Capital One Arena, home of the Washington Wizards NBA team and Washington Capitals NHL ice hockey franchise, is to become the first US venue to house a sports book through a partnership between Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and William Hill.
The partnership announced today (Thursday) names William Hill as the exclusive sports betting partner of the Wizards, Capitals, WNBA team the Washington Mystics and MSE.
The creation of the William Hill Sports Book is subject to the receipt of all required regulatory approvals. The sports book will feature a full-service food and beverage offering, complemented by William Hill’s premium sports betting facilities.
The book will span multiple floors and will open every day, year-round to provide access to the public. On game days and during certain in-arena events, ticketed fans and non-ticketed fans will receive access to the sports book.
MSE hopes the sports book will become a year-round hub for local sports fans. Construction is expected to begin pending regulatory approvals.
Ted Leonsis, chairman, founder, principal partner and chief executive of MSE, said: “Monumental is dedicated to bringing the latest technology and innovation into our arena and delivering extraordinary experiences to our fans. We are excited to partner with William Hill, the industry leader in sports betting, to become the first professional sports arena in the US to feature a sportsbook.
“Through this partnership, we are thrilled to enhance the fan experience with innovative gaming opportunities and transformational dining and culinary options not just on event days, but year-round. Our partnership with William Hill complements our vision of making our arena the premier sports and entertainment destination in Washington, D.C.”
Joe Asher, chief executive of William Hill US, added: “This sports book will be a flagship venue for the industry and will serve the sports fans of the Washington D.C. area unlike any other. Partnering with Ted Leonsis and the entire Monumental team was ideal. They share our vision and principles for bringing innovative sports betting opportunities to fans in a responsible way. This deal sets a new benchmark for how the industry will serve fans and how fans engage in sports.”
The deal comes after William Hill yesterday partnered with the NBA. The deal names William Hill as the authorised sports betting operator of the NBA in the US.
Image: MSE
