Press Releases
Hawthorne Race Course And PointsBet Open Closest Sportsbook To Downtown Chicago For Fans To Watch-And-Wager, Bet-And-Go
Hawthorne Race Course and PointsBet have partnered together to open Illinois’ newest retail sportsbook and the closest in-person sports betting destination to downtown Chicago. PointsBet, a premium global sportsbook operator, debuted its mobile app and digital sports betting product in Illinois at the start of the NFL season. The brick and mortar sportsbook at Hawthorne is the first of four Chicagoland locations that the companies will open as Illinois partners, and is a precursor to the premium PointsBet Sportsbook that will be a part of Hawthorne’s historic $400 million casino development, scheduled to open in late 2021 (pending final regulatory approval).
“The next year is going to be action-packed for Hawthorne as we prepare to redevelop the race track into a fully operational casino and premier gaming entertainment destination,” said Tim Carey, president and CEO of Hawthorne Race Course. “And that action starts now with the opening of our new PointsBet Sportsbook. We partnered with PointsBet because they have the best technology and are truly innovative, but also because they put customer service at the forefront, which is critical to our long-term success particularly for the on-site experience.”
The PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne was designed for the new realities of on-site entertainment, featuring a “bet-and-go” lobby with six self-service kiosks as well as a modular “watch-and-wager” sportsbook with ample space for social distancing. The sportsbook has over 60 HD TVs, 20 self-service kiosks, a 3-person betting concierge counter inclusive of a dedicated high denomination wager desk, and a VIP lounge with reserved seating.
“PointsBet has been successful in making a name for itself by offering a personalized mobile sports betting experience with unrivaled speed and ease of use, as well as the most bet types across every game,” said Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA. “At the heart of that effort is our passion for live sports and entertainment, and our desire to always put the bettor first. While most stadiums across the country are currently closed to fans, our sportsbook is a place for sports lovers to engage together and share that game day excitement in a safe and responsible manner. We, together with our partner Hawthorne Race Course, are thrilled to provide the Illinois consumer with exactly what they’ve been craving.”
Jeff Walik, Mayor of the Village of Stickney, wherein Hawthorne is located; and Illinois State Representative Bobby Rita, who was the chief architect of the gaming expansion bill that legalized Illinois sports betting and permitted casino-style gaming at race tracks, placed the ceremonial first wagers. In honor of Hawthorne’s 130 years in business, Walik bet $130 on the Chicago Cubs Run Line vs the Marlins today, while Rita placed a $130 Chicago parlay on the Cubs and White Sox to win today. Any winnings from the wagers will be donated to the Racing Industry Charitable Foundation, which provides health and social services to families in the Illinois horse racing industry.
The PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne is just 10 miles from downtown Chicago, and is the first sportsbook to open on the southwest side of the City. Thoroughbred racing returns to Hawthorne on Friday, October 2nd with weekend racing through the end of the year. The interim sportsbook and racing clubhouse will host wagering while the new Hawthorne Casino is in development, which will feature slots, table games and a state-of-the-art PointsBet Sportsbook, in addition to restaurants, bars and an entirely new grandstand and clubhouse for racing fans. Three more PointsBet Sportsbooks will open at Club Hawthorne off-track betting bars in coming weeks in suburban Crestwood, Oakbrook and Prospect Heights.
PointsBet recently joined forces with the Chicago Bears, designating PointsBet as the famed franchise’s first ever sports betting partner. As a nod to Illinois sports fans, PointsBet is offering the best price in market for all Chicago Bears games this season across both the pregame spreadline and moneyline bet types. The operator also recently announced a partnership with Chicago Bears legend, Devin Hester, highlighting the symbiotic element of Hester’s world-class speed on the field and PointsBet’s unmatched speed and ease of use off it, thanks to PointsBet owning their technology end-to-end and placing an emphasis on an in-house development approach.
As the official, exclusive sports betting partner of NBC Sports, PointsBet will utilize the media giant’s premium television and digital assets to promote the PointsBet brand across Illinois. As part of the agreement, NBC Sports provides PointsBet with year-round, multi-platform media and marketing opportunities across its unmatched portfolio of events, including exclusive multiplatform gameday integrations across NBC Sports Chicago, regional broadcast home to the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox. PointsBet’s full Spanish-language functionality will reach Hispanic sports fans via Telemundo Deportes and Telemundo broadcast stations.
SOURCE PointsBet
Latest News
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SELECTS SPORTRADAR TO TRANSFORM PLAYER TALENT SCOUTING FOR ALL 30 CLUBS
Sportradar today announced a multiyear agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB) to offer unparalleled sports performance analysis of amateur baseball prospects, through its Synergy Coaching and Scouting solution, to the league and its 30 Clubs. This new partnership will revolutionize player talent scouting through Sportradar’s advanced, proprietary technology and highlights Sportradar’s commitment to delivering innovative and game-changing solutions to the league.
Under the agreement, MLB and its 30 Clubs will gain access to an unprecedented depth of player analysis and insights with event coverage expanding significantly, from 3,300 to more than 20,000 games – an over 600% increase. This includes college, international, professional partner leagues and leading amateur leagues, such as the MLB Draft League, the Appalachian League and MLB Develops events, and, for the first time, top high school events.
