Pennsylvania online sports betting: What you need to know

[TheComputerGroup]

Penn National Gaming Strikes Sports Betting Deals With DraftKings, Kambi, And More



Penn National Gaming has removed any remaining doubt about its plans to capitalize on US sports betting expansion.

The company issued a press release late Wednesday, announcing an impressive new quartet of market-access agreements. Penn’s new partners include some of the most ambitious names in the game — both in sports and in other forms of online gambling:

DraftKings Sportsbook
PointsBet
theScore
The Stars Group

Additionally, UK-based Kambi announced that has agreed power Penn’s in-house sportsbooks across its entire portfolio. Penn currently owns and/or operates more than 40 properties in 19 states, including eight with legal sports betting.

Here’s Penn’s SVP of Interactive Gaming Jon Kaplowitz on the big news:

“We’re pleased to be providing the top names in sports betting, iGaming and poker access to our Company’s non-primary licenses to conduct these operations in exchange for a combination of upfront cash and equity, one-time market access fees and ongoing revenue sharing.”

Penn’s new US sports betting roadmap
This announcement changes everything for Penn.

It looks like the end of its William Hill partnership, for starters, which never broadened after the trial run in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Penn will instead employ Kambi to power its products going forward, including both retail and online betting.

Kambi CEO Kristian Nylén called it “an honour” to sign the agreement, the biggest yet for his company:

“Kambi’s strategy has always been to partner with tier one operators, particularly those that share our vision and passion for sports and sports wagering. In Penn National, we have found an ideal partner – one that is not only passionate about providing high quality sports wagering experiences to its customers, but a company that adheres to the highest level of ethical business standards.”

According to Kambi press, it expects to open its first Penn sportsbooks Indiana and Iowa in Q3 of this year. Online sports betting could come as early as 2020 under the new partnership.

Penn holds the door for new partners

As game changing as it is, the Kambi announcement is arguably the smaller deal for the industry as a whole. Penn has also entered into partnerships with four up-and-coming operators, each of which appears well positioned in its own right.

The big shakeup has apparently been brewing for quite some time, as the press release includes a detailed breakdown of the game plan — and the financials. Here’s who gets what and how much it cost them (skin priority in parenthesis, legalized states bold):

DraftKings Sportsbook comes up big

States: Florida (1), Indiana (3), Missouri (1), Ohio (1), Pennsylvania (1), Texas (1), West Virginia (2)

Terms: 10 years, optional 10-year extension

Cost: Revenue share

There are certainly several winners out of all these deals, but the biggest impact in the short term might be for DraftKings Sportsbook.

The key news out of all of this is DraftKings is coming to Pennsylvania, a nut that the sportsbook had not cracked. While FanDuel Sportsbook PA is already live, DraftKings was, until today, still looking for a way into the state.

Here’s CBO Ezra Kucharz:

“With dozens of states having already legalized sports betting or poised to do so in the near future, this expanded partnership ensures DraftKings is positioned to quickly enter new markets. Penn National Gaming brings tremendous resources, people and experience to the partnership and, as we finalized the terms of the deal, it was abundantly clear there is a real synergy between our two companies that bodes very well for the future.”

DraftKings already had a market-access deal with PNG for West Virginia; its app should roll out there sometime in the near future. The company will have the honor of deploying Penn’s first skin when Indiana sports betting launches later this year.

PointsBet lands its largest deal to date

States: Indiana (2), Louisiana (1), Missouri (1), Ohio (1), West Virginia (3)
Terms: 20 years
Cost: Revenue share + 5.28% equity + $2.5 million conditionally for Ohio

PointsBet is no doubt the smallest company mentioned in this piece, but it is clearly not one to be underestimated. After importing its product from Australia, the young US operator is already making some noise.

It was one of the first to line up a spot in the NJ sports betting market, partnering with Meadowlands back in mid-2018. That deal also includes access to New York via Tioga Downs, though NY lawmakers failed to authorize online betting this year. Lastly, PointsBet has also secured a spot in the Iowa market via a partnership with Catfish Bend.

PointsBet brings its popular and proprietary Points Betting system to the Penn network, a key differentiator in an increasingly competitive industry.

TheScore also scores for its sportsbook

States: Indiana (2), Iowa (2), Kansas (3), Louisiana (1), Maine (3), Massachusetts (3), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), Missouri (2), Ohio (2), Texas (2)
Terms: 20 years
Cost: Revenue share + 4.7% equity

Media company theScore — best-known for its sports app — is coming to New Jersey with a sportsbook, probably as soon as next month.

It has a deal with sports betting provider Bet.Works for its sports betting platform. But its path to getting into other states had remained a mystery. Now it has a lot of market access — 11 states to be exact.

Here’s CEO John Levy:

“Securing this highly-coveted partnership with Penn National is a major step towards our goal of becoming a leader in mobile sports betting in the United States. We are thrilled that Penn National believes in, and has invested in, our vision of an integrated approach to media and sports betting and we can’t wait to unveil the best-in-class mobile betting experience that we’ve been building for sports fans.”

The Stars Group finds a master key

States: Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Kansas (2), New Mexico (2), Maine (2), Massachusetts (2), Michigan (2), Ohio (1), Texas (1)
Terms: 20 years
Cost: Revenue share + $12.5 million + $5 million conditional for Texas

This one is perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch.

The Stars Group is the world’s largest public online gambling company, and it has begun to establish a prominent US footprint. It already offers all three online gambling verticals in New Jersey — casino, poker, and sports — under its own Stars-themed brands, but it’s been doing some of its own shopping.

