76ers, Wizards play first game at venue with legal sportsbook

That’s right. After five years of legal sports betting, the Philadelphia 76ers have finally returned home to their new arena, the Wells Fargo Center. This exciting moment comes just in time for one of the most exciting NBA season debut in recent memory.

The 76ers and the Wizards will play the first regular-season game at the new sportsbook and restaurant at the future site of the new convention center in Center City in Philadelphia. The sportsbook will be the first legal sportsbook in Philadelphia since 1996.

The Washington Wizards hosted the Philadelphia 76ers at Capital One Arena on Saturday. This was the first game in an American arena where a reputable bookmaker took bets. It was a monumental moment for American sports that earned the presence of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who before the game, along with 76ers owner Josh Harris, toured the new, two-story William Hill Gymnasium at Capital One Arena. 2 Connected Fans and bettors came to the sports hall early in the morning to watch and bet on the Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea. During halftime of the Sixers game vs. Wizards ticket holders left their seats and went to the Athletic Club to place their bets, and customers stayed long after the game to watch the final playoff game between the Jazz and Grizzlies. At the end of the day, the Capital One Arena Sports Club had raised more money than any other day in a long time, said Dan Shapiro, William Hill’s vice president of strategy and business. According to Shapiro, the place was alive and full of energy. It was nice to see the energy in the room. Betting on the 76ers-Wizards game was allowed in the arena’s sports club. According to William Hill, this match accounted for 40% of all NBA bets placed that day at the Washington-based sports betting firm. Shapiro said the Washington bookmaker made a small profit on the 76ers’ 132-103 victory over the Wizards, but took a net loss on the day the four NBA favorites covered the spread. William Hill operated the arena box office since the summer, until the permanent facility opened last week. Rows of gamblers regularly form, waiting to bet, stretching across the entire block in front of the arena. The sports club, which is open seven days a week, has 17 betting shops, 13 self-service kiosks, two bars and a full-service restaurant run by local chef Nicholas Stefanelli. Shapiro, who stayed for a few hours after the Wizards’ game to enjoy the post-game atmosphere, said Stefanelli guaranteed him that it was now the busiest restaurant in D.C. And he takes care of business, Shapiro said. A daily sports betting news and information program (6:00-7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2) designed to better serve the millions of sports betting fans and educate casual sports fans with in-depth analysis. clock Silver, who took selfies with fans and bettors as he walked around the gym before the game, was an early advocate of regulating sports betting in the United States. Outside the United States, sports betting and other forms of gambling are popular, largely legal and subject to regulation, Silver wrote in a 2014 New York Times article arguing for legalization. In England, for example, sports betting can be done with a smartphone, at a kiosk in the stadium or even with the TV remote control. In light of these national and global trends, sports betting legislation needs to change. Four and a half years after Silver’s release, in May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, a federal law that restricted legal sports betting primarily in Nevada. The Supreme Court decision paved the way for all states to participate in the gambling industry. Following the ruling, legal bookmakers have begun operating in 21 states and the District of Columbia, which along with Illinois allows sports betting on professional sports sites. NBA: Best bets for the 2021 playoffs NFL: MLB Week 1 Opening odds : Best bets for the 2021 season NCAA: Gonzaga is the favorite for the title 22 ESPN Chalk House In an interview with NBC Sports Washington, Silver applauded Wizards owner Ted Leonsis’ vision of bringing betting and sports closer together, but said it’s important for the league to keep an eye on betting issues and make sure we find the right balance in the amount of betting publicity around our games. I’m very sensitive to it, but I think for the vast majority of people, it’s something they can do with pleasure, betting relatively small amounts on games, Silver told NBC Sports Washington. This leads to an extra effort to observe certain aspects of the game.