Operator News
US – William Hill opens first sportsbook at US sports complex
By Phil - 4 August 2020
William Hill US, America’s leading sports book operator, has marked the official opening of its first-ever location in Washington D.C., and first-ever within a US sports complex, with ceremonial first bets placed by inaugural season ticket holders from the Washington Wizards, Capitals and Mystics.
The temporary sports book is located inside the Capital One Arena Box Office at 601 F Street, NW. Monumental Sports & Entertainment, led by founder, chairman, principal partner and chief executive officer, Ted Leonsis, is the parent company of the Washington Capitals, Wizards, Mystics and Capital One Arena. Its timing coincides with the return of professional sports following the hiatus all leagues imposed in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic.
“Washington, D.C. is known for its dedicated sports fans, and we’re excited to finally bring them a new way to engage with their favourite teams. Being the first to open a retail location in a professional sports venue wouldn’t be possible without our relationship with Ted Leonsis and his team at Monumental,” said Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill U.S. “Our teams are working hard to finalize the permanent sports book, restaurant and bar concept we originally envisioned inside the arena.”
Inaugural season ticket holders since the 1973/74 season of the Washington Capitals, from the 1973/74 season of the Washington Wizards and the 1998 season of the Mystics placed today’s ceremonial first bets. Mr. David Feldman (Capitals), Mr. David Dwornik (Wizards) and Ms. Angela Tilghman (Mystics) each placed bets on their respective teams, using lucky numbers with hopes of winning big.
“We are so pleased to mark this day with three of the most dedicated team fans who propel our players towards excellence on the court or on the ice and for whom Monumental Sports & Entertainment continually innovates,” said Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer, MSE. “And we couldn’t be more excited to couple this new dimension of a sports experience with the return to play across all of our leagues. William Hill has been a terrific partner with a reputation for excellence in service and maintaining the highest level of integrity in their process, and we look forward to welcoming many familiar and new visitors to the arena to check it out.”
Inside the arena’s box office, visitors will find seven ticket windows and ten kiosks and a seamless experience for placing bets. Design and construction on the permanent William Hill Sports Book are underway, and it is expected to open in the fall of 2020, pending regulatory approval. The sports book will have full-service food and beverage offerings, complemented by the premium sports betting facilities that are synonymous with the brand. William Hill is the exclusive sports betting partner of the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics and Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns all three sports league franchises as well as Capital One Arena.
