William Hill US has expanded its presence in the US sports betting market by opening new retail sportsbooks at the Grand Victoria Casino Elgin in Illinois and inside the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
The launch at Grand Victoria Casino marks William Hill’s debut in the Illinois market, and the latest step in the operator’s partnership with Caesars Entertainment.
Located adjacent to the main casino floor, the facility features three full-service ticket windows, high-top tables, seating options and as multiple televisions for sports viewing throughout the day.
William Hill has already said that it intends to build on this launch by also rolling out mobile sports betting in Illinois, subject to regulatory approval.
“This will be our first sports book in the state of Illinois and allows us to continue to expand our relationship with Caesars Entertainment properties across the country,” William Hill’s president of retail operations David Grolman said.
Grand Victoria Casino senior vice president and general manager Bill Gustafson dded: “Partnering with the country’s leading sports betting operator allows us to offer our customers an elevated experience that features industry-leading wagering and technology.”
Meanwhile, William Hill has also expanded into the Washington D.C. market by opening a retail sportsbook inside the Capital One Arena – its first facility of its kind inside a sports complex in the US.
The temporary sportsbook, which is located inside the Capital One Arena Box Office, features seven ticket windows and 10 kiosks for fans to place wagers. However, work on a permanent sportsbook is already underway, with the hope of opening this facility by autumn 2020, pending regulatory approval.
The Capital One Arena is home to NBA franchise the Washington Wizards, as well as WNBA team the Washington Mystics and NHL outfit the Washington Capitals. William Hill is the exclusive sports betting partner of the three teams, through its partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), which owns the franchises and the arena.
“Washington, D.C. is known for its dedicated sports fans, and we’re excited to finally bring them a new way to engage with their favourite teams,” William Hill US chief executive Joe Asher said. “Our teams are working hard to finalize the permanent sportsbook, restaurant and bar concept we originally envisioned inside the arena.”
Jim Van Stone, president of business operations and chief commercial officer at MSE, added that the operator was a “terrific partner” with “a reputation for excellence in service and maintaining the highest level of integrity in their process”.
“[We] and we look forward to welcoming many familiar and new visitors to the arena to check it out.”
The double launch comes after William Hill last month also expanded into the Colorado market with Caesars, opening six kiosks at its Isle Casino Hotel and Lady Luck Casino in Black Hawk.