Swanky New DraftKings Sportsbook Opens At Resorts Casino In Atlantic City

New York Giants Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson bet the New York Yankees to win the 2019 World Series on Tuesday morning, the first wager at DraftKings Sportsbook located at the Resorts Casino in Atlantic City.  It’s DraftKings’ first physical location in New Jersey and the first on the East Coast, as the Boston-headquartered company continues its push from an online-only operation into physical spaces.

The sportsbook is the second of two at Resorts. The first is Resorts-branded, run by SB Tech and opened earlier this summer. 

The new sportsbook features 135 50-inch televisions and a video wall that is more than 1,000 square feet. Rows of club chairs sit in front of the video screen, with a bank of teller windows to the right, and a VIP Lounge to the left. According to the Nov. 14 DraftKings press releasethe facility has five teller windows, a full bar, charger stations at each seat and bar-top electronic slot games. The chairs are set stadium-style to allow for unobstructed viewing.  The risk-management and trading operation, as well as the 12 sports betting kiosks, are powered by U.K.-based supplier Kambi Sports, which also powers DraftKings’ online sportsbook.

 

Read more Swanky New DraftKings Sportsbook Opens At Resorts Casino In Atlantic City on SportsHandle.

Physical DraftKings Sportsbook Set to Open At Resorts In Atlantic City

For the second time this week, DraftKings has announced the forthcoming opening of a physical sportsbook — this time where the post-PASPA U.S. sports betting expansion started, in New Jersey*.

“Construction is near completion on the DraftKings Sportsbook at Resorts, slated to open by late November 2018,” pending approval from the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement. The Associated Press reports a more specific date — Tuesday, Nov. 20.  According to the AP, the sportsbook will be situated in an area where patrons can access it via an entrance off the Atlantic City boardwalk.

But wait, didn’t Resorts already open a sportsbook over the summer, branded Resorts, in conjunction with SB Tech? Indeed it did, but apparently there’s room for more than one operation to co-exist under the same roof, same as the digital arms for each property, which can implement up to three “skins” online.

 

Read more Physical DraftKings Sportsbook Set to Open At Resorts In Atlantic City on SportsHandle.

Get a Grip: Week in Sports Betting and Sports: New Jersey, DraftKings Sportsbook

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It’s information overload everywhere, and there’s not time enough to sleep and eat and stay fully apprised of what’s happening on this crazy blue dot of ours (two out of three ain’t bad).

Here’s the weekend Sports Handle item, “Get a Grip,” rounding up top stories in legal sports betting and gaming, and the world of sports at large. You may have missed them, and they are worth reading. This is meant to be brief, so that’s it.

New Jersey Sports Betting Population Will Be Increasing; DraftKings Sportsbook to Enter NY Sports Betting Picture

harrahs new jersey sports betting sportsbook coming

With state legislatures on break for the summer (and most already adjourned), things have been less frenetic recently in the legal sports betting world. New Jersey sports betting remains front-and-center as the licensure process continues.

The above-the-fold headline of the week probably is that story: Another wave of casinos apply to join the New Jersey sports betting picture. This came after the potential licensee casinos got a kick in the rear from Division of Gaming Enforcement and director David Rebuck — who said that if they didn’t submit applications for a sports wagering certificate soon, they might not gain approval before football season.

So the casinos quickened their pace and the DGE received applications on Monday from the Golden Nugget for retail and mobile/web-platform wagering; from Caesars Entertainment for its properties Harrah’s and Bally’s for both retail and online operations and Caesars for online; also among the group pushing in their application (of which one is not yet identified, perhaps it’s Hard Rock Atlantic City) was Resorts , which previously partnered with SB Tech and DraftKings and will use some combination of those two entities for its retail and online offerings.

Speaking of DraftKings, the DFS-turned-sportsbook operator landed a deal with del Lago Resort & Casino in New York’s upstate Finger Lakes region. The property has struggled since launching in February 2017, so when NY lawmakers get around the legalizing sports wagering, which we guesstimate will occur in March 2019, sports betting will be a needed shot in the arm.

