Written By Martin Harris on February 19, 2021
PokerStars PA Bounty Builder Series Schedule

Less than a month after concluding a successful Winter Series, PokerStars PA is hosting another big tournament series for Pennsylvania poker players.

The PokerStars PA Bounty Builder Series starts tomorrow, running from Feb. 20-Mar. 8. The schedule is a busy one with 75 events packed into 17 days. Guarantees for the tournaments total more than $1.675 million.

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PokerStars to run PA series parallel to NJ, MI series

Those guarantees add up to almost how much was awarded during the 11-day, 45-event PokerStars PA Winter Series during which players won over $1.7 million. All 45 events in the Winter Series bested their guarantees.

PokerStars and FOX Bet just announced the Bounty Builder Series earlier this week. Meanwhile, a parallel series will run on PokerStars NJ during the same days with 58 events and just over $650,000 in total guarantees.

Interestingly, the brand new PokerStars Michigan site will also be running its first tournament series during the same Feb. 20-Mar. 8 window. The first Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP) features 60 events and just over $1 million in guarantees.

Buy-ins for the the Bounty Builder Series range from as low as $10 to as high as $1,000 for a Super High Roller event.

The $200 buy-in, two-day Main Event starts Sun., Mar. 7 and features the series’ highest guaranteed prize pool of $150,000.

KO format a hit among PA players last Bounty Builder Series

PokerStars PA most recently ran a Bounty Builder Series in July 2020, a 70-event series that awarded almost $2 million.

Like previous Bounty Builder Series, the one starting tomorrow exclusively features tournaments played using the progressive knockout format.

The format spits prize pools into two halves, with one half going to the deepest finishers and the other “bounty pool” awarded to players when they eliminate opponents.

Here’s a look at the entire 75-event schedule.

