Here Are The Odds Of Anyone From Illinois Becoming A Pro Athlete

Like many other people, I dreamed of becoming a professional athlete back when I was a kid. You may have done the same thing. I was a pretty decent baseball player, and in my head I could see myself quite clearly someday roaming centerfield as a member of the Chicago Cubs. I figured if I worked hard to improve my skills, that job would be mine someday.

That was until I met another guy my age who did get a chance to turn pro after being drafted by a major league baseball team out of high school. This guy was miles better than any other player in our age group that I had ever seen. Seriously, he was that good.

But...not nearly good enough to make it to the big leagues. He was out of baseball within a year. I figured if he couldn't make it, there was absolutely no way I was going to, either.

So, what exactly are the chances for an Illinois kid to actually make it to the big leagues in any major sport?

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One Thing To Keep In Mind About Your Chances Of Turning Pro: It Depends A Lot On The Particular Sport You Pick, And It Also Depends On Where You Live

TheSportsGeek.com, a website devoted to sportsbook and casino reviews, along with betting tips, game-guides and more, crunched the numbers on which sports and which states make it easier for their residents to become professional athletes.

First off, which sports have the best and worst odds of turning pro? Here are the sports and the odds of you getting a paycheck to play them:

NFL: 1 in 10,243
MLB: 1 in 22,133
NBA: 1 in 55,585
NHL: 1 in 97,986
Golf: 1 in 279,635
Soccer: 1 in 349,544
Tennis: 1 in 1,483,731

When you average things out, the overall chance of becoming a professional athlete in any of the above sports is 1 in 561

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Now, Let's Get To Which States Make It Easier Than Others To Turn Pro, And What Your Chances Are Here In Illinois

If you want to get in with the NBA or NFL, it would be better for you to live in Louisiana, since that state offers the best chance in both sports.

For Major League Baseball, living in California gives you the best opportunity.

Living in Minnesota gives you the edge in the NHL, while New Hampshire gives aspiring soccer players their best chance of going pro. Your best chance of becoming a pro golfer would come from living in Vermont, and the state that gives tennis players their best shot is Nevada.

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