The partnership is a boon to DraftKings given the sheer size of the opportunity and legislation expected to open up the entire state to competition online, without a foolish in-person registration requirement in a state that’s sparsely populated by casinos. The open competition will be a win for New York patrons, too.

And of course, as in New Jersey where only casinos and racetracks are eligible for licenses at this point — in all likelihood the requirement will be the same in New York — establishing this relationship now was good move. Same as what FanDuel/Paddy Power Betfair accomplished by hooking up with New York racetrack Tioga Downs Casino Resort and racetrack, which is owned by Jeff Gural, who also owns Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, N.J., which just launched its retail FanDuel Sportsbook last Saturday.

The Other Most Important Stories of the Week in Sports Betting and U.S. Gaming

nj sports betting monmouth park sportsbook line shopping

THE MARKETPLACE: Meadowlands vs. Monmouth Park: It Pays to Shop Around [NJ OG]

MARCH MADNESS: Untold story of the craziest semi-legal NCAA tournament gambling contest ever [Penn Live]

PARTNERSHIPS: FanDuel Group teaming with GAN for casino and sports betting software in NJ [Biz Wire]

SAGA CONTINUES: Pennsylvania sports betting taxes so high legal bookmakers may shun state [Philly]

MIDWEST: Iowa regulators gear up for possible Iowa sports betting in ‘19 [Radio]

PROBABLE: Both SEC and Big 12 commissioners see injury reports as an inevitability [CBS]

HEY HEY VA: General Assembly could see efforts to allow sports gambling, official says [Pilot]

READY, SET, WAIT: Mississippi sports betting not quite ready yet [Advocate]


Stories of Note in the Wider World of Sports and Kinda Sports.

EXPLOITATION: Four reasons taxpayers should never subsidize stadiums [Bloomberg]

REINVENTIONS: Ranking the 15 talents to most successfully leave ESPN since 2000 [TBL]

NOSTALGIA: For one last night, make it a Blockbuster night [Ringer]

DEBACLE: NFL, players agree to temporarily halt enforcement of anthem protest rules [NPR]


Quote of the Week:

Philadelphia Eagles lineman Jason Kelce on the difference between the Vikings’ and Patriots’ defenses during their Super Bowl run:

“The last defense we had seen was Minnesota’s, and we were like, ‘These dudes have got some players.’ Then we see [the Patriots] and we’re like, ‘These dudes have got some . . . coaches.’ ”


Tweets/Videos of Note:

 

 

ICYMI at Sports Handle:

Players’ Claim of ‘Serious Consequences’ of Sports Betting Is A Hail Mary

MLB Commish Rob Manfred Touts Virtues of Wagering, Addresses Sports Bettings Laws

Football Contests of Old Helped Create Today’s Massive Sports Betting Popularity

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Another Wave of Casinos Apply to Join New Jersey Sports Betting Picture

