Here's Why We Like Them
8.2 / 10
The prospect of NY sports betting is the talk of the town in the Empire State as interested onlookers wait to see if lawmakers will push ahead as planned in 2019. There are number of locations who are awaiting those developments eagerly, including the Del Lago Resort and Casino, who hope to add a Del Lago Sportsbook to their operation after partnering with DraftKings.
The del Lago Resort and Casino is one of the four big commercial casinos in New York and is located in Waterloo, about halfway between Rochester and Syracuse, with Albany also close by.
It opened in February 2017 and was only the second casino if its kind in the state of New York. The 94,000 square foot resort is the biggest of the four and cost around $440 million to build. It is smaller than the nearby Turning Stone Resort Casino and is owned by the Oneida Indian Nation.
As might be expected from such a huge resort, there is plenty to choose from when it comes gaming. The gaming floor holds around 2,000 slot machines and 90 different tables. There is also a 12-table live poker room for fans of the game.
As well as the impressive range of slot machines and jackpots customers can choose from blackjack, roulette, craps and video poker. The live poker room is also open 24 hours a day.
As with all these big commercial casinos there is also a hotel on site as well as a selection of dining choices. Entertainment is also a big part of the experience with live shows bringing in a lot of customers.
Alongside the other big casinos in New York, the del Lago Resort and Casino is awaiting the go ahead on a sports betting arm to the operation. Developments have been slow since the Supreme Court ruling last year but it is expected that during the first half of 2019 sports betting will become fully operational in New York.
del Lago has not decided to sit idle, however. They have partnered up with DraftKings in readiness for a sportsbook and will be hoping that they can get going with it sooner rather than later.
Another area that the del Lago casino has looked into is an online poker service. Again, this is something that has not quite had the go ahead as of yet, but it is believed that the owners of the resort are very keen on setting up what would be a very lucrative and popular operation.
Considering DraftKings DFS and DraftKings Sportsbook are immensley successful and well-known, it almost seems silly to ask who DraftKings is as they have grown to become probably the biggest name in fantasy sports and have massive brand awareness that extends far beyond just the customers who play their games.
Originally established in 2012 as a fantasy sports site, DraftKings has really captured the US public’s seemingly unending love for sports. Evolving in the last few years into a daily fantasy sports site, it is now looking to expand once more into the sports betting market as more and more opportunities arise thanks to the Supreme Court ruling.
DraftKings already have a large presence in NJ sports betting, and it makes sense for them to team up with one of biggest casinos in New York to offer a sportsbook to people in the state. Fantasy sports is already legal in the state of New York so it seems like a good move for the outfit to be there at the start of the sports betting movement giving their existing brand loyalty.
The deal it has in place with the del Lago Resort and Casino covers a retail location and an online business, so it seems DraftKings are confident that online sports betting will be coming to New York before too long.
Sports betting is expected to be extremely big business in New York and del Lago will be keen for their operation to start. But what can we expect?
The sportsbook will probably cover a variety of sports including the big hitters of NFL and NBA. But if European sportsbooks are anything to go by then we can also expect to see other less known sports being offered – especially on an online site.
These types of online sports betting sites are a great way to use any knowledge and expertise you have to win big money. Soccer betting markets, in particular, are hugely popular on the online sites in other parts of the world and it would seem likely that del Lago would want to share in that.
It can depend on what sport you are betting on as to which type of bet is best but there should be a full list of options on most markets so bettors can make their favourite wagers. Expect to see markets covering:
Some newcomers to sports betting may not completely up with all the different wagers that can be made but part of a good sportsbook is to inform the customers and there should be enough information around the place – and their possible online site – to help with any questions.
There are no firm outlines of what will happen yet in relation to sports betting in New York but if in-play (or live) betting is allowed then places like a future del Lago sportsbook will be incredibly popular. The bonus for in-play betting is that it gives bettors so many more markets to explore.
Being able to make selections and wagers after a sporting event has begun opens up more possibilities – including the chance to either make up for ante-post bets that have not come off or consolidate winning selections.
At the moment everyone involved is waiting for the state lawmakers to make sports betting in New York possible but it is plain to see that the commercial casinos in the state are readying themselves for some serious business.
Teaming up with DraftKings is a great move in that the fantasy sports company are the biggest in the business. This really shows intent from del Lago to become the premier place for sports betting in New York. The casino and resort is sometimes overlooked with the bigger Turning Stone casino so close but this could really set del Lago apart from their competitors.
The ruling overturning PASPA is big news for not just New York, but many states as the legal dead ends that had stopped sports betting being part of everyday life are starting to disappear. The del Lago Resort and Casino obviously want to be a part of this new betting revolution – and teaming up with DraftKings could well make it the most important sportsbook in New York.