Sports Betting Now Live in DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field is one of the two oldest active MLB stadiums—but thanks to DraftKings Sportsbook, it’s now complete with a modern flavor. 

DraftKings, one of the largest online sports betting sites in America, teamed up with the home of the Chicago Cubs to launch a retail sportsbook inside the iconic stadium on Monday. Former Chicago Bears lineman Kyle Long submitted a commemorative $100 first bet on the Cubs to win the World Series.

The new gambling facility comes just in time for the Illinois sports betting market to take advantage of the craziness of March Madness, which is expected to produce a national betting handle of $2.72 billion at legal sportsbooks, per the American Gaming Association.

The DraftKings-Wrigley Field partnership was confirmed in 2020, creating a lengthy anticipatory period leading up to this week’s launch. 

The new sportsbook will feature next to DraftKings’ retail betting parlor next to Wrigley on the corner of Addison Street and Sheffield Avenue. Customers will be treated to 32 betting kiosks and seven counters inside a 17,000-square-foot facility with 2,000 square feet of screens.

Customers could previously visit the facility to order food and drinks and take advantage of the massive screens, though they could not place any bets. It ultimately paid $10 million to the state agency for its license. 

“The reception has been great since opening the DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field last summer as a state-of-the-art restaurant and bar, and we are excited to take our flagship venue to the next level with retail sports betting operations,” said DraftKings Vice President of Product Operations Michael Kibort. “Together, we’re able to deliver customers a safe and regulated way to get in on the action while enjoying an incredible space to watch live sports.”

The money obtained from the license purchase will go to the Rebuild Illinois Fund, which is focused on improving the state’s infrastructure via a variety of projects.

DraftKings was only allowed to open the Wrigley sportsbook after a local ordinance was amended to allow betting facilities inside professional sports arenas. That was despite a casino industry representative suggesting that there could be a negative effect on local casinos.

The new law implemented a 2% city tax on gross gaming revenue from wagers placed within a five-block radius of licensed locations. That equals a 19% tax on adjusted gross revenue for the Wrigley location.

Illinois sports betting laws will allow visitors of the Wrigley sportsbook to bet on college sports, which is perfect for March Madness betting. 

The University of Illinois is 15th in NCAA Tournament odds (+3500), according to FanDuel Sportsbook. They’re sure to be a favorite of local bettors, while the rest of the country is fixated on favorite and defending champion UConn (+370) and top-ranked Houston (+600).

Baseball fans will also be able to bet on the Cubs and other teams once the season gets underway on Wednesday, March 20, along with plenty of other professional and amateur sports.

DraftKings recently released a tool called “My Stat Sheet” to help gamers practice safe gambling behaviors. The resource shows bettors their records, statistics, and other information designed to help prevent them from losing more money than they can afford. 

DraftKings was also one of eight sportsbooks that recently launched in North Carolina following the March 11 opening of online sports betting in the Tar Heel State.

The Illinois Gaming Board reported more than $1.5 billion in total gaming revenue in 2023. The sports betting market produced a $11.6 billion handle and $1 billion in revenue, leading to $150.3 million in state taxes. The Wrigley sportsbook should help drive those totals even further in 2024, especially as sports wagering continues to build momentum with a wide audience across the country.