The post Another Wave of Casinos Apply to Join New Jersey Sports Betting Picture appeared first on SportsHandle.
Wary of getting stuck on the sidelines for football season’s kickoff, five new applications arrived on Monday for a New Jersey sports betting license.
According to the Associated Press, the state’s Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) received two applications for brick-and-mortar licenses and three for mobile sports wagering before a Monday deadline. DGE Director David Rebuck previously announced a deadline in connection with football season to allow state regulators enough time to evaluate applications.
While the DGE did not identify the applicants, CDC Gaming Reports has learned that the applications came from Caesars Entertainment — to offer retail wagering at Harrah’s and Bally’s in Atlantic City. In addition, Ceasars applied for licensed to offer mobile sports wagering at all three of its Atlantic City properties, the other being Caesars Atlantic City, which would be “serviced” by the adjacent Bally’s. The other identified applicant is Golden Nugget, which applied for both retail and mobile wagering.
New Jersey Sports Betting Scene Set to Add Ceasars Entertainment Properties, Golden Nugget Atlantic City, All Looking to Get Up and Running Before Football Season
nj sportsbook at harrahs and other caesars properties for atlantic city new jersey sports betting
The remaining applicants likely came from a pool of Hard Rock Atlantic City (seeking to partner in some way with bet365), Tropicana, Resorts Casino or Freehold Raceway.
“I fully expect that by Aug. 1 we will see additional properties up and running,” Rebuck said.
The application fee for the sports wagering certificate is $100,000 and there’s a five-digit difference in tax rate on sports wagering revenue: revenue derived from in-person wagering is taxed by the state at 8.5 percent while mobile wagering faces a 13 percent tax.
We know a bit about the Golden Nugget’s sports betting plans. Shortly before the Supreme Court struck down the federal law allowing this sports betting land rush, Churchill Downs Incorporated and Golden Nugget Atlantic City announced a partnership to offer sports betting and online gaming markets.
Potential licensees yet to apply will not entirely miss the boat for the college football and NFL seasons: the DGE will just not make any promise to give a rubber stamp before kickoff or any week in particular.
So far in NJ sports betting, Monmouth Park and Ocean Resort Casino have sportsbooks up and running with operations managed by William Hill; also the Borgata, owned and operated by MGM, went live on June 14 like Monmouth Park. And this past Saturday, Meadowlands Racetrack in northern New Jersey cut a ribbon, introducing the first FanDuel Sportsbook.
[Also See: Odds Shift in Race for Operator Dominance in Legal U.S. Sports Betting Market]
Revenue for operators and the state so far has been pretty good. Through just 17 days of operations in June Monmouth and Borgata plus three days at Ocean, the total handle registered $16.4 million with a $3.5M win by the books (on a cash basis that counts futures wagers as revenue at the time of the wager), with $293,000 revenue yielded by the state. The FanDuel Sportsbook at Meadowlands, pricing controversy aside at its debut, saw over $1 million in wagers in its first weekend.
So far no facility has rolled out mobile wagering, but that is expected to happen in the coming days.
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Three New Jersey Sportsbooks Collects $3.4M in First Half-Month

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New Jersey sports betting went live on June 14 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport and at the MGM-owned Borgata Resort Casino in Atlantic City, and the first month of operations has shown that the state’s costly fight for legal sports betting will be well worth with it.
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement on Thursday released the first batch of sports betting revenue figures, which are based on a cash method of accounting, not on an accrual method as in Nevada, showing the three separate locations operating in June took in a collective $3,458,688, producing $293,863 in tax revenue for the state of New Jersey. That’s based on a total handle of $16.4 million across the same properties.
Those figures come with an 8.5 percent tax rate. Mobile sports wagering tax rate is 13 percent, which is likely to begin at a few properties set to roll out their apps/online platforms in the coming weeks. Anyone in state can set up an account remotely and deposit without having to register in person at a licensee.
New Jersey Sports Betting Numbers and Handle From First Weeks of Live Operations Show Big Win.
nj sports betting numbers handle for june from monmouth park sportsbook
Keep in mind the $3.4 million is based on a cash method of accounting, which counts as revenue wagers on futures events such as the World Cup and Super Bowl winner.
According to the DGE, “$1.2 million in gross revenue was reported from Completed Events, which approximates accrual basis revenue that can be compared to the win reported of Nevada casinos.”
The total handle across the three locations was $16.4 million. 
Here’s more of the breakdown:

Also keep in mind that Ocean Resort, a property formerly known as Revel, only opened on June 28, meaning it produced its handle and hold in three days.
People had a nice time betting on baseball! It represents $10.1 million of the $16.4 million in handle:

Further consider that mobile wagering has not yet begun, which will be coming soon through William Hill and the Borgata. Sources say that the MGM-owned Borgata’s mobile app will be introduced next week.
These numbers are pretty, pretty good, considering only baseball and soccer events (with some other events such as UFC 226) were occurring during this half-month stretch.
Welcome to the game, New Jersey, and Garden State sports bettors.
This is story is developing and will be updated.
[Also See: What to Expect at the Meadowlands’ FanDuel Sportsbook Launch]
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Bet365 Set to Join European Contingent In U.S. Sports Betting Market

