Massachusetts Launches Retail Sports Betting!
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It’s a major day for Massachusetts sports betting! Retail sportsbooks have opened up in the area, and now anyone of legal betting age (21 and up) can start placing bets on the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, and upcoming major events like the Super Bowl.
The availability of these physical sportsbooks comes at a perfect time in terms of upcoming sporting events, and with online wagering around the corner, Massachusetts is set up for a major year of wagering.
Massachusetts Retail Sports Betting Goes Live
Starting today, the state of Massachusetts officially has live sports betting! Three of the biggest casinos have opened up retail sportsbooks, with possibly the biggest being the WynnBET Sportsbook at Encore Boston Harbor.
Another major sports betting operator has launched at a major casino in the area with the BetMGM Sportsbook at MGM Springfield. Plus, a Barstool Sportsbook has gone live at the Plainridge Park Casino.
Along with the retail sportsbook launch came some special events to commemorate legal wagering in the state. Encore Boston Harbor had former New England Patriots offense lineman Matt Light and former Boston Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon appear as the first bets were taken.
According to NBC Boston, many of these initial wagers were on the Boston Celtics to win an NBA Championship as well as the Philadelphia Eagles to win the Super Bowl.
MGM Springfield also had an opening event, with former Boston Bruins defenseman Ray Borque and Senator Adam Gomez present. Other locations are expected to have retail sportsbooks in the future, such as Raynham Park in Raynham, MA and Boston’s Suffolk Downs.
All smiles for sports betting, Boston! @RonMariano @RepMichlewitz @JerryParisella @AngelaRuggiero @JohnnyDamon @cedricmaxwell81 @LightFoundation @ThorntonFDN @OfficialTyLaw pic.twitter.com/8VMrPVcH9L
— Encore Boston Harbor (@EncoreResortBH) January 31, 2023
Retail Launch Comes Just In Time For Super Bowl
The opening of these in-person sportsbooks comes just in time for the biggest betting event of the year with the Super Bowl. The Philadelphia Eagles will be taking on the Kansas City Chiefs as KC head coach Andy Reid faces his former team.
The matchup presents some major opportunities for sports bettors, with the Eagles and Chiefs being the top seeds in their respective conferences and two MVP candidates at quarterback with Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts. Although the Kansas City Chiefs opened as favorites, the number has since shifted with Philadelphia around 2-point favorites, depending on which sportsbook you wager with.
With Super Bowl sports betting handles ballooning in recent years, the new physical sportsbooks in Massachusetts should see some big bets.
Ready, Set, Bet! Taking bets starting January 31st
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Must be 21 years or older. Use your game sense. Helpline 1.800.327.5050 https://t.co/oUHHqKhTQU pic.twitter.com/awmHpzYiSY— MGM Springfield (@MGMSpringfield) January 25, 2023
Massachusetts Online Sports Betting Coming Soon
While having in-person sports betting is a big boon for sports fans in the Bay State, anyone that doesn’t live close to one of the major casinos with a retail sportsbook is looking toward mobile betting. Thankfully, online betting in the area isn’t too terribly far away, with mobile sports betting apps looking to be available before the March Madness Tournament.
That timing would mean that both phases of the state’s sports betting industries rolled out before major sporting events. Some of the biggest sports betting operators are expected to release mobile betting apps in the state, such as DraftKings Sportsbook, BetMGM Sportsbook, PointsBet Sportsbook, and FanDuel Sportsbook.
