William Hill Sportsbook makes history with launch at Capital One Arena

Image source: William Hill

History has been made this week in the US sports betting sector, as the first ever sportsbook to operate within the confines of a professional sporting venue officially opened its doors for business on Wednesday. 

The opening of the William Hill Sportsbook at Monumental Sports & Entertainment‘s Capital One Arena in Washington DC marks the culmination of a partnership deal announced last October between William Hill, a part of Caesars Entertainment, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment. 

“Monumental Sports & Entertainment is proud to have worked with William Hill and Caesars Entertainment, a proven leader and innovator in sports betting, to provide the preeminent fan experience and serve as exemplars to the industry as first-in-class and best-in-class,” said the firm’s Founder and CEO Ted Leonsis

“Providing a data-driven, technologically-advanced environment in a beautiful, approachable space with fine dining options provided by Chef Stefanelli will further enhance the indelible memories we create nightly at Capital One Arena, and draw even more visitors to our historic downtown DC neighborhood.”

The two-story, 18,000 square-foot venue features 17 betting windows and 12 self-service betting kiosks, as well as Verizon 5G Wi-Fi capability, enabling fans to place wagers on mobile devices through the William Hill app. 

More than 100 television screens adorn the sportsbook, including four positioned on all sides of a jumbotron that hangs from the ceiling in the center of the venue that is a replica of the one inside Capital One Arena at center ice/center court. A custom, 1,500 square-foot LED screen wraps the entire facility and offers visitors the best viewing experience for enjoying multiple games across various sports simultaneously. 

There is also a broadcast studio that will be used to host live television and radio shows, as well as two VIP areas and a private dining and entertainment space. Design elements pay homage to the history of sports and local professional teams, including baseball stitching incorporated into the staircase railing, vintage lockers featured in the main bar, local sports memorabilia throughout the space and sketches of local arenas printed on the ceiling.

The sportsbook and restaurant will be open daily, year-round, and are accessible to the public from F Street while offering direct access to and from Capital One Arena during select ticketed events, which currently number 230 events a year and welcomes three million visitors.

Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, commented: “With more than 100 televisions, nearly 20 betting windows and a dozen kiosks in the space as well as access to the William Hill mobile app, our guests will enjoy a great game day watching the Capitals or Wizards at home or wagering on their favorite teams during any game.

“Adding Chef Nicholas to our roster has elevated our partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment to an elite level, providing the ultimate sportsbook experience for fans throughout the region.”