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PointsBet has opened a fourth sportsbook in Illinois, making it one of the premier Illinois sports betting providers.
The new sportsbook opened at Club Hawthorne in Villa Park, an off-track betting (OTB) site that’s part of the Hawthorne Race Course network. PointsBet USA CEO Johnny Aitken said the company is excited to open its newest sportsbook.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be offering a new destination for Illinois sports fans to enjoy and bet on their favorite sports. The PointsBet Retail Sportsbook is part of PointsBet’s continued efforts to expand our footprint in a key state like Illinois, and we’re thrilled to be able to provide the Illinois sports community with another premier location that caters to both sports fans and bettors – and everyone in between.”
PointsBet partnered with Hawthorne in 2019 to offer OTB sportsbooks. In addition to Villa Park, it has sports betting locations at three other Hawthorne properties:
- Hawthorne Race Course
- Club Hawthorne in Crestwood
- Club Hawthorne in Prospect Heights
Villa Park location is a good fit for PointsBet sportsbook
PointsBet’s new sportsbook is located inside Club Hawthorne’s Crazy Pour Sports Bar. Opening the book didn’t require much renovation; the sports bar already offered all the basics that sportsbooks typically provide:
- More than 160 high-resolution TVs
- A 26-foot-wide high-definition screen
- Five 160-inch higher-resolution TVs
- An LED sports ticker
- Rooms for VIPs and private parties
- Heated patio
- Seating for up to 400 people
- A full-service kitchen with more than 150 food and drink options
- Video slots
With the addition of the PointsBet sportsbook, bettors can place bets at three betting windows and eight self-service kiosks. The sportsbook’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the weekend. There are extended hours for horse racing bets on the weekends.
“There’s nowhere else in Chicagoland where you can bet on sports, horse racing, and video slots,” Hawthorne Race Course CEO Tim Carey said in a statement. “Only Club Hawthorne betting bars have it all. We’re building an integrated on-site entertainment experience with great food and drinks, and excellent service for the next generation of sports fans.”
Hawthorne among leaders in Illinois sports betting retail handle
According to the Illinois Gaming Board, Hawthorne’s network of PointsBet sportsbooks is responsible for a competitive amount of bets (handle) each month. For example, in November 2022, Hawthorne’s OTB sportsbooks generated $1.85 million in pro sports handle.
That number was good enough to place fourth out of nine companies. Hawthorne sportsbooks took in more than $470,000 in college sports bets, also the fourth-highest total among nine companies.
In addition to its retail OTB locations, PointsBet operates an Illinois online sportsbook through its partnership with Hawthorne.
