When online registration resumes on March 5 in Illinois, all sportsbooks in the state have the potential to see increased benefits, but specific operators like Caesars by William Hill and Barstool may have the opportunity to gain even more in the current environment.
Online registration for Illinois sports betting sites has been available for approximately 11 months.
Most sports bettors naturally took advantage of the seven-month online enrollment period in 2020 and 2021, leading to Illinois securing the third-highest betting amount in the US in 2021, exceeding $7 billion.
Illinois Caesars have untapped possible
When examining the revenue figures for sports betting in Illinois, Caesars consistently ranks last in every key metric among online brands. In contrast, Barstool and PointsBet typically vie for the fourth spot out of the six operators.
The following data presents the statistics for December 2021:
| Licensee | Product on the internet | Complete Solve | Manage Internet | Shop Manage | Overall Income | Express Revenue | Local Income Taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King of the Casino | DraftKings | $294,985,404 | $290,351,200 | $4,634,204 | $7,458,441 | $957,719 | $78,212 |
| Park Fairmount | FanDuel | $232,243,488 | $230,561,954 | $1,681,534 | $13,860,860 | $1,939,242 | $133,627 |
| Des Plaines Rivers | BetRivers | $133,364,051 | $116,567,365 | $16,796,686 | $7,637,398 | $1,042,525 | $95,757 |
| Aurora in Hollywood | Barstool | $56,136,844 | $53,495,432 | $2,641,412 | $2,327,826 | $353,447 | $24,488 |
| Hawthorne | PointsBet | $50,828,320 | $48,199,016 | $2,629,304 | $4,300,556 | $607,004 | $51,750 |
| Queen Victoria | Caesars | $15,464,408 | $13,689,285 | $1,775,123 | $657,828 | $103,859 | $0 |
| Argosy | N/A | $4,585,414 | $0 | $4,585,414 | $266,493 | $29,907 | $0 |
| Hollywood diva | N/A | $1,359,485 | $0 | $1,359,485 | $92,296 | $8,623 | $0 |
| Par-A-Dice | FanDuel | $632,934 | $0 | $632,934 | $75,510 | $10,468 | $36 |
| Total | $789,600,348 | $752,864,252 | $36,736,096 | $36,677,208 | $5,052,794 | $383,870 |
When it first launched in Illinois in September 2020, Caesars was originally known as William Hill. The company’s advertising was limited and it provided only a small number of promotions.
Flux, the company, played a significant role in this. Caesars has increased its spending in other areas following Illinois’ implementation of in-person registration for about a year. Nevertheless, they have not fully dedicated themselves to investing in the Land of Lincoln.
For example, take New York, where sports betting has recently been legalized, and Caesars is offering lucrative sign-up bonuses. In Illinois, expect to see a rise in JB Smoove ads as Caesars ramps up its nationwide marketing efforts.
Although Caesars in Illinois may not be as popular as DraftKings and FanDuel at the moment, it is expected that by the 2022 football season, it will have surpassed $20 million in monthly handle.
Everything to do with Barstool schedule
The situation with Barstool is evident: they did not have enough time to register online users in Illinois.
To be specific, Barstool was founded in Illinois in mid-March and within three months, by the beginning of April, we had gained another member in person.
Considering that, the statistics for Barstool in Illinois are quite impressive. Chicago is a significant market for Barstool, evident by the establishment of a Barstool sports bar in River North.
Barstool is not likely to compete with FanDuel and DraftKings in Illinois again, but it may challenge BetRivers for the third spot in market share.
The sports gambling industry in Illinois is distinctive.
Illinois and Pennsylvania have similar sports betting statistics on a monthly basis, but Pennsylvania outshines Illinois with 13 online casinos, while Illinois only has six.
The limited number of sportsbooks in a large market can be attributed to the unique circumstances brought about by COVID-19, as well as certain policy quirks.
BetMGM Sportsbook will become the seventh online betting provider in Illinois, with plans to be up and running in time for March Madness betting. In addition, three online-only license applicants are still awaiting approval, and their launch dates remain unknown.
Simply put, DraftKings and FanDuel have a strong grip on the Illinois market in 2021, but there is still plenty of opportunity for other operators to grow. This is not the case in most states where sports betting is doing well.
The sports gaming industry in Illinois will eventually return to its usual state, with March 5 marking a significant turning point.
