The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) said South Philadelphia Turf Club would have to wait to open its doors until the Parx Casino sportsbook was up and running.
Apparently, the off-track betting parlor won’t have to wait very long at all though. In a release from Parx’s sports betting partner, Kambi, the company stated that South Philly Turf Club aims to start testing next week.
What that means for bettors is that they can literally place bets on Philadelphia’s pro sports teams from the stadium and arena parking lot.
South Philadelphia Turf Club in the heart of Stadium Park
When we say the parking lot, we really do mean the parking lot. South Philadelphia Turf Club is situated between Lot P and Lot Q parking for Stadium Park, the home of every Philadelphia pro sports team.
Just look at the distance from the Turf Club to each of the facilities:
- Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies: 0.3 miles
- Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles: 0.5 miles
- Wells Fargo Center, home of the Philadelphia 76ers and Flyers: 1 mile
Unfortunately for football fans, even if the Eagles make it to the Super Bowl, they will always be the lower seed. As such, they will never play at home.
For the NBA and NHL fans though, you will soon be able to place a bet and walk over to the arena in time for some pregame fun with Gritty.
Eventually, the Turf Club could have some competition from the Philadelphia Live! casino project. That is almost two years away though. The facility will not open until December 2020.
In the meantime, the Turf Club has prime real estate in Philadelphia to be the sports betting mecca for the city. It certainly is working for the Meadowlands in New Jersey. The book’s location, next to the home stadium of the New York Jets and New York Giants, is the top-performing retail sportsbook so far.
Valley Forge Turf Club in the mix, too
Another piece of news that should not get lost in the shuffle is that Valley Forge Turf Club will offer sports betting, too. The off-track betting parlor near Valley Forge National Park is also under Parx ownership. Given the pace the company is moving at, the club should beat Valley Forge Casino and its partner FanDuel to the retail betting market.
Parx has a third off-track betting option, which is also in the Philadelphia area. The Northeast Turf Club, in Roosevelt Mall, currently offers parimutuel sports wagering, but there is no word yet on it expanding to take sports bets as well.
