William Hill, the agency of Caesars Entertainment, today officially opened the entire Washington, D.C., sportsbook at Capital One Arena, the first sportsbook of a professional sports facility in the United States. 슬롯머신
Home to Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals and Washington Mystics has now added a premiere destination to watch and bet on all major sports.
“This is a truly groundbreaking moment for Caesars and the sports betting industry in general,” said Tom League, CEO of Caesars. “This is the first integrated sportsbook in a physical stadium in the United States. This is the new paradigm, and this is the direction it is going. We ask Caesars’ employees to burn new roads to create a unique experience. When you walk through this building and see what’s here, this is what we’re talking about.”
In October 2019, William Hill signed a contract with Monumental Sports & Entertainment to build and operate a sportsbook at Capital One Arena. Last July, a temporary sportsbook space with betting windows and a self-service kiosk was revived.
Now, the 18,000-square-foot, two-story sportsbook is full of wall-to-wall LEDs, DC sports memorabilia, and even a restaurant with a concept designed by a local Michelin star chef.
“I think this is a first step. You’re going to see a lot of different stadiums and a lot of different leagues gasping to do this,” said Ted Leonsis, CEO and founder of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. “Because of that, we know we’re exemplary and everyone will watch how we perform. We’re very committed to making this a natural home for sportsbooks around the world, where our fans and our partners thrive.”
Leeg and Leonsis were among those cutting blue William Hill sportsbook ribbons for sports betting this morning, marking the start of a new era in Washington, D.C.
As soon as you walk into the sportsbook, what immediately catches your attention is the Jumbotron, a replica of what is located inside Capital One Arena. The Jumbotron is a familiar sight to greet sports fans, one of the many spectacular features of the interior designed to create an unparalleled sports-watching atmosphere.
It makes you feel like you’ve just entered the future of sports betting, but it also pays homage to the players and sites that helped shape the D.C. sports scene. Newspaper headlines highlighting the biggest sporting moments in D.C. history are set in the ticket window. Hanging throughout the sportsbook, jerseys include Bradley Beal (Wizards), Wes Unsled (Bullet), and Patrick Ewing (Georgetown), reminding fans of D.C.’s rich sporting history at every turn.
Then there’s the groundbreaking restaurant. Michelin-starred restaurant Nicholas Stephanelli, the chef and owner of Maseria, grew up in suburban Maryland and was a D.C. food stereotype. Stephanelli helped design the restaurant’s menu at William Hill’s D.C. Sportsbook as well as determine what the space looked like.
As a chance to eat delicacies such as soft-shelled crabs, lasagna bolognese, and pork ribs, it provides another way for fans to enjoy watching the game on the big screen.
“When I got a phone call from William Hill about 18 months ago, they said, ‘Do you want to help us? We want to put a sports book on the field and make it an experience,'” Stephanelli said. “The challenge of intertwining all these things with food, drink, hospitality and games depends on the heartbeat of our city.”
Sportsbooks are open Monday to Friday from 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET, and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET. Besides ticket counters and self-service kiosks, the William Hill D.C. Sportsbook app is available within a two-block radius around Capital One Arena.
Shortly after the ribbon cutting ceremony, the sportsbook was opened to the public. A long line quickly formed outside, and betting sheets were handed out to customers eagerly waiting for their bets.
“I think it’s fantastic,” said Nick Etchez, who lives in Maryland. “The upstairs area is pretty cool, and I’m very impressed. After going to a lot of sports books in Vegas, I think they did a really good job of this. I’m British, and I was born and raised in England until I was 15. We’ve had books everywhere, probably William Hill. I always come down to D.C. on Wednesdays, and I start on Thursdays, so I bet on golf here.”
Once inside, the bettors presented today’s first MLB game, the Orioles vs. the Twins, at Jumbotron.
“It looks beautiful, and there’s TV everywhere,” said Jeff Arnold, who placed a bet on baseball and basketball. “I’ve been in D.C. all my life, and I’m a big Wizards fan. I’m here a lot [in the William Hill D.C. sportsbook], so I know I’m going to get chills sitting down and watching the game. I can definitely see myself here all day.”