Illinoisans will wager roughly $400M during March Madness based on last year’s numbers. Sportsbooks in Illinois will also be paying a higher tax than ever before.
Illinoisans are expected to again bet big on college sports during March, driven by March Madness. Sports wagers put $1B into Illinois government accounts last year, ranking it No. 3 in the U.S.
Illinoisans bet more than $275 million on March Madness in 2022, with the state netting more than $2 million in tax revenue. Revenue totals for sports betting in 2022 were the second highest in the nation behind New York.
Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.