Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack became the fourth Pennsylvania casino to open a sports book, opening what is dubbed simply “The Book” for a two-day trial last Tuesday and opening for operation on Thursday.
The Book at Harrah’s joins SugarHouse in Philadelphia, Parx in Bensalem and the South Philadelphia Turf Club—owned by Parx parent Greenwood Racing—as the fourth metro Philly sports book, just in time for Super Bowl bets. Hollywood Casino outside Harrisburg opened the first Pennsylvania sports book last May.
“We are excited to bring sports betting to Delaware County and allow our guests from the tri-state area to experience our property in a whole new way,” said Harrah’s Philadelphia Senior Vice President and General Manager Chris Albrecht in a release. “With our gaming offering, live harness racing, our event center, award-winning restaurants and now the sports book, Harrah’s Philadelphia remains a must-visit destination in the Philadelphia region.”
The Book, located in the back of the Chester, Pennsylvania racino’s gaming floor, features 19 lounge seats, 11 high-top tables, bar seating and 45 large-screen television monitors. Special food and beverage offerings will be featured on game days. Bets are accepted at six teller windows, self-betting kiosks and two horse-racing terminals. The sports book occupies 4,322 square feet adjacent to the casino’s table-game pit.
Bets are taken on football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer and college games, featuring straight bets, parlay bets, in-game betting and other options.
“The launch of retail sports betting at Harrah’s Philadelphia is another exciting milestone, showcasing Caesars Entertainment’s commitment to leading this expanding industry,” said Christian Stuart, executive vice president of gaming and interactive entertainment for Caesars Entertainment. “The Caesars brands powered by SG Digital technology will be a powerful player as we expand across the U.S. in retail and mobile sports betting (pending regulatory approval).”
The first 1,000 bettors on Thursday received a commemorative “The Book” t-shirt. Sports bets earn points in the Caesars Total Rewards loyalty club.
