Illinois sees an increase in sports betting processing and revenue in August

In August, total adjusted gross revenue from “completed events” in Illinois was $59.2m (£45.5m/€54.6m). That is 26.2% more than last year, but 17.0% less than in July. The national share was 6.74%, compared to 9.22% in July.

Figures from the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) show that around $57.8 million of all revenue came from online betting. The remaining $1.3 million came from bets through sportsbooks across the state.

As for expenses, total revenue for the month was $877.8 million. This beats last year by 29.8% and also beats July this year by 13.5%.

August is widely considered one of the quieter summer months due to fewer major league events, although this year it benefited from the Olympics in Paris, France. College football also begins in late August, as do NFL preseason games. Players wagered $852.9 million online and $24.9 million at retail sportsbooks in August.

DraftKings is ahead of FanDuel in Illinois

Looking at individual operators, DraftKings overtook its long-time rival FanDuel to take the top spot in August. DraftKings, in partnership with Casino Queen, had adjusted revenue of $22.7 million on handle of $334.7 million, representing a 6.78% share.

FanDuel, which was at the top in July, was a close second with $21.7 million in revenue and $267.3 million in revenue. This represented a 7.86% share for FanDuel, which works with Fairmount Park in Illinois.

BetRivers, a partnership with Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, rounds out the top three. In August, the partnership had revenue of $4.7 million with a share of $68.5 million, representing a 6.86% ownership interest.

August was the second month of new tax rules in Illinois. The existing flat adjusted gross sales rate of 15% has been replaced with a sliding scale ranging from 20% to 40% depending on the handle.

In total, the state collected $13.6 million in tax revenue from sports betting activities in August.