ESPN The Worldwide Leader in Sports has finally taken the leap into the online sports betting space, and Illinois bettors can finally start using the ESPN BET Illinois Sportsbook, as it is now live. You can sign up today with an ESPN BET Illinois promo code BOOKIES to get the $1000 in Bonus Bets Offer.

ESPN has launched a new online sports betting platform, ESPN BET in partnership with PENN Entertainment. The branded sportsbook is now live!

ESPN BET is available in 16 states, where betting is legal and PENN Entertainment is licensed – of which Illinois is among those states. As always, we’ve got you covered with all the current information on ESPN BET.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the mega-deal between the Disney-owned sports broadcaster and US gambling powerhouse PENN Entertainment. Learn what ESPN’s foray into the world of sports betting means to the Illinois sports betting market.

ESPN BET Illinois At A Glance

ESPN BET Illinois Promo Code For New Users

ESPN BET Illinois is NOW LIVE. You can sign up today with an ESPN BET Illinois promo code "BOOKIES" to get the $1000 in Bonus Bets Offer.

That said, given the fact that ESPN prides itself on being a Worldwide leader in sports and PENN Entertainment has grand ambitions to become a major player in the market, it’s safe to assume that the welcome offer is a big deal. 

What To Know About ESPN BET Illinois

The media and gambling industry were rocked by ESPN and PENN Entertainment's announcement of the $2 billion agreement between them to launch ESPN BET. 

Not least because it’s a game changer, but that the partnership was made possible by PENN Entertainment’s historic pivot, selling its current sports-betting arm, Barstool Sportsbook, back to its founder Dave Portnoy – for just peanuts and only a few months after acquiring a majority stake in the company. 

In the press release, ESPN announced the agreement with PENN Entertainment to launch ESPN BET, “a branded sportsbook for fans in the United States.” 

The statement went on to say that “PENN Entertainment will rebrand its current sportsbook and relaunch as ESPN BET, effective now in the 16 legalized betting states where PENN Entertainment is licensed. The rebrand includes the mobile app, website, and mobile website.”

PENN Entertainment will pay ESPN $1.5 billion in cash over 10 years, plus $500 million in stock warrants to purchase approximately 31.8 million shares of PENN.  

In return, PENN gains an ideal partner to expand with into new states as it competes for a sizeable market share against rival sportsbooks DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars and BetMGM (to name a few of the most trusted sportsbooks). 

Previously, ESPN has shown an interest in the gambling world through a variety of betting-centric programs across its platforms. As well, it had cut promotion deals with DraftKings and Caesars, respectively, to showcase their sports odds on the ESPN website and TV programs.

However, the deal with PENN Entertainment to launch a branded sportsbook is on another level, marking the sports broadcasters' first official foray into the world of sports betting.

More ESPN BET Illinois Promotions

When you sign up with the ESPN BET Illinois promo code, you get much more than just a great welcome offer. The most trusted sports betting sites regularly offer promotions on a variety of sports and events. These might be some of the best  ESPN BET IL promos new customers get on ESPN BET IL:

Bet & Get Offers

ESPN BET offers Bet & Get promos for new customers. These Bet & Get offers are similar to what BetMGM offers on Bet $5, Get $200 in bonus bets, or like FanDuel Bet $5, Get $200 in bonus bets. These Bet & Get offers are fantastic to start betting because you get bonus funds right away.

Odds Boosts

ESPN BET offers odds boosts on all the big NFL,  College Football, and NBA games. Look for your favorite teams like the Chicago Bears, and the Bulls, and search for the best odds for all customers to use!

First Bet Bonus

First-bet bonuses are great for new customers. ESPN BET promo code offers a first bet bonus similar to the Caesars promo code offer of a $ 1,000 First Bet Bonus gives back your first bet amount, if your bet loses.

Is ESPN BET Illinois Legit?

Yes, ESPN BET Illinois is live and that means it has taken over PENN Entertainment’s sports betting license to operate in The Prairie State. What’s more, bettors can expect an unmatched user experience thanks to ESPN’s multimedia sports coverage and PENN’s experience in sports betting.

Top Features Of ESPN BET Illinois

Bettors can see major improvements such as more bells and whistles that are befitting of a Worldwide leader in sports such as ESPN. This means sports streaming, live betting, and handy sports stats on tap, among other things.

Below, we’ve listed some of the major and niche sports that are featured at ESPN BET:

• NFL
• NBA
• College Football
• College basketball
• NHL
• MLB
• Soccer (MLS, International Leagues)
• Tennis
• Golf
• UFC/MMA
• Aussie Rules
• Auto-racing
• Boxing
•  Cricket
• Curling 
• Cycling 
• Darts  
• Handball   
• Lacrosse 
• Rugby League    
• Rugby Union 
• Table Tennis

How To Sign Up At ESPN BET Illinois

ESPN BET Illinois is now live, so review the sign-up process in great detail. We’ve outlined some of the most common details new users will have to provide in order to set up their sports betting accounts. These are (in no particular order) as follows:

•  Name

•  Date of Birth

•  Last four digits of your SSN

•  Home Address

•  State

•  Username

•   Email

•   Password

•   Enter ESPN BET IL Promo code

•    Confirm your eligibility (21 years old in Illinois)

Banking At ESPN BET Illinois

Legal sportsbooks that are licensed to operate within a state provide bettors with safe and secure transactions through a variety of banking methods. 

The most popular banking methods include: 

•  Credit/Debit Cards

•  Wire Transfer

•  Online Banking

•  PayNearMe

•  PayPal

•  ACH / eCheck

•  Casino cage (where a retail casino is available)

Where Did ESPN BET Launch In 2023?

ESPN BET Il is live now! PENN Entertainment holds sports betting licenses in 16 states as highlighted below, to ramp up its reach into other states now that it is in partnership with sports media giant ESPN. 

What Happened To Barstool Sportsbook Illinois?

PENN Entertainment purchased 36% of Barstool Sports in 2020, giving way to the birth of Barstool Sportsbook with the gaming company holding the sports betting license. 

Three years later, PENN paid a whopping $550 million to take 100% control of Barstool in February 2023 – merely a few months before it performed a stunning U-turn and sold Barstool back to its founder.

PENN’s fire sale of Barstool – for a $1, some restrictive covenants, and a non-compete clause – was confirmed by Portnoy, who admitted he’d underestimated how tough it would be to operate in the heavily regulated US gambling market. 

PENN Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden echoed as much. “We’ve had a great three-and-a-half-year run with our partners at Barstool... It just became obvious to both parties that there’s probably long-term only one natural owner of Barstool Sports, and that’s Dave Portnoy.”