William Hill Opens Sportsbook At Grand Victoria Casino In Illinois

Before Saturday, Illinois bettors only had one legal sports betting option. However, over the weekend, William Hill Illinois increased that number to two, at least for retail betting.

Over the weekend, William Hill Sportsbook launched its betting windows at Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin. This is a precursor to future expansion.

information about the William Hill Illinois Sportsbook, which is now available

The inaugural bet at the book on Saturday was ceremonial, but that was as far as it went. The event that the bet was based on, the game between the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers, was ultimately cancelled due to rain.

However, bettors should not view this as a negative indication. The area is equipped with all necessary facilities, including:

There are three bets windows, though only two are currently in use to allow for social distance.
• It is a bar situated near the Grand Victoria on the casino floor.
• Several pieces of high-top furniture.
• There are long-term seating options available for watching gymnastics.
• numerous high-definition displays
• Gambling periods occur daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Safety measures, similar to routine cleaning and face mask requirements, are in place.

The start of William Hill’s retail operations in Illinois is crucial to the initiation of its online component. State law in Illinois mandates that bettors intending to place wagers online must register their accounts in person.

The company has not disclosed a specific date for the William Hill Illinois app and website to go live, but it is part of the brand’s plan.

Considering BetRivers is currently the only individual in the state, it is likely to be the next authorized online casino operator. However, there is some resistance in this area for William Hill.

Playing in Illinois for subsequent place electronically

The Hawthorne Race Course, considered as the main rival of William Hill in the Prairie State, recently received positive news. The Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) granted them a master license last Thursday.

PointsBet has a management services contract with that facility. Last month, the IGB granted PointsBet a license to operate Hawthorne’s online and retail sports betting platform.

Thanks to the elimination of regulatory barriers, PointsBet is perfectly positioned to become the next big company in the Land of Lincoln. The launch of their website and wholesale operations could occur at any moment.

The IGB has granted similar licenses to DraftKings and FanDuel. DraftKings appears to be the nearest to launch among the two, apparently only awaiting licensing from the IGB for its facility partner, the Casino Queen in East St. Louis.

FanDuel has not yet established a physical presence in Illinois to access the position. Considering the eventual issuance of up to three online-only licenses, FanDuel may choose to independently pursue this opportunity. However, obtaining one of these licenses would require FanDuel to invest $20 million and wait for a minimum of two years.

Within a few weeks, gamblers in Illinois could have up to four online betting choices. They currently have multiple options for in-person betting, which is certainly a move in the right direction.