The William Hill Sportsbook opened on Wednesday inside Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. as the first in-arena sportsbook in the United States. And the odds are good it will be a very popular sports betting destination.
William Hill, part of Caesars Entertainment, signed the agreement with Monumental Sports & Entertainment in October 2019 to build and operate this sportsbook. The 18,000-square-foot, two-floor sportsbook will feature wall-to-wall LED TVs, D.C. sports memorabilia, a jumbotron, and betting 365 days a year. There will also be a restaurant where you can enjoy soft shell crab, lasagna, bolognese, and rack of pork ribs while placing your bets at the ticket windows and self-service kiosks.
“This is really a groundbreaking moment for Caesars and for the sports betting industry in general,” Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars, said. “This is the first integrated sportsbook in a physical stadium in the country. This is the new paradigm, this is where it’s going. We ask our employees at Caesars to blaze new trails, to create unique experiences. As you walk this property and you see what’s here, this is exactly what we’re talking about.”
Bettors are already raving about being able to place their bets at Capital One Arena while "sitting and chilling" and enjoying games.
“It looks beautiful, there’s a lot of TVs everywhere,” said Jeff Arnold, who placed baseball and basketball bets in the new sportsbook. “I’ve been living in D.C. all my life, and I’m a big Wizards fan. I’m here (at the William Hill D.C. sportsbook) a lot, so I know I’ll be here sitting and chilling watching the games. I can definitely see being here all day.”
Along with now housing the nation’s first in-arena sportsbook, Capital One Arena is also the home of the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics.
Lucy is a sports betting content producer with Audacy and BetQL. She has worked with WEEI and Audacy as a writer, radio producer and podcaster. Lucy lives in Boston and loves Tom Brady and prop bets. Follow Lucy on Twitter at @LucilleBurdge.