In May, Stars announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Fox Sports which will move the broadcaster into the gambling realm. The duo are working to create a new FoxBet platform to replace the existing BetStars client in the US.

With industry-leading technology and a world-class partner under its belt, market access was essentially the only thing Stars was lacking in the US. That’s all but solved now, and Penn’s blueprint puts TSG at the forefront in major sports markets like Illinois, Indiana, and (optimistically) Texas.

TSG also provides Penn a turnkey online casino and poker partner in markets where those forms of gambling are legal.

The last broad sports betting market access deal?

This effectively ends Penn National as an avenue for any company other than the ones that announced deals today.

And the other major casino companies have already done a lot of deals, as well, although not every last possibility is exhausted:

Both Caesars and Eldorado Resorts had deals in place for sports betting before their planned merger. The footprint of A lot of the deals still have to shake out post-merger, but counting on CZR or ERI as a partner if you don’t have a deal would be dicey.

Boyd Gaming has a deal with FanDuel Sportsbook, that seemingly leaves room for some operators to strike a deal for access.
MGM Resorts seems to be counting on itself and not opening its licensing opportunities, at least not yet.

If you wanted to get into a lot of states with one deal, that’s the landscape you’re looking at. Penn National taking a bunch of market access off the board in one fell swoop makes the remaining spots that much more valuable.




https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.le...enn-national-gaming-sports-betting-deals/amp/

 

[TheComputerGroup]

FANDUEL ONLINE SPORTSBOOK PA PROMO CODE & REVIEW



FanDuel Sportsbook PA welcome bonus – August 2019


FanDuel is treating new players to a substantial welcome offer, which grants bettors a second chance via a First-Bonus Bet up to $500. All you need to do to take advantage is to sign up using either the promo code below or any of the links on this page.

*New Jersey gamblers should take note that if they have already received a Bonus Bet at FanDuel’s Garden State site, they won’t be eligible for another one in PA (at least for the moment).

Breaking down the bonus
To get the bonus, you’ll first need to make a deposit of at least the amount you’d like to wager on your First-Bonus Bet. Once you do, you should place the entire amount you’d like to be considered for the offer on your first wager ($500 max).

So for example, if you’d like to wager $300 total on your First-Bonus Bet, you’ll need to place the entire $300 as a single initial wager. You can’t, for instance, make a $150 bet then make another $150 bet later – only the first $150 will be considered for the offer.

If you win your initial bet, fantastic, you’re off to a great start! Unfortunately though, in that case, you won’t receive any additional bonus money, which is why this offer isn’t quite as lucrative as a guaranteed Bonus Bet. However, if you happen to lose, the First-Bonus Bet terms will kick in, and you’ll receive your wager amount back as a site credit within 72 hours.

There is a small catch, however, in that you can’t simply cash out your bonus credit immediately. You’ll first need to wager the total aggregate amount of the bonus credit before the money is fully unlocked and free for withdrawal. And you’ll only receive winnings in your account, not the bonus amount wagered.

You should also keep in mind that wagers placed on favorites with lines shorter than or equal to -200 will not count towards your wager requirement. So if you had planned to bet on a lock to easily clear the play through, you’ll need to alter your strategy a bit.

Why bet at FanDuel PA online

Impressive mobile apps: FanDuel was the first PA sportsbook to debut both an iOS and Android app. That said, the app doesn’t impress simply because it was first on the scene. FanDuel designers have drawn on years of experience developing the company’s daily fantasy sports product and have created a beautiful mobile sportsbook experience for customers.

Fun and unexpected promos: FanDuel Sportsbook is known for generating buzz through eye-catching ads and promos. On one occasion in late 2018, FanDuel’s marketing team made headlines for paying out all New Jersey bets on Alabama to win the National Championship — before the game had even been played. The Crimson Tide would go on to lose to Clemson in the title game, resulting in a big win for everyone who bet the game. Expect similar ploys like this in PA going forward.

User friendly perks: FanDuel’s sportsbook is comprised of software made by industry veterans Paddy Power Betfair, IGT and GAN. This means players have access to features unavailable at other sites. For example, NJ gamblers who find themselves in PA can easily switch to the PA site with the tap of a button, and can use a shared bankroll no matter which of the two states they happen to be in. There’s also a ton of bets (both pre-game and live) available on major market games.

NFL lines: Not only does FanDuel post its NFL lines early, but the moneyline pricing is industry best. And the sheer number of NFL props and futures offered is more than impressive.

What’s not to like?

MLB moneylines are a bit weak (especially when betting favorites)
New Jersey players that took advantage of the site’s welcome bonus, can’t do so again.
Promotional schedule is sparse during slow seasons.
No loyalty program … yet


Special promotions and offers

Apart from offering the generous First-Bonus Bet for newcomers mentioned above, FanDuel is known for padding its promotional schedule with exciting and potentially lucrative promos, particularly during major events, like the start of the NFL season, of March Madness.

Admittedly, slower times of the year see fewer big time promos offered, so check in more often when there’s a lot of action.

While the company is still gaining its footing in the state, it already lists a few promos on the site. Here the types of promos that are already live, coupled with ones we expect to see:

Insurance: When players come up short on one leg of a parlay consisting of four or more legs, they’ll receive a refund, capped at $25 – $100. Depending on the season, we hope to see more of these types of insurance promos, like players getting paid even if their team unexpectedly goes down in flames at the last minute.

Odds Boosts: Odds Boosts are common promotional vehicles in the online sports betting world, and now PA players can enjoy them as well. Odds Boosts essentially offer gamblers inflated odds which are more favorable than what they actually should be. This gives players an artificial advantage over the book and creates a good opportunity to generate extra value. These promos are not centered on any specific sport, and are offered daily by FanDuel.

