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The foresight of William Hill CEO Joe Asher has finally paid off.
Last week, the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) officially signed off on William Hill operating all combined sportsbooks following the completion of the Eldorado Resorts–Caesars Entertainment merger, which would for 150 retail locations across nine states. So far, only its sportsbooks in Nevada have been officially approved; approval in other states is still pending.
Betting big on the future of Eldorado Resorts
Asher told the NGCB that William Hill never sat down for an in-person meeting with Eldorado when their partnership expanded in 2018. During that time, Eldorado obtained a 20% stake in William Hill in exchange for exclusive rights to operate sportsbooks at current and future Eldorado-owned properties.
“We were betting on their continued growth,” Asher told the NGCB. “We always thought that one day they would own all or part of Caesars. … We’re fortunate to have been along for the ride.”
William Hill currently operates 113 race and sportsbooks in Nevada along with 10 sportsbooks for Eldorado. Once the deal is complete, the company will absorb 11 Caesars Sportsbooks in Nevada, including the one at the iconic Caesars Palace.
Asher, who spoke with PlayUSA in an insightful May interview, went on to say, “As a little boy in front of the television in Wilmington, Delaware, I watching those legendary boxing matches taking place live from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It’s meaningful to be here today for this purpose.”
William Hill Sportsbook branding and technology
The first major step post-merger will be the integration of William Hill technology at all existing sportsbooks.
“The most immediate renovations to the Caesars sportsbooks will be the addition of our self-service kiosks and updated odds displays,” Asher said.
He also mentioned that the company anticipates retaining many of the Caesars sportsbook employees and expects to begin operations at the end of July or early August.
What to expect on the mobile sports betting side of things
Customers can expect to be moved from the Caesars mobile app over to the William Hill sportsbook app. Lastly, Asher noted that sports betting lines will be changed to reflect the relaunch of sports. Home field advantage will no longer factor into setting odds.
Team sports will remain fanless for now, with the NBA and NHL opting for centralized locations to resume play.
- The NBA will relaunch with all teams playing in Orlando, Florida.
- The NHL will resume with teams in Toronto and Edmonton.
- MLB will play a 60-game season, with teams only playing against others in similar geographical locations.
- No plans have been made available regarding the NFL season.
- It’s speculated that college football will shift to a conference-only schedule.
