The Illinois Gaming Board reported a record $128.4 million in adjusted gross sports betting revenue for December on Thursday, which was just enough to make the Land of Lincoln the third state to reach $1 billion in operator winnings for 2023.
It was the second time this year and third time overall Illinois sportsbooks generated at least $100 million in revenue, with December’s figure topping the record of $112.7 million set in October. The sportsbooks cleared $1 billion by less than $2.3 million as Illinois joined New York and New Jersey in that select circle. Operator revenue was up 26.1% compared to the $795 million generated in 2022.
The house had a statewide hold of close to 9.8% in December and finished the year slightly above 8.6%. That was nearly one-half of a percentage point higher than 2022 as the all-time hold is close to 8.1%.
Illinois also became the fourth state to surpass $30 billion in all-time handle along with New Jersey, Nevada, and New York, reaching the benchmark in 44 months. IGB Administrator Marcus Fruchter announced a traditional handle of more than $1.31 billion at Thursday’s board meeting, trailing only the $1.38 billion worth of wagers accepted in November.