Illinois bettors plunked down more than $1 billion on sports in October, a new record for the state’s young sports betting industry and one of the highest monthly figures recorded anywhere in the U.S. since the industry was legalized, gambling regulators announced Thursday.
The staggering monthly handle — the total amount of money wagered — cements Illinois’ status as one of the nation’s most bet-hungry sports markets, joining New York, New Jersey and Nevada as the only states to cross the billion-dollar mark in a single month.
