Harrah’s Philadelphia sports betting will be up and running in time for Super Bowl LIII. The Caesars Entertainment-owned property announced on Friday that its sportsbook will hold its grand opening launch Jan. 22.
However, the actual sports betting begins at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) requires a two-day testing period. That testing phase is open to the public. The trial run takes place from 2 p.m, to midnight on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Up until now, the Harrah’s Philadelphia team had not said much in terms of opening plans. The property website does include a page dedicated to “Full Contact Sports Betting.” The opening date appeared on the website shortly after it was announced.
Chris Albrecht, vice president and general manager of Harrah’s Philadelphia, shared his excitement via a press release.
“We are excited to bring sports betting to Delaware County and allow our guests from the tri-state area to experience our property in a whole new way. With our gaming offering, live harness racing, our event center, award-winning restaurants and now the sportsbook, Harrah’s Philadelphia remains a must visit destination in the Philadelphia region.”
Inside The Book at Harrah’s Philadelphia
The sportsbook may not be opening until Tuesday afternoon, but Harrah’s Philadelphia has shared some of the design details and amenities in advance of the big reveal. The Book will include:
- 19 better than-stadium lounge seats
- 11 high-top tables
- Bar seating
- 45 large screen televisions
- Food and beverage offerings “tailored specifically for game day”
Hours for The Book
- Monday-Friday: 11 a.m.-12 a.m.
- Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-12 a.m.
Six-pack of Pennsylvania sports betting
Once open, Pennsylvania sports betting will have six retail venues. Hollywood Casino at Penn National opened first on Nov. 17 of last year. SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia and Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh followed on Dec. 15.
This new year is already off to a quick start with the temporary sportsbook at Parx Casino in Bensalem opening on Jan. 10 followed by the addition of sports betting at the South Philadelphia Turf Club on Jan. 17. Both properties are owned by Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment.
Pennsylvania sports betting should grow even more as the first quarter winds down. Valley Forge Turf Club, another Greenwood property, is targeting a March opening. FanDuel is also expected to enter the Pennsylvania sports betting market during the first quarter via a partnership with Valley Forge Casino Resort.
Presque Isle Downs, which was recently taken over by Churchill Downs, has applied for a sports betting license and is awaiting approval from the PGCB. The next board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 6.
Mobile sports betting is expected to come sometime in 2019, pending approval.
Like in Atlantic City, Harrah’s Philadelphia sportsbook is powered by SG Digital technology.
Super Bowl betting at Harrah’s Philadelphia
The big question for Thursday is will the first bet be on the Super Bowl winner?
It’s a little too early to answer that one since we don’t know the outcomes of the Rams-Saints and Patriots-Chiefs games. The Philadelphia Eagles did not make a return trip to the NFC Championship Game this season, eliminating the possibility of serious money being dropped on Philadelphia home team sports betting.
For now, the focus isn’t on who to bet on, but rather the excitement of getting the Harrah’s Philadelphia sportsbook ready to take bets.
“The launch of retail sports betting at Harrah’s Philadelphia is another exciting milestone, showcasing Caesars Entertainment’s commitment to leading this expanding industry,” says Christian Stuart, executive vice president of gaming & interactive entertainment for Caesars Entertainment.
