Bettors in the state of Illinois now have a third choice for land-based sports betting.
Yesterday William Hill became the third US sportsbook operator to open a land-based sportsbook in the state of Illinois.
This comes after the operator launched a sportsbook inside the Capital One Arena in Washington DC last week.
William Hill in Illinois
William Hill’s land-based sportsbook in Illinois is located at the Caesars-owned Grand Victoria Casino Elgin, approximately 40 miles outside of Chicago.
The William Hill sportsbook is located next to the main casino floor and features three full-service ticket windows, high-top tables, seating areas and multiple TV screens.
William Hill said it intends to roll out its online and mobile betting option once it receives regulatory approval.
This marks the first launch of a land-based sportsbook since the coronavirus pandemic hit and the third land-based sportsbook to enter the state since sports betting went live in Illinois.
David Grolman, president of retail operations for William Hill, said: “I’m looking forward to seeing the community come together to watch their favourite teams as we welcome back the return of our favourite professional sports.
“This will be our first sportsbook in the state of Illinois and allows us to continue to expand our relationship with Caesars Entertainment properties across the country.”
William Hill will manage all sports betting operations at Eldorado and Caesars venues following the recent merger of the casino operators.
Grand Victoria Casino SVP Bill Gustafson said: “Partnering with the country’s leading sports betting operator allows us to offer our customers an elevated experience that features industry-leading wagering and technology.”
When will William Hill’s app launch?
Although William Hill has now launched sports betting operations in Illinois, it is not yet clear when the operator will launch its app in the state. William Hill is still pending regulatory approval for online and mobile sports betting in Illinois.
For the time being, BetRivers will continue to operate the only mobile sports betting option in the state.
Other operators, including FanDuel, DraftKings and PointsBet have all received preliminary approval for sports betting in Illinois. FanDuel is the only one of those operators that have yet to announce a local partner for betting.
Sports betting in Illinois
In July 2019, Pritzker signed Illinois’ gambling expansion bill into law, making Illinois the fifth state to legalize sports betting in 2019. As well as legalizing sports betting, the bill allowed for the launch of six new land-based casinos and a large casino venue in Chicago.
The Illinois sports betting market went live on 9 March with the launch of a BetRivers-branded sportsbook at Rivers Casino Des Plaines. However, the state’s land-based market was quickly suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Online sports betting went live in the state when BetRivers launched its online sports betting platform on 18 June through Rivers Casino des Plaines.
