(WBBM Newsradio) -- Despite a national dip in sports wagering, Illinois once again landed the No. 2 ranking in the country.
Betting volume at Illinois sportsbooks hit $507 million in May, according to analysts from PlayIllinois, which tracks the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
May’s handle was the second-largest of any state in the U.S., joining New Jersey as the only two states in the U.S. to take in more than $500 million in sports wagers in both April and May.
Betting at Illinois’ retail and online sportsbooks dropped 5.6% to $507.3 million in May from the $537.2 million in April, according to official data released Tuesday.
The wagers yielded $5.9 million in state and local taxes.
Analysts suggest bettors found local reasons to wager, particularly with a good run of play in May by the Chicago White Sox and Cubs.
Bettors placed $126.1 million on baseball, up from $121.2 million in April.
Basketball (about $154 million; tennis ($32.6 million), soccer ($29.3 million) and hockey ($21.1 million) all drew significant action, too.