Sports betting firm FanDuel is going to open a temporary sportsbook at Bally’s Casino, Atlantic City ahead of the launch of a permanent sports betting lounge in the spring of 2021.
FanDuel to Open a Sportsbook at Bally’s Casino, Atlantic City
Sports betting firm FanDuel has announced plans to open a retail sportsbook at Bally’s Casino in Atlantic City. The sportsbook will arrive once the property has been sold to Twin River Worldwide Holdings.
Bally’s, which is currently owned by Caesars Entertainment, will host a physical, in-person sports betting lounge powered by FanDuel.
With FanDuel’s entry, all of Atlantic City’s casinos will have a physical sportsbook on their premises, making for a wholesome experience for sports bettors, both domestic and out of state.
This is not the only sportsbook FanDuel is tied to in the city either. FanDuel already runs the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford.
FanDuel will first open a temporary sports betting facility, the company told the Associated Press earlier this week. A permanent one will follow early in the spring of 2021. Once the purchase of the property has been finalized, FanDuel intends to build a full-scale, permanent sportsbook in the center of the casino.
The sportsbook will be developed in the centre of the casino. As to Bally’s current sportsbook that operates in the Wild, Wild West section under the William Hill brand, subsidiary of the new Caesars Entertainment (post-Eldorado merger), it will be annexed by the adjacent Caesars Atlantic City.
In the absence of a sportsbook experience, FanDuel will enter to fill the sports betting vacuum. FanDuel will be effectively expanding on existing partnerships with Twin River in Colorado. The company also runs a successful sportsbook in New Jersey.
Commenting on this opportunity, Twin River CEO and president George Papanier had this to say:
“The permanent sportsbook location is going to be one of the many exciting changes we have in store for the Bally’s property, a unique location just steps away from center Boardwalk where millions stroll by annually.”
-Twin River CEO and president George Papanier
New Jersey’s Sports Handle Breaks New Records
Papanier noted that he was excited to see FanDuel join Twin River and bring its product to Atlantic City sports bettors. Twin River will also rename itself to Bally’s Corporation on November 9.
In the meantime, New Jersey continues to mount new records, with the total sports betting handle reaching a record $748 million in total bets, surpassing the August handle which was $668 million.
The upsurge in betting activity is a combination of pent-up demand, with the NBA and NFL restarting in early September and the US Presidential election now estimated to be an even bigger event than the Super Bowl itself.
This coming Tuesday, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission is scheduled to debate granting Twin River official permission to operate a casino. FanDuel is consistently drawing one of the biggest sports betting handles in New Jersey.
The Meadowlands facility posted a $119 million profit in the first nine months of the year.