Bonus Bets: Bonus Bets are a great way for players to boost their bankroll, even after they have exhausted their First-Bonus Bet offer. With these types of bonuses, players bet a certain amount and then receive the same amount as a site credit, capped at a certain monetary amount. Typically loyal patrons and VIP customers will receive such offers more frequently.

Early payouts: FanDuel’s parent company is famous for their creative promotions, which have included paying out one side of a bet before an event has even been played out. This is great from a publicity perspective, and even better for players, who win no matter which side they bet on.

FanDuel Sportsbook PA loyalty program

Loyalty programs are very attractive incentives for customers in crowded markets, especially for high-volume players looking to get the most bang for their buck. Unfortunately, FanDuel PA does not yet offer a loyalty program specifically for sports bettors, although that could change.

The site does, however, offer its loyal daily fantasy sports players kickbacks under its FanDuel Players Club. It’s quite possible that we could see the site adapt and extend this program for its sports betting websites in PA and across the U.S. in the near future.

DFS players, for their part, are automatically enrolled in the FanDuel Players Club and receive rewards based on how many FanDuel Points (FDP) they earn each month. For every $1 patrons spend in entry fees, they are awarded 5 FDPs. The more points they earn, the higher they advance through the site’s seven levels.

Each new unlocked level awards Bonus Plays into bigger and bigger GPP prize pools, along with other special perks like special weekly promotions and premium support.

Be on the lookout for a dedicated FanDuel Sportsbook Players Club soon.

Software platforms

FanDuel makes it easy to access your account and make bets no matter if you are sitting in front of your desktop computer or placing wagers on the go via a smartphone or tablet.

The sportsbook can be accessed directly through any of your favorite web browsers (e.g. Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, etc.), which allow you to place bets directly on the page without the need to download any special software.

iOS and Android
FanDuel also offers extremely high-quality apps for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

While the company wasn’t the first operator to launch online in the state, it did beat out the pack in offering an app for Apple devices. For the time being it is enjoying a monopoly in the App Store (Play SugarHouse & BetRivers allow iOS users to wager but only via a workaround and only from their mobile browser), which should give it a distinct edge over competitors that have seen their offerings delayed by rigid new terms and conditions put in place by Apple.

Inside the app, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find nearly all the same account features offered on the full website, all packed into an aesthetically pleasing interface.

At the top of the app, FanDuel provides shortcuts for the most popular sports, along with a button for games in progress and another for promotions.

When you tap on certain types of events, like tennis, for example, you can even see an animation of the court and watch points being played in real time. This is a nice touch which you won’t find in most apps made by U.S. competitors. In the future, as the industry matures, we might even see live games being broadcast right on the screen.

The iOS app can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store, while the Android app can be downloaded directly from the FanDuel website (Google does not permit gambling apps in its app store).

Banking at FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel came out swinging with a very robust array of deposit and withdrawal methods, which should make it easy for most gamblers to get their money on and off the site.

At the top of our list is ******, followed up by Online Bank Transfers, which open up a portal to your bank and deposits cash into your account instantly.

The options offered at FanDuel PA are identical to its book in New Jersey, with one exception: Garden State players can make cash deposits and withdrawals at the The Meadowlands Racetrack, the site’s NJ licensing partner. In the future, Valley Forge Casino, FanDuel’s PA partner, might also allow the same type of deposits and withdrawals at its cashier’s cage.

Here’s a full list of all deposit options available:

Visa and MasterCard credit/debit cards
FanDuel Prepaid Card
******
ACH (eCheck)
Online Bank Transfer
Wire transfer
Paper check

If you feel like you are getting in over your head and spending more than you’d like, you always have the option of restricting your deposit limits by day, week or month. Just navigate to the deposit limits page on the site, enter your maximum and click the Set Limit button. Maximum single wager amounts and reality checks are also available.

Your cashout options are not quite as numerous, and consist of:

ACH (eCheck)
FanDuel Prepaid Card
******
Paper check

Betting lines
The quality of FanDuel’s lines relative to the market is generally decent, but not always, and varies somewhat by sport.

For MLB games, players can find slightly better value on run line and moneyline bets elsewhere, such as Play Sugarhouse.

Not the case for NFL. In addition to offering market standard 20-cent lines on all point spreads and totals, FanDuel outdoes its competitors by a few cents (and sometimes more) on moneylines. As a quick example we observed a +188 / -220 for an upcoming Browns v. Titans game versus +175 / -220 for the same line on other sites. That sort of disparity is common.

Two-leg parlays are priced at +264 (on -110 bets) and three-leggers at +595 – nothing too special, but pretty good. Prop pricing wasn’t spectacular, as we often observed 25-cent lines on even odds wagers. That sort of straddles the line between good (20-cent) and poor (30-cent).

Futures pricing was generally solid, but this is one area where it definitely pays to shop around, as FanDuel Sportsbook may offer a better price than its competitors on one site, but not on another.

FanDuel is more aggressive with its Odds Boosts than one might expect. For example, the site posted a line of +210 for the Steelers to beat the Patriots outright, and boosted the line to a whopping +500. Unfortunately the max bet was set at $50, but that’s still fairly tremendous value. Look out for these kinds of deals on the regular.

FanDuel PA betting markets

While the first handful of PA online sportsbooks chose software provider Kambi to handle their pricing and betting markets, FanDuel is powered by the folks behind the bookmaking giants Betfair and Paddy Power.

