Ranking The state of illinois Sportsbooks Very own Customer Support Chat Services

Illinois sportsbooks vary in quality, especially when it comes to which ones have the best and fastest customer service live chat support.

I asked my friends who bet on sports which Illinois sports betting operators they preferred. They all agreed that two Illinois sports betting sites stand out from the rest: DraftKings and FanDuel. The platforms have different setbacks and advantages.

But those opinions were largely based on the user interface, odds, and promotions. I wanted to explore an oft-underlooked aspect of online sports betting: customer service. Specifically, live chat.

I contacted each IL online sportsbook at the same time of day with the same inquiries. I timed my sessions with each and took careful notes about the process and the quality of the agents’ responses.

Criteria concerning ranking ELLE sportsbook chat service

I asked each agent two questions:

• What is the minimum deposit at your sportsbook?
• How can I enable geolocation on a desktop?

I started a stopwatch as soon as I opened the chat service and then recorded the initial wait time (how long it took for an agent to message me) and the overall chat duration. I also noted any specific requirements for assistance.

Before we dive into it, please note that your experience may vary depending on your specific issue and the timing of your request. Customer support agents are busier during major events like NBA finals or NFL playoffs, for example. I contacted them during relatively slow weekdays. Nonetheless, it gave me a good insight into how each sportsbook’s chat service operates during a slower period.

1 . Bar stool Sportsbook: speediest overall

Sportsbook

Bar stool

 

Time of day	Wednesday, 12 p. m.
Preliminary wait period	40 secs
Requirements to obtain help	Brand, email, express
Total period spent talking	3 minutes
High quality of reactions	Fast, useful

 

If you asked me to bet on which sportsbook would have the fastest chat service, Barstool would have been near the bottom of my list. However, the platform proved me wrong.

After providing my name, email address, and selecting my state, an agent contacted me within 45 seconds. In less than three minutes, the agent clarified Barstool’s minimum deposit and provided me with a direct link to download desktop geolocation software. Overall, this was the smoothest customer service experience I had at any sports betting site.

second . Caesars: The particular royal therapy

Sportsbook

Caesars

 

Time	Wednesday, 12: 45 p.m.
Preliminary wait period	20 sec
Requirements to obtain help	Brand, email, express
Total period spent talking	3 min 37 sec
High quality of reactions	Speedy, succinct, fun

 

Most online sportsbooks require you to interact with a chatbot before being transferred to an agent. Caesars has their playfully named “Betty.” Betty had the minimum deposit information readily available. No other chatbot provided as direct of a response as Betty did.

For the geolocation question, Betty directed me to an agent, and I received a response in about 20 seconds. The representative provided me with download links for the geolocation plugin, and I was able to resolve the issue in under 4 minutes. The representative bid me farewell with a “Have a royal day!” Is it unnecessary? Yes. But I appreciate the small touch of branding. It made me smile.

2. PointsBet: Simply no barriers in order to entry

Sportsbook

PointsBet

 

Time of day	Mon, 12 p.m.
Preliminary wait period	20 sec
Requirements to obtain help	Not one
Total period spent talking	4 min 25 sec
Quality associated with responses	Quick, answers not really helpful since other textbooks

 

PointsBet doesn’t gatekeep customer support like other sportsbooks. I didn’t need to provide any details; they accessed my account immediately, saving me from having to enter my information.

An agent responded to my request in a lightning-fast 20 seconds. They were kind and helpful, addressing the minimum deposit just seconds later.

However, the response to the geolocation question was disappointing. It took about three minutes to hear back, and then the agent simply told me to “place a bet” to trigger the geolocation error and then download the software. A more helpful approach would have been to send me the links directly. I believe this response might generate more demand for customer support, especially if someone attempted that method and it didn’t work.

Overall, though, the PointsBet agent was kind and helpful.

3. FanDuel: surprisingly middle-of-the-road

Sportsbook

FanDuel

 

Time	Monday, 12: 30 p.m.
Preliminary wait period	1 min 15 sec
Needs to get assist	Name, e-mail, product, condition, subject, confirmation code through email
Complete time invested chatting	4 min 55 sec
High quality of reactions	Concise (often 1-2 words) but useful

 

FanDuel falls in the middle because it requires a few steps for assistance. I chatted with FanDuel Trainer, the chatbot, before I could speak to an agent. Even after that, I had to provide my name, email, state, topic of my request, and enter a verification code sent to my email. I understand the need for security, but this was a lot just to get a quick question answered.

I waited approximately a minute to speak with an agent, and they answered both of my questions concisely. No frills here, just the answers (often delivered as one word or a direct link). I have no complaints about the quality of the answers or help, and I was only in the chat for a few minutes. The barriers required to get there, though, make FanDuel fall a few places below the competition.

4. DraftKings: Fast… in the beginning

Sportsbook

DraftKings

 

Time	Wednesday, 10: 30 p.m.
Preliminary wait period	23 seconds
Requirements to obtain help	Not one
Total period spent talking	6 min
Quality associated with responses	Obvious, concise, useful

 

As soon as I got through DraftKings sportsbook’s chatbot, it took just 23 seconds for an agent to get in touch. From there, however, there was about a two-minute wait for the agent to confirm the details. I didn’t have to re-enter any personal information, so it’s a trade-off.

After confirming my account, the agent asked, “Are you wondering what is the minimum amount you can deposit into your gaming wallet?” I clarified that yes, that was my question. This threw me off, considering the initial question seemed super clear. The agent quickly confirmed the minimum deposit after that.

The geolocation issue posed no problem for the agent. It took him another couple of minutes to send me links to helpful pages that walked me through the download.

5. BetRivers: Good, not necessarily great

Sportsbook

BetRivers

 

Time of day	Thursday, 11 p.m.
First wait period	1 min30 sec
Specifications to get aid	One-time passcode sent to mobile phone
Total period spent speaking	6 min 15 sec
Top quality of replies	Helpful in addition to to-the-point

 

I had to go through a few hoops to get help at BetRivers.

First, the bot asked whether I wanted to “Create a case.” This could be helpful for those with more specific or personal issues. Selecting “no” brought me to an agent after I entered a one-time passcode sent to my phone. Once connected (90 seconds later), I had to retype my question. The agent promptly responded to the deposit question. The geolocation question took about 2 minutes, and after that, the agent said, “One moment while I confirm this with our team.” Another minute later, they sent links to download the software.

6. BetMGM: Decrease and wearisome

Sportsbook

BetMGM

 

Time	Wednesday, 10 p.m.
Initial hold out time	40 seconds
Specifications to get aid	Name in addition to date regarding birth
Entire time put in chatting	6 min 30 sec
Quality regarding responses	Decrease but useful

 

BetMGM asked for my name and date of birth after a 50-second wait time. The agent took a full three minutes to verify my account, and then said, “There are no free limits in your account.”

I clarified that I was looking for the minimum deposit, and they quickly answered. Geolocation took two minutes, but the agent sent the site. No extras, no nonsense.

To be ultra-clear: None of this experience was bad. It was just slower than other ARIANNE sportsbooks.

The state of illinois sportsbook chat service tendencies

I noticed a small number of trends in my live chat research.

First, simple inquiries or issues will usually receive a fast response and satisfactory resolution. I never spoke for longer than seven minutes in total.

Second, agents were almost always kind and friendly. Some sportsbooks keep things strictly business. They’ll answer your question and keep it simple. Others have a bit of flair, like Caesars with its branded announcements.

Lastly, you should expect to provide some form of detail to verify that you are who you say you are. It’s a necessary evil to keep information secure.