Logan Reilly’s group chat with his friends was lighting up Thursday, the same as every year, for Major League Baseball’s Opening Day.But this time, the chatter was about which bets to place.“Three years ago, we're just talking about who we think’s going to win,” Reilly said outside Wrigley Field ahead of the Chicago Cubs game against the Washington Nationals. “But now we're talking about do we think Nico Hoerner’s going to get on base? For the Mets game, do we think Juan Soto’s going to hit a home run?”Reilly is among millions of fans who have jumped into the betting arena as the national pastime has become inseparable from sports entertainment. Betting ads litter stadiums and television broadcasts. Sportsbooks are opening at ballparks including Wrigley Field. And gambling is as easy as ever on mobile apps.Illinois legalized sports gambling in early 2020 and has seen participation soar since then. More than 26.3 million sports bets already have been placed in Illinois this year, the vast majority online, according to the Illinois Gaming Board.“It's one of the most wild things I've ever seen,” Reilly said. “The demand for it has just absolutely skyrocketed.“I don't bet too often. I bet when I'm confident, I'd say. But we all know how that goes sometimes,” he added. “If you feel that you're not doing it responsibly, then you should probably take a step back.” Cubs fan Logan Reilly says the demand for sports betting “has just absolutely skyrocketed.”Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Fans who took the L to the game Thursday likely saw a DraftKings advertisement under the Red Line's Addison stop near Wrigley.“I think it's way too accessible,” Jerry Evans said of sports gambling as he headed into the Cubs game with his teenage son Jake.While Evans, 54, said he isn't entirely opposed to betting, he doesn't do it because he doesn't want to lose his “hard-earned money.” He worries about younger people in particular falling victim to gambling addiction.“I think it's going to get only worse — people possibly even claiming bankruptcy, not being able to pay their bills,” Evans said. Jake Evans, 17, and his father Jerry Evans, 54, outside Wrigley Field for the Cubs home opener on Thursday. Jake says sports betting has taken off among the teenagers he knows and has made them more interested in watching sports.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Evans also thinks betting might be affecting the actual games. Several recent scandals involving athletes altering their performance to win bets have rocked some fans’ confidence in the integrity of sports — though sports-rigging scandals date back decades.Jake Evans, 17, said sports betting has grown popular among his peers who are becoming more engaged with sports than they otherwise would have been.“They feel more interested about watching sports, and they care more, especially because they're putting money on it,” he said. “And, obviously, they're bragging about winning money off of sports betting, which kind of piques people's interests.” Lisa and Matt Neenam (far right) with her parents outside Wrigley. Matt Neenam thinks sports betting is too accessible. “It’s a casino in a pocket, which isn’t good for anybody,” he said.Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Matt Neenan, attending the Cubs game with his wife Lisa and her parents, said he has placed a couple of bets before, but he worries about the growing prevalence of betting among young men in particular.“It's a casino in a pocket, which isn't good for anybody,” he said. “I think it's getting people addicted to it because it's too easy and too accessible. So it's gamified and too easy for young people to get sucked into it.”Fans attending games at Wrigley Field can bet on their phones like anyone else — or they can head down to the DraftKings Sportsbook that opened at the ballpark during the 2023 baseball season.Reilly was sitting with his sister in Gallagher Way outside Wrigley Field a couple of hours before the game, waiting for Reilly’s brother and mom, who had walked over to the sportsbook to place a few small bets for him.What were his picks for the day?“I went for a [Cubs third basemen Alex] Bregman hit, a Nico Hoerner hit and the Cubs to win,” he said. “Go Cubs.” A fan tests his pitch speed Thursday outside of Wrigley Field on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 1 of 8 Fans wait in line Thursday to enter Wrigley Field on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 2 of 8 Fans take a selfie in front of Wrigley Field Thursday on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 3 of 8 Fans watch the crowds from a balcony outside of Wrigley Field Thursday on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 4 of 8 A fan tests his pitch speed Thursday outside of Wrigley Field on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 5 of 8 Fans wait in line Thursday to enter Wrigley Field on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 6 of 8 Fans enter Wrigley Field on the Chicago Cubs’ opening day on Thursday. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 7 of 8 Fans play corn hole Thursday outside of Wrigley Field on the Chicago Cubs opening day. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 8 of 8 ...read more read less