars Sportsbook ensures William Hill customers continue to enjoy one of the best Illinois sportsbooks.