That said, FanDuel’s list of betting markets is substantial, topping out at 15 core sports and expanding into countless events, games and tournaments. You can quickly view live and popular sports near the top of the page, or scroll down further to view a full list of all the options available. Click your sport of choice to drill down into the individual bets available for each game type.

Below is the current list of all sports available on FanDuel PA, which is nearly identical to its NJ site. For some reason, FanDuel NJ offers betting on Cricket games, while the PA site does not. We imagine that the option will be added sometime in the future, however.

Australian Rules
Boxing
College basketball
College football
Darts
Golf
Hockey
MMA
Motor racing
Pro baseball
Pro basketball
Pro football
Rugby
Soccer
Tennis

Bet types

A full selection of betting types is on the table at FanDuel Sportsbook, starting with common options like money line and prop bets, and moving all the way to more exotic varieties like Early Cashouts and In Play bets.

While a complete list of bet types can be viewed on the site’s Bet Guide, below you can see most of the major options at a glance:

Moneyline: A simple bet on which team will win the game. Players betting underdogs will make a bigger return on their wins than those betting favorites.

Prop bets: Betting on specific events which occur during a game, such as whether or not a specific player will score the first touchdown in an NFL game.

Parlays: A bet on the outcome of multiple events. These long-shot wagers can pay out large sums, but face tough odds due to the fact that all legs involved must win.

Teasers: Teasers allow you to add points to an underdog’s point spread. FanDuel lists teasers for NFL, College football and basketball games.

Round Robin: A simple way to make multiple parlay bets at the same time.

In Play bets: Make a bet on a specific action in the middle of a game. These types of wagers are tailor-made for online and mobile betting since they need to be placed quickly.

Futures: A wager on an event slated to take place sometime in the future, such as betting on the Super Bowl before NFL season has begun.

Point spread: A bet on whether your team beats the point spread set by the sportsbook.

Totals: A bet on whether both teams will score more or less total points than what is listed by the book.

Early Cashout: If your bet is winning, you can elect to cash out your bet early. However, you will win less than you would had you waited until the end of the game and prevailed. Limited available.

In terms of the number of available bets, FanDuel stacks up exceedingly well, especially going above and beyond in the areas of futures and props. As an example, NFL futures bettors can place wagers on everything from who will win the Super Bowl, AFC, and NFC East to which player will be Offensive Rookie of the Year, whether individual teams will make the playoffs and way, way more.

Props are also plentiful, numbering in the low 100s for even the laziest mid-summer MLB game. For prime time NFL games, they could approach over 200.

FanDuel’s live sportsbook at Valley Forge

Valley Forge’s King of Prussia Casino launched a FanDuel branded physical sportsbook in March 2019, the sixth casino to do so in the state.

The choice to choose the FanDuel name over Valley Forge was a simple one, as the FanDuel brand is already well-known by throngs of potential sports bettors across the Commonwealth.

The FanDuel name is so valuable, in fact, that gamblers who might never have visited the humble casino might stop by to take a look.

The physical book prominently displays FanDuel’s branding everywhere, and boasts the same visual scheme as the FanDuel space at the Meadowlands in New Jersey: cool blue tones and a natural wood aesthetic.

Of course the two facilities are entirely different, the NJ space is much bigger (5,300 square feet, with room for 500 patrons, 15 sports betting windows, and over 60 TVs). The Valley Forge book, by comparison, encompasses just 1,800 square feet and boasts seven betting windows, 27 TV screens, and two sports tickers.

The venue is open for business seven days a week, staying open for the longest stretch on Saturdays (9am-2am). If the sportsbook happens to be closed, patrons can still cash tickets at cashier windows throughout the casino.


https://www.pennbets.com/reviews/fanduel-sportsbook/

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Fan Duel in Pa will be getting Cash deposit at casino cage & for withdrawal in the near future I've been told......

 

[TheComputerGroup]

You would think the cash deposit & withdrawal from the casino cage would be the first & easiest way to deposit unless you live far away.......surprising they don't have it yet.

 

[JackStraw77]

I live across the bridge from Philadelphia and already have a NJ Fan Duel account. I am in Philadelphia often and took advantage of Pa only Odds Boosts. Yesterday I wagered $50 which is the max bet on the Sixers boosted from 9-1 to 18-1 to win the NBA title for the 2019-2020 season. They also offered the Steelers to beat the Patriots in week one boosted to +500 for $50. I can lay -250 on the Pats right now and scalp $125 on the Steelers. The last bet was the Phillies to win the series against the White Sox at even money boosted from -300. Didn't know the Phillies would choke one away the White Sox. They are almost -300 today with Nola on the mound. Hopefully they can win today and tomorrow. You log into the same app in NJ and PA and it gives you different boosts for each state. In settings you can display your NJ bets or PA bets. Unfortunately as already stated you can't get the $500 First Bonus Bet in each state. For bonus sign-ups you would prefer a stand alone app for each state where you could get two bonuses. In SugarHouse case they have a Rivers Casino app for Pa which you can get an additional $250 Bonus Bet even though you have a SugarHouse NJ app.

 

[TheComputerGroup]

I live across the bridge from Philadelphia and already have a NJ Fan Duel account. I am in Philadelphia often and took advantage of Pa only Odds Boosts. Yesterday I wagered $50 which is the max bet on the Sixers boosted from 9-1 to 18-1 to win the NBA title for the 2019-2020 season. They also offered the Steelers to beat the Patriots in week one boosted to +500 for $50. I can lay -250 on the Pats right now and scalp $125 on the Steelers. The last bet was the Phillies to win the series against the White Sox at even money boosted from -300. Didn't know the Phillies would choke one away the White Sox. They are almost -300 today with Nola on the mound. Hopefully they can win today and tomorrow. You log into the same app in NJ and PA and it gives you different boosts for each state. In settings you can display your NJ bets or PA bets. Unfortunately as already stated you can't get the $500 First Bonus Bet in each state. For bonus sign-ups you would prefer a stand alone app for each state where you could get two bonuses. In SugarHouse case they have a Rivers Casino app for Pa which you can get an additional $250 Bonus Bet even though you have a SugarHouse NJ app.

