Sportsbook At Hard Rock Casino Rockford A Wise Bet
Officials from Illinois casinos are contemplating the addition of a sportsbook to the Hard Rock Casino Rockford: An Opening Act.
This news follows the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) announcing a record-breaking month in July. The temporary casino of Hard Rock, Opening Act, saw an inflow of 45,000 visitors.
Since the temporary opening of Hard Rock in Nov. 2021, this was the month that welcomed the most patrons.
Should casino officials choose to construct a sportsbook, they will require licensing and approval from the IGB. Hard Rock hopes to have this approved by the end of 2022.
13 News reports that Hard Rock plans to build a pit featuring six new games in response to high demand from bettors. This will be an addition to the casino’s existing 635 slot machines and electronic gaming options.
How opening a sportsbook will help other areas of the Hard Rock casino
It’s noteworthy that Hard Rock reached its peak visitor count in July. Illinois casinos, including Hard Rock, face stiff competition during summer months when guests have the option to enjoy outdoor activities.
The Forest Preserves of Winnebago County boasts over 10,000 acres of land available for exploration. Meanwhile, many citizens of northern Illinois choose to holiday in Wisconsin, taking advantage of one of the 15,000 lakes available in America’s Dairyland.
Should Hard Rock succeed in launching a permanent casino at the dawn of 2023, it will coincide with winter. This will result in gamblers having significantly less leisure alternatives during the cold season.
While enjoying the potential sportsbook at the casino, patrons could also explore and participate in other gaming options offered by Opening Act.
Opening a sportsbook during NFL and CFB seasons is crucial
The NFL and college football are two of the most popular markets for sports betting in Illinois.
Here is some sports betting data provided by the IGB. The first bullet point shows the total sports betting handle over a period of four months in 2021 when football was out of season. The second bullet point indicates the total sports betting handle during the football season.
The term ‘betting handle’ refers to the total amount of money taken in bets. The following data represents the combined figures from the nine casinos located in Illinois:
- The total amount of in-person betting between May 2021 and August 2021 was $57,369,603.
- The amount wagered in-person from September 2021 to December 2021 was $76,499,218.
Although Hard Rock is not anticipated to obtain appropriate licensing for a sportsbook until the close of 2022, it would be advantageous to inaugurate the sportsbook at the beginning of 2023. This is because the CFB bowl games are scheduled during this period, and the NFL playoffs kick off in January.
The College Football playoffs of CFB are among the events that receive the highest number of bets each year. The Super Bowl is equally renowned for its appeal to bettors.