LAS VEGAS (August 15, 2019) – William Hill, the world’s leading sports book operator, today opened and accepted wagers at four sports books across Iowa on the first day of legalized sports betting in state history. This marks the ninth state William Hill operates sports books in since establishing itself in Las Vegas in 2012.
At 12:00 p.m. CST, all four William Hill Sports Books, located at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, Lakeside Hotel & Casino, Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo and Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf accepted their first sports wagers. Ceremonial bets were:
- Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino
- Tony Bisignano, Iowa State Senator
- Yankees to Win
- Yankees game under 11 runs
- Jack Whitver, Iowa State Senator
- Iowa State -4 to win over Iowa
- Tony Bisignano, Iowa State Senator
- Lakeside Hotel & Casino
- World War II Veteran Joseph Reynolds
- $20 for Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl
- World War II Veteran Joseph Reynolds
- Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo
- Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and former Chicago Cub Andre Dawson
- Miami Hurricanes to cover spread +7 vs. Florida
- Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and former Chicago Cub Andre Dawson
- Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf
- Mayor Robert Gallagher
- Bet 1: $50 on Iowa to win over 7 1/2 games.
- Bet 2:$60 Miami Ohio +21.5
- Chris Sampson – long term Bettendorf resident
- Bet 1: $100 on Dodgers run-line (-1/2) today’s game)
- Bet 2: $100 Dodgers game over (today’s game)
- Thom Cornelis – former longtime Sports Director of KWQC
- Bet 1: $10 Phillies over Cubs (today’s game)
- Bet 2: $5.50 cents for Iowa to win first football game -21.5
- Mayor Robert Gallagher
“What a great day. I’m so proud of everyone who has worked so hard to bring sports betting to Iowa and to our four new sports books,” said Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US. “Sports betting will bring a lot of enjoyment to local sports fans. Iowa State is a four point favorite over Iowa and the early money is on the Cyclones.”
To view photos from all opening events, please click the link below.
William Hill Sports Book at Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino
William Hill Sports Book at Isle Casino Bettendorf Grand Opening
William Hill PLC is one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies, employing over 16,000 people. Its origins are in the UK where it was founded in 1934, and where the company is listed on the London Stock Exchange. With headquarters in London and Leeds it has a national presence of licensed betting offices in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and is one of the country’s leading online betting and gaming services. In 2012, it established William Hill US with a focus on retail and mobile operations in Nevada, which is now the largest sports betting business in the USA. William Hill US (www.williamhill.us) currently operates 113 race and sports books in Nevada and the state’s leading mobile sports betting app. William Hill is operating in New Jersey at Monmouth Park Racetrack, Ocean Resort Casino, Tropicana Atlantic City, and online with the William Hill New Jersey sports betting app as well as in West Virginia at Mountaineer Racetrack. William Hill also operators four sports books in Iowa Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, Lakeside Hotel & Casino, Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo and Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf. William Hill is a licensed sports betting provider in numerous casinos in Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and New Mexico, and serves as the exclusive risk manager for the sports lottery in Delaware. William Hill has licensed operations in The Bahamas, Italy, Spain and Sweden and serves online customers in the UK, Ireland and throughout the world from its digital hubs in Gibraltar and Malta. In February 2019 it completed the acquisition of MRG Group acquiring the Mr Green and Redbet brands and with it an expanded pan-European footprint in faster growing online betting and gaming markets