Jack, those are great odds on the Sixers, they doubled your odds .....& you can't beat the +500 ML odds on Pitt over Pats, you played it right by wanting to take Pat's -210.

Have you played with Sugarhouse or Bet Rivers? I know Bet Rivers is taking over Sugarhouse but everything will remain the same cuz the Kambi runs both.

How does Sugarhouse compare to Fan Duel? I personally really like Fan Duels interface/site & it's so easy to manuever thru the app........Sugarhouse interface isnt as smooth.

Sugarhouse has better deposit & withdrawal methods it seems.

Jack, what's your review on these books?

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Apple Store Issues Overcome, Parx Launches iOS Sportsbook App In PA




Parx Casino made a critical move to keep pace in the burgeoning Pennsylvania sportsbook wars on Monday, launching the first made-for-PA iOS app.

Back on June 3, an update to Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines threw a wrench into various operators’ plans to go mobile in Pennsylvania, as the real-money gaming apps that iPhone and iPad users were already playing on in New Jersey were not up to Apple’s new code.

So while programmers were hard at work redesigning their sportsbook apps as native Apple apps, three sportsbooks — SugarHouse, Rivers, and Parx — went live with their online sites and their Android apps, leaving out iOS users, who last year accounted for 44.6% of the smartphone market in the U.S.

Now, Parx, which opened the second online sportsbook in the state on June 24, has an iOS app to go with its web-based and Android options, available for download in the App Store.

First of its kind, with asterisks

On July 19, Play SugarHouse cut to the front of the iOS line, in a sense, by informing customers of a workaround that involved downloading a geolocation app and playing on iPhones or iPads via web browser.

When FanDuel Sportsbook launched in Pennsylvania two weeks ago, it became the first to offer an iOS app, by simply making its New Jersey app accessible in the Keystone State.

Now Parx has become the third mobile sportsbook in the state accessible on iPhones, the second in the state accessible via its own iPhone app, and the first in the state accessible via an iPhone app newly made for Pennsylvania to fit the App Store’s new guidelines.

The same betting markets, deposit and withdrawal options, and welcome bonuses that are available on the web version and the Android app are available on the iOS app. The welcome bonus is a First-Bonus Bet, up to $250, upon first deposit.

The online casino first-deposit match offer is also shown on the app, though the casino games can’t be accessed in this iOS app yet.

Powered by GAN and Kambi, the Parx app offers smooth navigation (and a blue-ish color scheme that’s easier on the eyes than the greener hue seen on the web version).

For those who prefer land-based betting, Parx is just days away from opening its $10 mm permanent sportsbook, which figures to become a major destination for those near Bensalem, Pa., during football season. Penn Bets has learned that the grand opening will be this Thursday, Aug. 8.

In the meantime, making pre-game or in-game wagers from anywhere in the state just got a whole lot more convenient for nearly half of the potential customer base.




https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pennbets.com/parx-launches-ios-sportsbook-app-pa/amp/

 

[TheComputerGroup]

SugarHouse Launches $500K PA Pick ’Em, First Legal Season-Long NFL Picks Contest Outside Nevada



It’s not the SuperContest. It’s the SugarContest.

SugarHouse casino in Philadelphia, in conjunction with sister property Rivers in Pittsburgh (both operate online under the Rush Street Interactive umbrella), is launching the first full-season NFL picks contest of the legal sports betting age outside Nevada.

It’s called the $500,000 Pennsylvania Pick ’Em — and there’s plenty to differentiate this from the most high-profile such gambling competition in existence, Westgate Las Vegas’ annual SuperContest. The SuperBook’s SuperContest has been around for more than 30 years, costs $1,500 to enter, and now awards a first-place prize in excess of $1 mm. The contest available on the Play SugarHouse site and the BetRivers site is significantly smaller in scale.

But while neighboring New Jersey sits idly by, the Pennsylvania Pick ’Em can distinguish itself as a groundbreaking football betting contest for the East Coast in the post-PASPA era.

Not your grandfather’s SuperContest

There are two key differences separating the PA Pick ’Em from the SuperContest. One is the price point. The Rush Street contest costs one-tenth as much to enter, $150. And from now through Aug. 14, the host is offering a discounted price of $125.

SugarHouse is guaranteeing a $500k prize pool, which, at the full $150 price point, would mean 3,334 entries are needed to avoid overlay. Payouts will increase if the prize pool exceeds $500k — and, notably, SugarHouse and Rivers aren’t taking a cut. This contest is rake-free.

Assuming a $500k prize pool, the payouts are as follows:

1st place: $125,000
2nd: $40,000
3rd: $20,000
4th: $15,000
5th: $10,000
6th-10th: $5,000
11th-20th: $3,000
21st-30th: $2,000
31st-50th: $1,000
51st-100th: $500
101st-200th: $250
201st-400th: $200
401st-500th: $175


There is also a $2,500 prize each week for the best individual score at both Play SugarHouse and BetRivers (with total points in the last game of the week as a tiebreaker), and a $2,500 payout at the end of the season for the most incorrect picks at either site.

