New PointsBet Retail Sportsbook Launches at Hawthorne Race Course

There’s no doubt that online sports betting has been a huge success over the past few years. The ability to place wagers on any team you’d like from your smartphone is undoubtedly convenient, and has led to the massive success of numerous mobile betting apps.

However, retail sports betting is still popular for bettors that prefer simply walking up to a window or betting kiosk to place wagers. Even with online sports betting sites available in an increasing number of U.S. states, retail sports betting venues continue to open up and be popular with sports bettors.

One Illinois sports betting hotspot has just opened its own in-person wagering location after collaborating with a popular mobile sportsbook. Let’s check out what to expect from the new PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne Race Course.

Retail PointsBet Sportsbook Opens At Hawthorne Race Course

One of the top sports betting platforms in the United States, PointsBet Sportsbook, has just opened the doors of its latest retail sportsbook. The in-person sportsbook is located at Hawthorne Race Course, a popular spot for horse racing located in Cicero, Illinois.

With the Hawthorne Race Course partnership, PointsBet now has four different retail sportsbooks available to sports bettors. Hawthorne Race Course is well-known for having the biggest availability of off-track wagering bars throughout the Land of Lincoln.

This new PointsBet wagering location can be found within Club Hawthorne at Crazy Pour Sports Bar. Throughout the location, you’ll find more than 160 different HD TVs to watch games on alongside the full restaurant and bar. The sports betting area, which also includes an LED sports ticker to provide updates, has a capacity of 400 people and has special VIP and private party rooms.

The PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne Race Course will be open Monday to Thursday from 10am to 9pm and Friday through Sunday from 9am to 9pm. In addition to eight betting kiosks available to guests, the PointsBet Sportsbook features three betting windows. The opening of the PointsBet Sportsbook isn’t the only addition coming to the Illinois suburban racetrack, with a full casino planned for the future.

Illinois Sports Betting Has Been A Major Success

Sports betting in Illinois has been available since March of 2020, and despite the launch occurring so close to the start of the pandemic, the state has seen some major numbers. Illinois sports betting has seen a total handle exceeding $17.6 billion since launch, with numbers close to major betting states such as Pennsylvania and New York.

The success of Illinois sports betting isn’t a huge surprise, considering the popularity of the major teams within the state. Chicago is especially home to some of the most historic sports franchises, such as the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs.

In addition to PointsBet Sportsbook IL, the online betting app is home to some of the other top names in sports wagering, such as DraftKings Sportsbook IL, Caesars Sportsbook IL, FanDuel Sportsbook IL, BetRivers Sportsbook IL, and BetMGM Sportsbook IL.

Retail sports betting is also available at casinos and racetracks such as Par-A-Dice Casino, Grand Victoria Casino, Fairmount Park, and Rivers Des Plaines Casino. The current legal betting age in the state for online sportsbooks and retail sportsbooks is 21.