Get ready for another sportsbook, Philadelphia: Parx Casino plans to start its PA sports betting operation Tuesday.
Parx will become the fourth sportsbook in Pennsylvania when it opens next week. Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course launched first in mid-November, followed by Rivers and SugarHouse casinos in December.
Parx will first start PA sports betting at its Bensalem location near Philadelphia, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report later confirmed to LSR by Parx. It plans to open shop at its South Philly location in the near future. Kambi will power Parx operations.
Tuesday’s opening will be a soft launch for Parx. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) requires all new sportsbooks to go through a 48-hour testing period. Assuming that proceeds without problems, Parx will be fully operational by next weekend. The company is featuring sports betting prominently on the home page of its website.
PA sports betting shows promise
The first returns available on PA sports betting arrived a couple of weeks ago and they do not cover much time. Only Hollywood reported in November and the central PA casino offered two weeks of data.
In that timeframe, Hollywood posted more than $500,000 in revenue on better than $1.4 million in handle. That equates to a remarkable 35 percent hold that likely cannot be repeated with regularity. What’s more promising for Hollywood, is the fact it opened during a historic blizzard that limited visitation.
The upcoming December report should provide more insight into the potential of the PA sports betting market. That filing will include a full month of sportsbook data for Hollywood, Rivers and SugarHouse. That also means the information will include both the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas.
What to expect at Parx in Bensalem
Parx will start its sports betting operation in a temporary lounge setup. That will include seven windows and 26 self-serve betting kiosks.
What Parx will not enjoy is a Philadelphia Eagles home game throughout the NFL playoffs. As the lowest seed in the NFC, the Eagles cannot play at home in the postseason. Their first available game to bet on will take place next weekend when Philly takes on New Orleans.
Rivers and SugarHouse launched in time to capture a Pittsburgh Steelers game and an Eagles game, respectively. That local appeal should drive the early sports betting revenue returns for both casinos.
None of the four PA sports betting operations yet includes mobile or online wagering. While legislators and regulators approved mobile in their 2017 law, the PCGB wants to proceed slowly and reportedly will not launch it until spring.
