Illinois March Madness Betting: Key Rules and Restrictions You Must Know
Illinois residents must navigate specific rules when betting on March Madness tournaments. Here's what you need to know about sports betting restrictions in the state:
Illinois March Madness basketball action
Key Betting Restrictions:
- All betting on Illinois colleges and universities is prohibited
- This applies to both online and retail sportsbooks
- Player prop bets on Illinois athletes are not allowed
- Restrictions apply even if Illinois teams play out of state
Current Rules Overview:
- Sports betting on non-Illinois collegiate events is permitted
- Bets can be placed on collegiate sports events in Illinois if they don't involve state teams
- These rules affect both men's and women's NCAA tournaments
Affected D1 NCAA Schools:
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Northwestern University
- Loyola University Chicago
- DePaul University
- Bradley University
- Chicago State University
- Eastern Illinois University
- Illinois State University
- Northern Illinois University
- Southern Illinois University (Carbondale & Edwardsville)
- University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
- Western Illinois University
These restrictions remain in place after the July 1, 2024 sunset of previous amendments that had temporarily allowed in-person betting on in-state schools at retail locations. All Illinois sportsbooks, including new platforms like bet365 Illinois, must comply with these regulations.