The other big difference between this “SugarContest” and the SuperContest concerns the weekly picks. In the SuperContest, entrants are picking against the spread and select whichever five games they feel most confident in. In the Pennsylvania Pick ’Em, contestants have to make a pick on every single Sunday (1 p.m. ET or later) and Monday game, but spreads are irrelevant. Entrants are simply picking straight-up game winners.

Strategic considerations

In the SuperContest, with lines designed to evenly divide bettors, it can be a challenge to identify contrarian picks. In the PA Pick ’Em, it will be much easier.

Looking at NFL Week 1, nine of the 15 games that will be part of the contest (that Thursday’s Packers-Bears kickoff game is excluded) currently have spreads at the SugarHouse sportsbook of 4½ or fewer points. That leaves six games with very clear favorites. Will entrants pick a big underdog or two just to stand out from the crowd in a contest with thousands of entries? Or is the correct strategy, over a 17-week season, to almost never pick a big underdog?

In particular, with a Pennsylvania-based contest, is it smart to pick against the Eagles, favored by 9 points at home in Week 1 against Washington, because you expect roughly 95% of pool entrants will side with Philly? Or is that suicide, a way to almost guarantee you drop a game behind the pack?

(Speaking of which, is there a case to be made for intentionally tanking and playing for that $2,500 last-place prize? On the one hand, with straight-up picking rather than spread betting, it’s not that hard to get a majority of the games wrong every week. On the other hand, only one spot pays at the bottom, whereas 500 spots pay at the top.)

Another consideration is multi-entries. Each bettor is allowed to submit up to 25 entries. Those who do might spread their picks around in the early weeks until a handful of their entries emerge as real contenders. Those who enter just once face a more difficult path to the very top of the leaderboard.

Other details

Entries close on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 12:59 p.m
.
Entries are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Accounts must be operated by entrants who are 21 or older, and picks must be submitted each week from within the state of Pennsylvania.

If a game ends in a tie, or if a game is postponed and not played by that Monday night, all contestants are credited with a correct pick for that game.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pennbets.com/sugarhouse-500k-pa-pick-em-nfl-contest/amp/

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Anyone have any opinion on the mobile apps in Pa?


I've been on Fan Duels app, & imo, it's the best app in Pa, haven't tried the online by computer to see how each book is.

Fan Duel is easy to use & has a clean interface & it's easy to manuever around the mobile site.

Their customer service is fast thru using their live chat.......& they've only been mobile/online for 3 weeks.

 

[KennyB]

I checked a bunch of future odds at FanDuel NJ and they were all ridiculously short. Also, have a friend setting up an account with William Hill Iowa. Their football teaser odds were a joke so not so fast with giving up offshore.

 

[TheComputerGroup]

I checked a bunch of future odds at FanDuel NJ and they were all ridiculously short. Also, have a friend setting up an account with William Hill Iowa. Their football teaser odds were a joke so not so fast with giving up offshore.

I don't play futures anymore, so it meaningless to me....I played at William Hill last Nov & Dec, their teasers have the same juice as bookmaker (offshore) has.

Everyone I know won't touch offshore anymore cuz of how hard it is to send & receive money, besides other risks.

You have to have several online books......I've seen 1 to 1.5 point difference in games between Fan Duel & Sugarhouse.

But to each their own........

 

[Acebb]

I don't think Rivers is offering NFL season win totals.
They aren't on the mobile site, not sure if you can go to the window and bet them. That's lame.

 

[TheComputerGroup]

I don't think Rivers is offering NFL season win totals.
They aren't on the mobile site, not sure if you can go to the window and bet them. That's lame.

Sugarhouse & Bet Rivers are both run by Kambi, so they both should have the same allowed wagers......at Sugarhouse mobile app, you have to scroll down to where it says Jan.22, 2020 & click on it & the click on the team you want & scroll to down to the team total.

Like I've stated before, Fan Duel is the easiest & cleanest mobile app I've seen, very easy to use, & easy to find what you're looking for. It took me like 30 minutes to figure out how to place e a parlay on the Sugarhouse app.....it can be frustrating until you figure it out.

 

[rolltide]

I don't think Rivers is offering NFL season win totals.
They aren't on the mobile site, not sure if you can go to the window and bet them. That's lame.

its a clunky site but to navigate to nfl season wins

football>nfl>futures>january 22 2020> then you will see individual team markets that you can open up which include

team to make playoffs? yes/no
division finishing position 1-2-3-4
total reg season wins plus alternates (steelers you can do o/u 7.5, 9, 10.5 for example)


some are quite a bit off compared to other sites. i snagged a beauty on boise under there with half a game higher and better juice than 5dimes/heritage/bovada

if you think pitt will suck (they will) everyone has o/u 6 but betrivers has the under at 6.5 +100

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Pennsylvania Sports Handle Expected to Get Big Seasonal Boost as Football Season Kicks Off


The Keystone State’s handle, the total amount wagered on sports, jumped to $59.3 million in July from $46.3 million in June, an impressive increase when considering the seventh month of the year is usually slow for sports wagering because college football, the NBA and the NFL are out of season.

Using seasonal data from neighboring New Jersey as a guide, Metro Bet PA estimates Pennsylvania’s August handle could increase to $68 million this month before nearly doubling to $125 million in September.

In August of last year, New Jersey’s handle was $95.6 million and it nearly doubled in September to $183.9 million,” according to Metro Bet PA.

Sports handles typically increase in August due to the arrival of NFL preseason games and college contests later in the month as well as gamblers placing bets on NBA and NFL futures.

How The Calendar Affects Pennsylvania Sportsbooks

Pennsylvania’s retail sportsbooks and online and mobile offerings could see an uptick in activity late this month when Penn State and Pittsburgh kick off their seasons on Aug. 31. Those are the only Power 5 schools in the Keystone State.

