With Illini, Loyola Looking Good, The State Of Illinois Expected To Be Big Part Of Big Dance Gaming

Illinois is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, so the bets are in -- and apparently, they just keep coming.

But the Fighting Illini aren't the only reason for betting on games in the state. Loyola of Chicago is also in the Big Dance, and let's not forget that the Ramblers made the Final Four just three short years ago. Loyola is a No. 8 seed and opens vs. Georgia Tech.

So it's no surprise that Illinois gamblers are expected to drop millions on the NCAA Tournament, per the Washington Examiner.

"Illinois sports books took in nearly $600 million in January, becoming only the fourth state to take in more than $500 million in sports bets in a single month," the Examiner reported, later noting that the state actually bans betting on in-state college teams.

But if either Illinois or Loyola makes a deep Tournament run, there stands a chance that the state could scrap the law. At the very least, it will receive cries to do so.

“I’m not going to say it will, but there is optimism that it could be changed by next football season, which is great. And that means by next year’s March Madness, it would be changed,” Jeff Boozell of PlayIllinois told the Examiner.

So perhaps more than just a national title rests on the shoulders of the Fightining Illini and Ramblers.

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Written by
Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.