Objective To investigate the association between interleukin-1B (IL-1B) polymorphisms and risk of glioma. Methods The IL-1B-511C/T and-31T/C polymorphisms were detected in 152 patients with glioma and 201 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results The TT genotype at position-511C/T in the promoter region of IL-1B was associated with a significantly increased risk of glioma compared with the CC genotype (χ²=5.61, P=0.021). Similarly, the Tallele at position-511C/T was associated with a significantly increased risk of glioma compared with the Callele (χ²=5.71, P=0.019). There was no significant difference in the frequency distribution of IL-1B-31T/C polymorphism between cases and controls. Results from haplotype analysis showed that the -511C/-31T haplotype was associated with a significantly decreased risk of glioma (χ²=4.89, P=0.03); conversely, the -511T/-31C haplotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of glioma (χ²=18.55, P<0.001). Conclusions IL-1B may be a susceptibility gene for the development of glioma in Chinese population.