The post Bet365 Set to Join European Contingent In U.S. Sports Betting Market appeared first on SportsHandle.
Another major European online sports betting company, bet365, is attempting to join William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair/FanDuel in what is becoming a ferociously competitive and heavily European-influenced New Jersey sports betting marketplace.
According to a letter published on the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement website, the newly opened Hard Rock in Atlantic City and bet365, with an estimated 23 million customers globally, are seeking to offer sports betting in the New Jersey resort city. The company, with headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent in England, would serve as both risk manager and betting platform provider.
The correspondence indicates two parties first signed a letter of intent back on June 19, however, neither concern has commented on the proposed deal. State officials signed off on a portion of the partnership in late June, but the temporary approval is valid only until July 31 while bet365 works to obtain its license to operate in New Jersey.

English Bookmaker Bet365 Partners With Hard Rock Atlantic City as it Looks to Enter US Market

hard rock atlantic city to partner with bet365 for nj sports betting
The Hard Rock Atlantic City officially opened on June 28.

The sports betting deal would be the first in the U.S. for bet365, however, the company is a major worldwide brand with betting lines currently posted on an impressive variety of sporting events including upcoming NFL and NCAA football games. In addition to sports betting, bet365 offers customers in legal markets, online poker, casino, games, and bingo, and video streams on sporting events.
The Hard Rock Atlantic City also launched its first online casino gambling site this week. Online sports betting in New Jersey is expected to be available at the location in the next few weeks. The earliest any casino can offer sports betting is July 11, or 30 days after Governor Phil Murphy signed the enabling legislation.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida own and operate the Hard Rock Atlantic City. There was industry speculation that because the Seminole’s owned the naming rights to the Miami Dolphins’ stadium, it might be prohibited from offering sports betting. The $250 million, 18-year contract, that started in 2016 remains confidential, but it appears any issues regarding offering sports betting in Atlantic City and online throughout New Jersey by the Hard Rock are now resolved.

The New Jersey sports betting scene

New Jersey is currently home to operating sportsbooks at Monmouth Park in Oceanport (William Hill), Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City (William Hill) and The Borgata in Atlantic City (MGM International).
The sportsbook operation at The Meadowlands racetrack in East Rutherford will be run by Paddy Power Betfair/FanDuel and open July 14, a day earlier than previously announced.
The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City has partnered with Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) to run its Atlantic City sportsbook operation. It was initially announced that it would not open until 2019, but the high the level of competition in New Jersey may force an earlier opening, industry observers note. CDI has said it will be using a platform being specially developed for them by SBTech, another European company with worldwide offices and headquarters in Bulgaria.
SBTech also revealed this week it would also provide a betting platform and risk management service to Resorts Casino Hotel, also in Atlantic City. Daily Fantasy Sports operator DraftKings has a business arrangement with Resorts, but it’s unclear exactly how this will develop in light of the SBTech announcement.

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The latest on sports betting legislation and regulation The latest sports betting podcast ‘The Hedge’ from Jimmy Shapiro


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The Analyst: Go East Young Bookie!

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Back in the 1800’s Horace Greely was credited with the popular phrase “Go West Young Man, Go West” when offering advice about going west to seek fortune and opportunity. If Horace Greeley were alive today and were offering advice to those interested in the business of sports wagering, I suspect, and would bet serious dollars, he would modify his famous quote and post to a Twitter account: “Go East Young Bookie, Go East!”

As jurisdictions on the east coast of the United States embrace and welcome full on sports wagering it will only be a function of time before the national and international gaming operators wake up and realize, no different than the stock market, they will need their line makers and risk managers for their sportsbook operations to be based on the east coast or else start making those folks get into their Las Vegas offices by 5 a.m.

Consider this simple reality: there are nearly 60 million people and the highest concentration of professional sports in the north east United States, and those bettors are not likely to want to wait until 11 a.m. or noon on the east coast to start getting their bets down.

Please click here to read the remainder of the column at Gaming Today.

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