Carolina Hurricanes Owner Wants In-Stadium Sportsbook
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The lines between sportsbook and sports stadium have increasingly gotten thinner. It seems like more and more stadiums are attempting to bring the Las Vegas sportsbook experience to local fans. A William Hill sportsbook has opened inside Capital One Arena, the home of the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards. The Arizona Cardinals have partnered with BetMGM to open a sportsbook inside State Farm Stadium. And, unsurprisingly, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas hosts a major sports betting lounge complete with stadium seating and a full-service bar. Well, even in a state without legalized sports betting, one team wants to join in on the fun. Let’s take a look at how the Carolina Hurricanes might be the next big team to host a sportsbook inside their stadium.
Carolina Hurricanes Owner Wants a Sportsbook
Don’t be too surprised if you see a full sportsbook open up in PNC Arena in the coming years. The man in charge sure seems set on it. According to The Athletic, Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is fully motivated to break ground on a sportsbook inside the team’s home. The topic actually came up in relation to the sportsbook inside Capitol One Arena. Interestingly, Dundon believes all 32 NHL teams will eventually have a sportsbook close to home ice, it’s just a matter of time. Dundon is not just the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes, but the governor and chief executive officer of the team.
Carolina Sports Betting Might Be On Its Way
Currently, sports betting has not been legalized in North Carolina. Although a bill was passed in August of this year, it has not been voted on by the state House. One of the top proponents of the bill, Senator Jim Perry, is advertising the ease and convenience of online sports betting to increase the likelihood of it passing.
Plenty of nearby states have already legalized sports betting. Tennessee and Virginia both currently host live sports betting. Additionally, Arizona legalized sports gambling on September 9th, just in time for the kickoff of the NFL season. Connecticut is also preparing for its launch in the coming days. Don’t be too surprised if the Tar Heel State is next on the list to fully launch sports betting.
State of the Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are coming off a playoff season that saw them winning 36 games with 80 points. While the team knocked out the Nashville Predators in the first round of the playoffs, they were dominated 4-1 in a series with the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The lead scorer throughout the regular season was right winger Sebastian Aho, who scored 24 goals and 57 points throughout 56 games. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour returns after being named the NHL’s coach of the year last season, winning the Jack Adams Award. His three straight playoff appearances with the team have led to a contract extension as well.
However, some have been critical of the team’s offseason moves, such as trading away goalie Alex Nedeljkovic for a third-round pick and allowing defenseman Dougie Hamilton to leave in free agency.
