Each week, OddsTrader will take a brief look at some of the more important stories permeating the U.S. sports betting and gambling landscape.
Below, we report on those that made headlines recently and will update our readers as events unfold.
BetMGM Moving Out of Great American Ballpark
Sluggish sales at the BetMGM Sportsbook located at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati have caused the company to shift gears and plan a move to the downtown area known as The Banks in the fall.
There was also a betting scandal that allegedly originated at the sportsbook that involved the University of Alabama. The suspicious activity was flagged with the help of U.S. Integrity, an organization designed to target unusual wagering patterns or amounts. A bettor wagered a large sum on the April 28th Alabama/LSU game at the BetMGM Sportsbook at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.
Surveillance tapes showed the bettor in question was a high school coach who was communicating with the head coach of the Alabama squad, Brad Bohannon. The Crimson Tide coach was subsequently fired and possible criminal charges could be looming depending on the extent of his involvement.
But any stigma attached to BetMGM’s sportsbook is unwarranted, as it was simply the sportsbook of choice for the bad actor. Nevertheless, it was the icing on the cake and BetMGM will now be in a brand-new location at the corner of Second Street and Joe Nuxhall Way that will include the Nation Kitchen & Bar restaurant.
“We are thrilled to expand BetMGM’s offering in Ohio,” Matt Prevost, the chief revenue officer of BetMGM, said in a press release. “The Reds and Nation Kitchen & Bar are great partners, and together we’re building a premier entertainment venue that we can’t wait to see filled with fans.”
“Bringing BetMGM and Nation Kitchen & Bar together adds another exciting destination to our vibrant downtown,” Doug Healy, the Reds’ chief financial officer, added in the release. “This Nation Kitchen & Bar brings best-in-class food service from one of Cincinnati’s best eateries, and BetMGM brings best in sports gaming experience.”
WynnBET Launches in West Virginia
The West Virginia mobile iGaming and online sports betting market just got more competitive, as WynnBET recently entered the fray, joining other gaming giants like DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, and BetRivers digital sportsbooks.
“We would like to thank the West Virginia Lottery Commission for working with us throughout our licensure process in the state,” Wynn Sports Interactive President Ian Williams said. “We are thrilled to bring our first-class online casino and sportsbook to players in West Virginia, marking our second state launch this year and the third iCasino market to our growing portfolio.”
The WynnBET mobile sports betting app also has a presence in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia while its online casino app is available in Michigan and New Jersey with West Virginia being the company’s third digital gaming market.
West Virginia’s total sports betting handle in May was $31.9 million, generating $3.5 million in revenue, which is a 20% year-over-year increase. WynnBET’s entry into the market should stimulate more activity, as the company will look to attract customers via signup bonuses and promotions.
WarHorse Lincoln Becomes Nebraska’s First Sportsbook
Although online sports betting has not been passed in the Corn Husker State, legislators did find common ground on a retail or in-person sports betting bill that Nebraska voters approved in a November 2020 referendum.
However, the road to getting a retail sportsbook up and running has been a bumpy one, but last week saw the fruits of those labors as the WarHorse Casino opened for business on June 22nd.
“The WarHorse Casino in Lincoln, Nebraska, has announced their new sportsbook will officially open this Thursday (June 22nd). This will be the first legal sportsbook to open in the state, officially adding them to the list of states where some form of legal sports betting is available. The new sportsbook will feature a sportsbook window and ten kiosks, with plans to grow the space more. Nebraskans have been asking for the opportunity to wager on sports since the ballot initiatives were passed in 2020,’ Ho-Chunk Inc. CEO Lance Morgan said of the launch. “We’re thrilled to be the first casino in the state to offer sports betting.’”
The state will levy a 20% tax on gross gaming revenue and the law prohibits wagering on international soccer and Olympic events, while in-state colleges and universities will also be absent from the betting menu. Therefore, the popular Nebraska Cornhuskers’ football and basketball teams will be unavailable to their rabid fan base in terms of wagering.
The Grand Isle Casino and Harrah’s Columbus Casino have yet to request a sports betting license, but if the state does eventually approve online sports betting, then those online sportsbooks usually have to be tethered to a land-based casino, which is another reason for casinos to obtain a sports betting license. Therefore, it is likely there will be at least a few more sportsbooks popping up in Nebraska to compete with the WarHorse at some point in the future.
