Illinois sportsbooks began to emerge from a summer slowdown in August with an 8.5 per cent gain in betting volume from July, the first month-over-month gain in wagering since March.
The boost to more than $400m in wagering was welcome ahead of a critical time of year for the industry, according to PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
“Interest in baseball, particularly the White Sox, coupled with the return of football in August, set the stage for what will certainly be the busiest four-month stretch ever for Illinois’ legal sports betting industry,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayIllinois.com.
“After summer, any gain is welcome. But the gains in August should pale in comparison to what we see with a full football schedule.”