The NFL’s regular season starts on Thursday, Aug. 5, but Pennsylvania’s two NFL franchises – the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers – play their first games on Sunday, Sept. 8. Neither team has a bye week during September.

Ahead of the start of the 2019 football season, two sportsbooks recently joined the Pennsylvania fray. Earlier this month, the Parx Casino near Philadelphia and Presque Isle in Eerie, about 100 miles from Cleveland, started taking bets.

While the Eerie area is significantly smaller population-wise than the City of Brotherly Love and the Steel City, its proximity to Cleveland is relevant with football season looming because Ohio doesn’t yet offer sports betting and some fans there are apt to want to bet on the Cleveland Browns and Ohio State Buckeyes.

Online Taking Off

As is the case in New Jersey, mobile and online sports betting is soaring in Pennsylvania. Last month, about two-thirds of all sports bets placed in the state were online and mobile, according to Metro Bet PA. That compares well with the approximately 80 percent in the Garden State, which has offered mobile sports betting longer than its neighbor.

With football season coming, industry observers expect that mobile betting will continue increasing in the states offering it as gamblers put money on in-game wagers. In-game or in-play bets for football contests include wagering on sides or totals for quarters and the first and second halves, activities that are viewed as more conducive for mobile devices rather than bettors trekking to brick-and-mortar sportsbooks to make those wagers.




https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ca...-revenue-could-surge-when-football-starts/amp





Online Sports Betting In PA, Now Accounting For Two-Thirds Of Market

PHILADELPHIA – Numbers don’t lie and the numbers show that sports bettors love online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania.

A revenue report provided by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) shows that online sports wagers accounted for about $39 million of the $59.3 million that was bet on sports during the month of July alone. That is nearly two-thirds of the state’s total handle and the first time that online sportsbooks in PA outperformed retail outlets in terms of handle.

This is actually something that is common in the legal sports betting industry. In New Jersey, online wagers have consistently accounted for about 80% of all money bet on sports in the state. New Jersey also has significantly more sports betting apps than Pennsylvania.

However, Pennsylvania is slowly but surely catching up. There are currently four active mobile sportsbooks in the Keystone State and more are expected to join. The ones taking in all the action now are PlaySugarHouse, BetRivers, Parx Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook.

PlaySugarHouse was the first to launch and has maintained their status as the market leader to this point. They took in a total handle of approximately $26.4 million in July and $22 million of that total was generated online.

Their retail figures should not be surprising given the fact that the casino is located in Philadelphia, PA, the most populated city in the state. But given the fact that sports bettors can register and use the app from anywhere in the state speaks volumes as to the power of first-mover advantage in the industry.

BetRivers is provided by Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, but it is operated by the same company as SugarHouse Casino, Rush Street Interactive.

The Rivers Sportsbook holds a bit of a monopoly in the Pittsburgh area as far as retail sports betting parlors go. They have also shown a strong presence in the online PA sports wagering market having generated close to $10 million in handle through BetRivers.

Parx Casino, the largest casino in the state in terms of revenue, did not see their online sportsbook perform nearly as well as their competitors in July. The casino giant only took in about $3.6 million in online handle for the whole month.

A big reason may have come from the fact that the Parx Sportsbook app has not been available on the Apple App Store until earlier this month.

To contrast that, FanDuel Sportsbook generated $3.3 million in online handle in just nine days of operation during July. To add to that staggering comparison, several of those days were just testing days before given the final green light by the PGCB.

The app was available for iPhone users to download from the app store at the time of its launch.

As more casinos in PA begin to launch mobile sportsbooks, the majority of the total sports betting handle in the state is only expected to go more towards those outlets.

Our state-by-state sports betting revenue tracker also shows that with football season coming, you can expect more sports betting revenue records to be shattered this year in PA.



https://www.legalsportsbetting.com/...n-pa-now-accounting-for-two-thirds-of-market/

 

[Acebb]

Found the season win totals, thanks gentleman.

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Fox Bet Online Sportsbook Coming To PA Sept. 3



Who needs a retail sportsbook when you can just bet online? That appears to be the approach for Fox Bet Sportsbook, which is launching its online sports betting app in advance of a retail sportsbook.

There were rumors that the sportsbook, as well as PokerStars Pennsylvania, would beta test on Aug. 27, but a spokesperson from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) confirmed there is nothing on the calendar for this week.

However, sources at Mount Airy Casino and its partner The Stars Group tell PlayPennsylvania that the Fox Bet site will begin testing on Tuesday, Sept. 3. That sets them up to be fully launched in time for Week 1 NFL betting action on Sept. 8.

Fox Bet hopes to leverage media brand with sports fans

One of the channels people will be watching that NFL action on is Fox.

The online launch marks the first time a PA sports betting site went live without the licensee’s retail sportsbook up and running. In May, The Stars Group announced the partnership with the media company. Just over three months later, the app is about to arrive.

This will be the first Fox-branded, real-money online sportsbook, but not the last. The Stars Group plans to launch in New Jersey imminently, presumably rebranding its existing BetStarsNJ sports betting site. As sports betting expands to more and more states, expect Fox Bet to crop up in more states.

Additionally, Fox and The Stars Group plan to launch a nationwide free-to-play app.

Mount Airy Sportsbook still needs to launch too

As noted, the Mount Airy retail sportsbook is not up and running yet. However, given that NFL season is less than two weeks away don’t be surprised to see a simultaneous launch. PGCB could not confirm if all the verticals would launch together, but did leave room to indicate it is possible.

