Permanent Sportsbook Opens in DC Arena; More to Come Across US
Soon, placing a bet at a game will be as routine as grabbing a beer and hot dog.
The William Hill sportsbook at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C., which had a ribbon-cutting Wednesday, is the first of its kind in the U.S., but it surely will not be the last. Far from it. In a few years, it’ll be hard to find a pro sports venue in any jurisdiction that has legalized sports betting that doesn’t have a sportsbook either inside, connected, or steps from the front door.
However, for the time being, the Capital One Arena, home to the NBA Washington Wizards and NHL Washington Capitals—all owned by Ted Leonsis—is the trailblazer for having a permanent sportsbook. Although the ribbon-cutting was Wednesday, the distinction comes with an asterisk since William Hill had been operating a placeholder sportsbook at the arena since last fall.
Still, the grand opening gave all involved a PR opportunity to show off the fancy digs, which feature 18,000 square feet of sports betting on two floors, rows of betting kiosks, dazzling TVs, odds boards, and upscale dining and beverage service.
Corporate heavyweights attending were Leonsis—who also owns the WNBA Mystics, oversees Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and has extended investments in a myriad of sports wagering/entertainment enterprises—and Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, which recently purchased William Hill.
To be clear, William Hill, under the leadership of then-U.S. CEO Joe Asher, began the Capital One project before Caesars’ involvement.
At some point, William Hill’s sportsbooks will be rebranded as Caesars Sportsbook.
“This is the first step in the reinvention of the role arenas play in the community, in the city and how we can get closer to our customers," Leonsis said. "Our (TV) network partners that we have on the screens, all of the sports, they are so happy that sports gaming has been approved and that it’s moving state-by-state, municipality-by-municipality."
The new @WilliamHillUS/@CaesarsEnt sportsbook inside @MSE’s @CapitalOneArena is nothing short of spectacular. It’s the new “must see” spot in our Nation’s capital!
Congratulations to all of the people who made this happen, especially during the pandemic! pic.twitter.com/xz6eUguGDT— Joe Asher (@JoeAsher) May 26, 2021
Attracting Younger Audiences
Leonsis, a tech executive in his early business days, has long been infatuated with the fusion of data and Internet-driven information with sports gaming and how that combination lures younger audiences.
“It’s the powering through big data and these digital platforms (that) really is making the engagement and the effect of fans falling more and more in love with the teams and the arenas," he said. "So here in Washington D.C., we want to be innovators, we wanted to lead the way in taking the stigma out of gambling and really be more focused on a great high engagement using data and digital platforms and making it in context with the actual arena and the games that are being played.”
Leonsis said he knows other teams and venues will follow, which makes the Capital One Arena an “exemplar,” and that the sports entertainment world will watch the performance there.
Reeg called it a “ground-breaking moment” for the sports wagering industry in the U.S.
“This is the new paradigm, this is where it’s going,” Reeg said.
More Sportsbooks at Arenas & Stadiums
The sports betting world won’t have long to wait before similar in-venue sportsbooks open.
In Washington D.C. itself, the baseball Washington Nationals’ home, Nationals Park, is awaiting the opening of a BetMGM Sportsbook this baseball season. At hallowed ivy-covered Wrigley Field in Chicago, Cubs fans are also getting ready to welcome a DraftKings Sportsbook.
On the horizon are sportsbooks at pro sports venues in Arizona, where that specific type of sports betting was a prominent piece of the puzzle in recently passed gambling legislation. Similarly, sportsbooks in sports venues are part of the new sports wagering law in Maryland, where the NFL Ravens recently announced a deal that makes BetMGM its sports betting partner—even though regulations are still being hammered out and licensing has not yet begun.
The Capital One Arena/William Hill is a year-round destination sportsbook that will feature a kitchen and menu under the direction of Michelin-star chef Nick Stefanelli. Stefanelli, who was raised in Maryland, owns Masseria and Officina in Washington.
