PA Gaming Review: Sports Betting Roars Back, Wind Creek Makes 10 Online Casinos

Written By Kevin Shelly on August 6, 2020 - Last Updated on April 10, 2024
PA sports betting back in full swing

Sports — and sports betting — are back in Pennsylvania.

The fullest slate of sports since March, many with PA teams, was in the news this past week. PA teams are also the focus of a new Pennsylvania Lottery venture involving the Steelers and Eagles.

DraftKings is sweetening the deal on PGA Championship betting this weekend.

The Penguins, Flyers, Sixers and the Phillies and Pirates are all back and attracting bettors. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Union soccer team lost its bid for the finals.

And finally, the PA online casino market in PA grows by one with a Wind Creek online casino launch.

PA sports betting is back in a big way

Sports’ alliances with gambling continue. The PA Lottery has launched a Second-Chance drawing, valid through Oct. 8. Nonwinning $5 Eagles and Steelers Fast Play tickets can score lottery players tickets into drawings for coveted PA NFL-related prizes.

DraftKings is offering a bet boost for the PGA Championship, increasing profits up to 50% in the first round and 30% after that. Other PA online sportsbooks are also offering promotions.

The Pens are locked in a deathmatch to move forward in pursuit of the Stanley Cup against the Canadiens. They must win Friday. The consolation prize is the chance for a better pick in the draft lottery. FOX Bet Sportsbook has some nice bet boosts for the game.

Meanwhile, the Flyers are a betting fave at DraftKings.

The Phillies are struggling to get their games in amid virus disruptions and returned to the field as underdogs facing a rough schedule.

The 76ers are No. 2 in handle and No. 2 in total bets in the NBA Championship market. They have accounted for more than 25% of bets in the outright market. It makes them a big liability for the FanDuel book.

Wind Creek joins the PA iGaming fray

Wind Creek launched its online casino in late July with 77 slot titles, making it the 10th player in the PA market.

Cordish (Live!), Golden Nugget Online Casino and BetMGM are still in the wings.

Cordish is still building two casinos, but plans to launch online very soon. And it also plans to bid on an available mini-casino license on Sept. 2.

MGM and Nugget will offer iGaming, untethered to a PA gambling facility.

Kevin Shelly Avatar
Written by
Kevin Shelly

Kevin C. Shelly is an award-winning career journalist who has spent most of his career in South Jersey. He's the former assistant city editor of The Press of Atlantic City, where he covered the casino industry and Atlantic City government as a reporter. He was also an investigative, narrative enterprise, and features reporter for Gannett’s Courier-Post.

View all posts by Kevin Shelly
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