Of course, there will also be the guessing game of whether or not Fox Bet will be available on iOS upon launch. BetStars NJ has a separate app from its casino, which does potentially pave the way for an easy entry into the Apple App Store for its PA counterpart.

We will have to wait next week to find out if that is the case though.




https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.playpennsylvania.com/fox-bet-online-sportsbook-launch/amp/

 

[Acebb]

Two things I noticed using the online book with Rivers

1. Last week I took the Twins/White Sox over and when it hit during the game they paid out immediately. This surprised me as the house rules require a full game for totals.

2. You can buy out of your bet pregame at -115. When you review your pending wagers there is a "cash out" button available to cancel your bet.

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Meadows Prepares To Enter Western PA Sports Betting Competition, With DraftKings In Tow




For seven months after the Rivers Casino opened its sportsbook on Pittsburgh’s North Shore in December, it was the only place to make a legal wager on a game in Western Pennsylvania.

While it eventually added an online BetRivers site that remains the only one based west of the Alleghenies for Web/app sports betting, the casino’s bricks-and-mortar monopoly ended July 24. Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie County launched its sportsbook that day under the BetAmerica brand of owner Churchill Downs Inc.

And now, a new, stronger, closer rival is on the horizon: the Meadows Racetrack & Casino located 25 miles south of Pittsburgh.

After a lengthy delay — and uncertainty over whether to even pursue the $10 million sports betting license as the rest of the state’s casinos its size jumped in — the Meadows has its sportsbook under construction. It could get licensing approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board at its Oct. 2 meeting and be ready to start a test phase soon thereafter.

Tony Frabbiele, who became the Washington County casino’s general manager in January after its acquisition by Penn National Gaming, said the retail sportsbook will rely on Kambi for its odds. Kambi, the European-based firm that is making huge inroads in the U.S., particularly Pennsylvania, already is the supplier for Rivers, SugarHouse, and Parx and recently announced a large national partnership with PNG.

DraftKings coming to Pennsylvania
The big news for sharp bettors looking for additional competition on lines is that DraftKings will be handling the online Meadows site, which Frabbiele expects will begin operating simultaneously to the casino’s physical sportsbook.

DraftKings, which is awaiting its own Pennsylvania licensing as a sports wagering operator, will control its site odds and options independently of the Meadows sportsbook and Kambi, Frabbiele said. Ostensibly, that means someone could shop between the Meadows casino and online site for different odds, in addition to comparing them to Pennsylvania’s other sites.

“The DraftKings component is solely online,” Frabbiele said. “You could look it as the same as how the FanDuel site is ‘FanDuel powered by Valley Forge.’ Ours will be ‘DraftKings powered by Meadows Racetrack & Casino.’ The bricks-and-mortar side will be run by our own team, partnering with Kambi.”

The Meadows GM said he could not predict just when the casino’s sports betting will begin, though he certainly hopes for it during football season.

It took a while after Penn National’s purchase of the casino before the commitment was made to sports wagering, with the license application only submitted in early July. Frabbiele said the company spent time analyzing the impact of the sportsbooks at both the Rivers and at Penn National’s Hollywood Casino near Harrisburg.

The retail sportsbook at the Rivers is the busiest in the state, having handled $4.4 million in wagers in July.

Hollywood, a smaller casino overall that doesn’t benefit from the same proximity to professional sports teams and fans as the Rivers, took $1.8 million in sports wagers in July. It has not yet started an online operation, which is expected in the coming months.

Beyond the ’Burgh
The Meadows is a half-hour drive from Heinz Field and PNC Park, which are both within walking distance of the Rivers, but Frabbiele doesn’t necessarily consider that to his sportsbook’s detriment.

“It’s both an advantage and a disadvantage,” he said. “If you don’t want to sit in two hours of traffic [getting to games and the casino in Pittsburgh on game days], come see me, and you also don’t pay upwards of $60 for parking [as the Rivers charges Steelers fans]. Your parking is free here. If you’re a customer who wants to get away from all that and watch the game and enjoy the excitement of it, the Meadows will have that.”

Frabbiele said the sportsbook is an important part of an overall update of the casino, for which $14 million is being spent on physical renovations in addition to the $10 million license. The Meadows is fourth in the state in slots revenue and ninth in table games revenue, and he acknowledged it could be missing out on customers by omitting a sportsbook.

“It’s an amenity that introduces your business to customers who might not otherwise be there. It’s a different demographic that tends to be a younger customer than your average,” he said. “There’s energy and excitement that comes along with it, too,” especially coinciding with major events such as the Super Bowl and March Madness.

The sportsbook will have a staff of 15, with 11 already hired and going through training, Frabbiele said. They will take over space that had served as the Meadows’ most prominent bar, the Vibe lounge. It will have 17 TVs, and 18 betting kiosks will be spaced around the property.

At the same time, the Meadows is reconstructing its food court — using restaurants created by celebrity chef Fabio Viviani — and renovating its Headliners lounge for live entertainment, including the addition of 100 seats. It has also taken out 490 slot machines considered outdated, while retaining more than 2,500.

It’s all part of a widespread “freshening” of the casino that Frabbiele said was overdue and will position it far better for the future. And fortunately for sports fans, that future will finally include sports betting as well.





https://www.usbets.com/meadows-draftkings-entering-pa-sports-betting/

 

[TheComputerGroup]

Two things I noticed using the online book with Rivers

1. Last week I took the Twins/White Sox over and when it hit during the game they paid out immediately. This surprised me as the house rules require a full game for totals.

2. You can buy out of your bet pregame at -115. When you review your pending wagers there is a "cash out" button available to cancel your bet.

I like the buy out option........