The Synergy Coaching and Scouting solution is uniquely positioned to address the player evaluation needs of MLB as it leverages Sportradar’s expertise ingesting and transforming millions of data points from video into detailed metrics, actionable insights and dynamic visualizations. This, combined with Sportradar’s AI-powered sports performance technology, enables Synergy to provide unparalleled, in-depth analysis of every player, play and game situation, and equips MLB and Club scouts with the information and insights they need to streamline the evaluation process, guide draft decisions and support the development of future MLB players.
“Sportradar’s cutting-edge technology, alongside our reputation as a trusted partner to leading US sports leagues, is driving the transformation of sports performance analysis,” said Eduard Blonk, Chief Commercial Officer, Sportradar. “Through Synergy we are pleased that we are expanding our relationship with MLB, equipping them with the deep data and insights they need to identify the next generation of players. We are eager to continue bringing innovative solutions to MLB.”
“We are excited to expand our relationship with Sportradar and ensure equal access to the Synergy video and data services for all 30 MLB Clubs. This platform has become a key resource for Clubs in the domestic and international scouting process and we look forward to continuing our work with Sportradar in the coming years,” said John D’Angelo, MLB’s Sr. Vice President of Amateur and Medical Operations.
Financial reports
Commercial Gaming Revenue Growth Continues in Q3 2024, Driving Industry’s 15th Consecutive Quarter of Growth
U.S. commercial gaming revenue reached $17.71 billion in Q3 2024, the industry’s highest-grossing Q3 on record, according to the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker. This makes Q3 2024 the industry’s 15th consecutive quarter of annual revenue growth, with September marking the 43rd straight month of rising year-over-year commercial gaming revenue.
Through the first nine months of the year, nationwide commercial gaming revenue stands at $53.24 billion, pacing 8.0 percent ahead of 2023 and putting the industry on track for a fourth straight record revenue year.
In Q3 2024, 29 of the 35 commercial gaming jurisdictions operational last year saw increased year-over-year revenue. This growth resulted in an 8.9 percent year-over-year increase in state and local taxes tied directly to gaming revenue, with commercial gaming operators contributing $3.79 billion in taxes across the quarter.
Quarterly revenue from land-based gaming – encompassing casino slots, table games and retail sports betting – totaled $12.56 billion, 0.62 percent lower than Q3 2023. Meanwhile, combined revenue from online sports betting and iGaming totaled $5.14 billion in Q3 2024 as online gaming made up 29.0 percent of commercial gaming revenue, a significantly higher share than in Q3 2023.
Looking at each sector in Q3 2024:
- Traditional Gaming: Traditional brick-and-mortar casino gaming generated quarterly revenue of $12.38 billion, a contraction of 0.9 percent year-over-year.
- Legal Sports Betting: Americans legally wagered $30.3 billion on sports, generating $3.24 billion in quarterly revenue (+42.4% YoY). Recent market launches in Kentucky, Maine, North Carolina and Vermont contributed to this growth.
- iGaming: iGaming generated $2.08 billion in revenue, marking a 30.3 percent year-over-year increase.
“Q3 2024 continued gaming’s momentum from the first half of the year, with online casino and sports betting driving strong growth. At the same time, new brick-and-mortar casino openings bolstered traditional gaming, which still accounts for the bulk of industry revenue,” said AGA Vice President of Research David Forman. “More than a quarter of commercial revenue now regularly comes from online sources, raising the importance of continued sustainable growth with consumers in those states.”
Latest News
BGaming pens Brazilian multi-brand agreement with Cometa Gaming
Popular iGaming content provider BGaming has solidified its market position in Brazil by securing an aggregation deal with Cometa Gaming.
Cometa Gaming is an online casino and sportsbook aggregator with several brands in Brazilian market, all in the regulatory process. The group handpicks the best slot studios in the industry to meet the high standards of its passionate players.
BGaming has initially launched its entire portfolio with Cometa Gaming’s iGaming and sports betting brand Br4bet, including popular titles such as Fruit Million, Burning Chilli X and Space XY. The provider will continue to roll out its games across several of the platform’s other brands over the coming months.
This latest partnership demonstrates BGaming’s growing demand in LatAm ahead of the Brazil’s regulated market launching in January, where it remains committed to delivering a safe, fair and entertaining experience for players.
Gian Carlo Ferrini, Sales Manager at BGaming, said: “Partnering with Cometa Gaming is a major move for BGaming, enabling us to broaden the reach of our award-winning content to LatAm players across its multiple brands. So far, we have enjoyed early success with Br4bet and look forward to launching with Cometa Gaming’s other casino sites in the future.”
Thomaz Campos, COO at Cometa Gaming, said: “BGaming continues to break new ground in Brazil and we are delighted to have them live on Br4bet. Their games will help us achieve our goal of delivering the most appealing and forward-thinking content to players, as we both work towards a shared commitment to excellence.”
BGaming is a fast-growing iGaming content provider converting gambling into gaming. Thanks to an expert team and a player-driven approach, the studio creates innovative and engaging products featured on reputable platforms and 1,600+ online casinos worldwide. BGaming is the world’s first to support cryptocurrencies and offer Provably Fair games. Today the brand’s portfolio includes 150+ products with HD graphics and a clear user interface for every device. The studio is also known for its brand exclusives created in partnerships with leading operators in the industry.
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