The long and winding road that has seen the green light for legal sports betting in the Bay State has moved at a glacial pace. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel as Massachusetts casinos will begin accepting sports bets on Tuesday of next week.
Soft Opening
Retail sports betting in Massachusetts will be available to the betting public on Tuesday, January 31st, but there will be a soft opening the day before. More than likely you will need to be connected to a politician or someone high enough in the pecking order to wrangle an invitation to this soft opening. However, if you are a member of the hoi polloi you will have to wait a day to get your bets down.
Below are the retail sports betting locations that have been licensed by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) and the corresponding sportsbooks associated with them.
Casinos Retail
- Encore Boston Harbor (WynnBet & Caesars)
- MGM Springfield (BetMGM)
- Plainridge Park (Barstool & Fanatics)
Racing Retail
- Raynham Park (Caesars)
- Suffolk Downs (BetRivers)
Mobile Sports Betting Unresolved
Any hope that Bay State bettors could be getting down online for the Super Bowl on February 12th has all but vanished. However, rumors continue to swirl that the mobile sports betting launch in Massachusetts will arrive just in time for March Madness.
As of this moment, we can see which online platforms are aligned with whom and which are untethered to casinos and racetracks. The casinos and racetracks are allowed to have two skins (mobile alliances) apiece. Below is the most current list available.
- WynnBET (connected to Encore Boston Harbor)
- Caesars (connected to Encore Boston Harbor)
- BetMGM (connected to MGM Springfield)
- Barstool Sportsbook (connected to Plainridge Park)
- Fanatics (connected to Plainridge Park)
- Bally Bet
- Betr
- Betway
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- PointsBetUSA
Bet365 Walks Caesars Arrives
Although representatives from Bet365 have not commented on why they pulled the plug on the deal to align as a mobile platform for Raynham, what we do know is that the door remains ajar for the British bookmaker to secure one of the untethered mobile licenses.
However, Raynham did recently announce a deal with Caesars to run its retail operation. The former greyhound racetrack and now a simulcasting venue for horse and dog tracks all over the country already has a 3000 square foot simulcasting area that could be dedicated as a temporary sportsbook. Nevertheless, a fully expanded section will be built out to accommodate a first-class sportsbook within the next four to five months.
Eric Hession, president of Caesars Digital, in a press statement, “Raynham Park is in an excellent location in southeast Massachusetts and will be one of just a few retail sports betting locations in the Commonwealth. It’s great to partner with the Carney family, which has a long history in the community and an exciting vision for a tremendous sports entertainment and pari-mutuel simulcasting facility. We look forward to showcasing the Caesars’ commitment to world-class experiences through this partnership.”
Calculators
