Hawthorne, PointsBet To Launch 3 Sports Betting Sites At OTBs In Suburban Chicago
Last week, PointsBet launched its sports betting app in Illinois and is soon to start its retail operations.
Three suburban off-track betting (OTB) parlors in Chicago will also host retail sportsbooks operated by racino at Hawthorne Race Course and PointsBet.
They will arrive in Crestwood, Prospect Heights, and Oak Brook Terrace.
PointsBet is set to become the first sportsbook in Illinois with multiple retail locations. Once its sportsbook at Wrigley Field is finalized, DraftKings will join them, and others may also follow suit.
PointsBet is currently establishing its presence in the Chicagoland region.
The Daily Herald was informed by a representative that Player’s Pub & Grill, which houses one OTB, may initiate its sportsbook as early as Oct. 1.
The interior renovations of the bar, which encompass the development and reconstruction of betting windows, are nearing completion. Player & rsquo’s Pub already provides the city with tax revenue and in 2016, it aided in financing a 2,500-square-foot OTB expansion.
Dan Peterson, the city’s director of building and development, stated that they view this as a straightforward transition to generate new income streams for one of their outstanding business partners.
The first Illinois sports betting revenue report was released on Tuesday, and as expected, smart betting was the dominant activity. However, PointsBet appears prepared to thrive in any sign-up environment.
PointsBet’s in-person membership setup is excellent.
Should Gov. PointsBet find itself in a more advantageous position than its Illinois competitors, this will be particularly beneficial when JB Pritzker decides to reinstate the in-person registration requirement later this week or in the following weeks.
A representative from PointsBet has verified that individuals can register for PointsBet Sportsbook at their racecourse or OTBs if online registration ceases.
For the average Chicagoan or northerner, it still wouldn’t be suitable. Nevertheless, PointsBet would possess several of the most pragmatic options.
The travel time between all four bookmakers and downtown Chicago is approximately 45 minutes. Although Rivers Casino in Des Plaines is in a prime location, PointsBet’s locations in the west and northwest are more favored.
In contrast, residents of Chicago would need to travel nearly five hours to East St. Louis to register with DraftKings Sportsbook. Similarly, a journey of almost three hours would be required to East Peoria for registration with FanDuel.
The Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, partnered with William Hill Sportsbook Illinois, is approximately an hour’s distance from Chicago.
Choosing to work with a racecourse is an appealing choice.
Arlington International Racecourse and Fairmount Park are the two Illinois racetracks without a sports betting partner.
Reports suggest that FanDuel was considering purchasing Fairmount and an agreement could still be reached. Conversely, Arlington has lost interest in sports betting. Churchill Downs Inc., Arlington’s parent company, already holds a 61% stake in Rivers Casino.
From the viewpoint of a sports betting operator, having access to several Off-Track Betting (OTB) sites can be beneficial. This is especially true in Arlington, where there are some appealing OTB locations, such as Joe’s Chicago Bar on Weed Street. There’s also an OTB in Fairmount, located in Springfield, the state capital.
PointsBet is currently the only operator in Illinois collaborating with a track, and this partnership could soon prove profitable.
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