Considered to be the capital of the mid west of the United States of America, the state of Illinois has by far away the largest and most demographically diverse population of that region. With a population of around thirteen million, Illinois, and its capital city, Chicago, is also the center for most of the gambling action in all of the Mid West. Gambling in Illinois is both legal, enjoyable and in your face providing as much a choice as any player could wish for.

You could understand why when you discover that Illinois is the fifth most populous state in America, and one of the wealthiest. Chicago, known as the windy city as it sits in the very center of the great lakes region, has been known as the hotbed of entertainment going as far back as the “roaring twenties”.

Like many other of its mid-west neighbours, the bulk of Illinois income comes from agriculture, the main crops being the basics, such as corn, soybeans and wheat. In industry, the main activities center on chemicals, food processing, metal, and plastic and rubber manufacturing. The lot of the average citizen of Illinois is good with average income per capita being around $35,000 annually. This means that there is some spare money for entertainment, and the Illinoisans know how to enjoy themselves, especially when it comes down to visiting their local casino.

And there are plenty to choose from, offering all that the casino gambler likes and desires. You can find casinos all over Illinois in towns such as Alton, Joliet, Metropolis, Aurora, Elgin, East Peoria, East Saint Louis, Rock Island and not forgetting Chicago.

Each and every one of the casinos to be found in Illinois offers every form of play. Gambling in Illinois is very well developed, and slots remains very popular. There are so many to choose from in the casinos of Illinois, and there are even nickel and dime slots readily available. For those who want to go for the “big win” there are always progressive jackpots slots to be found at all the leading casinos. Some of the largest Casinos in Illinois are around 80,000 square feet in size, and they offer all that the locals as well as out of state visitors could possibly want in table games. All the standards are there to be enjoyed, as well as some interesting variations, such as Blackjack, Craps and Roulette. For the more adventurous or more sophisticated gamblers there is Baccarat. The poker lovers are also well taken care of in the casinos of Illinois, with 3 Card, Pai Gow, as well as the daddy of them all, Texas hold’em poker.

Many of the Illinoisans as well as out of state visitors, who want a change of venue, can take a trip on one of the May floating casinos which traverse the lakes day and night. What could be more exciting or even romantic? These floating casinos are fitted out to the highest of standards, and you can enjoy a gourmet meal onboard. The land based hotels are no slouches either when it comes to looking after their clients. These casinos are aware that they are competing in a tight market, and bend over backwards to provide the highest qualities of services and facilities. Great restaurants, cabaret are just a few of the attractions you will expect to find in all of the Illinois casinos.

Despite all that, there are still many people living in Illinois who prefer the option of online gambling. They have discovered that whilst visiting a casino can be the best of fun, the relatively new alternative of being able to play all their favorite games in the comfort and security of their own home also has its attractions. In Illinois the gambler can enjoy the best of both worlds.

By Sarah H
Sarah Harrigan is a professional casino player and reviewer. For straight talking honest advice on online gambling be sure to visit her website for comprehensive reviews on the most secure online casinos and winning casino strategies.