2021 PokerStars PA Bounty Builder Schedule

No.DateTime (ET)Event (Gtd.)Buy-in
1Feb. 20 (Sa)6 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Series Kick-Off], $40K Gtd$100
2Feb. 20 (Sa)7 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Mini Kick-Off], $15K Gtd$25
3Feb. 20 (Sa)8 p.m.NLHE [Turbo], $5K Gtd$10
4Feb. 21 (Su)3 p.m.NLHE, $20K Gtd$50
5Feb. 21 (Su)4 p.m.NLHE [Warm-Up – Bounty Builder Edition], $12.5K Gtd$30
6Feb. 21 (Su)5 p.m.NLHE [6-Max, Storm – Bounty Builder Edition], $5K Gtd$10
7Feb. 21 (Su)6 p.m.NLHE [Sunday Special – Bounty Builder Edition], $100K Gtd$100
8Feb. 21 (Su)6:30 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Mini Special], $15K Gtd$200
9Feb. 21 (Su)7 p.m.NLHE [6-Max, Sunday High Roller – Bounty Builder Edition], $35K Gtd$250
10Feb. 21 (Su)8 p.m.NLHE [8-Max], $10K Gtd$50
11Feb. 21 (Su)9 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Turbo], $7.5K Gtd$20
12Feb. 21 (Su)10 p.m.NLHE [Hyper-Turbo, SuperSonic – Bounty Builder Edition], $10K Gtd$50
13Feb. 22 (M)7 p.m.NLHE [6-Max, Battle Royale SE], $35K Gtd$50
14Feb. 22 (M)8 p.m.PLO , $20K Gtd$100
15Feb. 23 (Tu)7 p.m.NLHE , $30K Gtd$75
16Feb. 23 (Tu)8 p.m.NLO8 [6-Max], $10K Gtd$100
17Feb. 23 (Tu)9 p.m.NLHE , $15K Gtd$50
18Feb. 24 (W)7 p.m.NLHE , $20K Gtd$50
19Feb. 24 (W)8 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Super High Roller], $75K Gtd$1,000
20Feb. 24 (W)9 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Hyper-Turbo], $5K Gtd$20
21Feb. 25 (Th)6:30 p.m.PL Badugi, $4K Gtd$50
22Feb. 25 (Th)7 p.m.NLHE [Thursday Thrill SE], $50K Gtd$200
23Feb. 25 (Th)7:30 p.m.NLHE [Mini Thrill], $20K Gtd$25
24Feb. 25 (Th)8:30 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, BigStack], $15K Gtd$75
25Feb. 25 (Th)10 p.m.NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo], $10K Gtd$50
26Feb. 26 (F)7 p.m.5-Card PLO , $7.5K Gtd$30
27Feb. 26 (F)8 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Escalating Antes], $20K Gtd$50
28Feb. 26 (F)10 p.m.NLHE [6-Max, Turbo], $10K Gtd$20
29Feb. 27 (Sa)3 p.m.NLHE , $25K Gtd$100
30Feb. 27 (Sa)5 p.m.NLHE , $10K Gtd$50
31Feb. 27 (Sa)6 p.m.NLHE , $35K Gtd$200
32Feb. 27 (Sa)8 p.m.NLHE [4-Max], $10K Gtd$20
33Feb. 27 (Sa)10 p.m.NLHE , $10K Gtd$50
34Feb. 28 (Su)2 p.m.NLHE, $25K Gtd$100
35Feb. 28 (Su)3 p.m.HORSE , $5K Gtd$50
36Feb. 28 (Su)4 p.m.NLHE , $10K Gtd$30
37Feb. 28 (Su)5 p.m.NLHE , $5K Gtd$10
38Feb. 28 (Su)6 p.m.NLHE , $100K Gtd$100
39Feb. 28 (Su)6:30 p.m.NLHE [Mini Special], $25K Gtd$25
40Feb. 28 (Su)7 p.m.NLHE , $35K Gtd$500
41Feb. 28 (Su)8 p.m.PLO , $15K Gtd$100
42Feb. 28 (Su)9 p.m.NLHE , $20K Gtd$75
43Feb. 28 (Su)10 p.m.NLHE [Hyper-Turbo], $10K Gtd$50
44Mar. 1 (M)7 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Battle Royale SE], $20K Gtd$100
45Mar. 1 (M)8 p.m.NLHE [6-Max, BigStack], $25K Gtd$50
46Mar. 1 (M)9 p.m.NLHE [4-Max, Turbo], $10K Gtd$20
47Mar. 2 (Tu)6 p.m.NLHE , $10K Gtd$50
48Mar. 2 (Tu)7 p.m.NLHE [Super Tuesday – Bounty Builder Edition], $50K Gtd$200
49Mar. 2 (Tu)7:30 p.m.NLHE [Mini Super Tuesday], $12.5K Gtd$20
50Mar. 2 (Tu)8 p.m.8-Game [8 Game], $5K Gtd$50
51Mar. 2 (Tu)9 p.m.NLHE , $12.5K Gtd$50
52Mar. 2 (Tu)10 p.m.NLHE , $10K Gtd$100
53Mar. 3 (W)7 p.m.NLHE , $30K Gtd$200
54Mar. 3 (W)7:30 p.m.NLHE , $20K Gtd$50
55Mar. 3 (W)8 p.m.PLO , $25K Gtd$500
56Mar. 3 (W)9 p.m.NLHE , $15K Gtd$100
57Mar. 4 (Th)7 p.m.NLHE , $50K Gtd$200
58Mar. 4 (Th)7:30 p.m.NLHE , $15K Gtd$20
59Mar. 4 (Th)8:30 p.m.NLHE [6-Max, Turbo, BigStack], $15K Gtd$50
60Mar. 5 (F)6:30 p.m.NLHE , $7.5K Gtd$20
61Mar. 5 (F)7:30 p.m.PL 5-Card Draw [PL 5 Card Draw], $3K Gtd$30
62Mar. 5 (F)8 p.m.NLHE , $20K Gtd$50
63Mar. 5 (F)9 p.m.NLHE , $10K Gtd$100
64Mar. 6 (Sa)6 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, 25% KO], $30K Gtd$100
65Mar. 6 (Sa)8 p.m.NLHE , $12.5K Gtd$50
66Mar. 6 (Sa)9 p.m.NLHE , $5K Gtd$10
67Mar. 7 (Su)2:30 p.m.NLHE [Marathon], $15K Gtd$50
68Mar. 7 (Su)4 p.m.NLHE , $12.5K Gtd$30
69Mar. 7 (Su)5 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Main Event], $150K Gtd$200
70Mar. 7 (Su)6 p.m.NLHE [8-Max, Mini Main Event], $40K Gtd$50
71Mar. 7 (Su)8 p.m.NLHE , $20K Gtd$100
72Mar. 7 (Su)9 p.m.PLO , $10K Gtd$50
73Mar. 7 (Su)10 p.m.NLHE , $20K Gtd$75
74Mar. 8 (M)8 p.m.NLHE , $25K Gtd$100
75Mar. 8 (M)9 p.m.NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Zoom Total Knock Out], $10K Gtd$20

Lead image via Dreamstime.

Martin Harris Avatar
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Martin Harris

Martin Harris is a writer and teacher who has reported on poker, online gambling, and sports betting since the mid-2000s. Once a full-time academic (Ph.D., English), he currently teaches part-time in the American Studies program at UNC Charlotte. In 2019, his book Poker & Pop Culture was published by D&B Books.

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Written By Martin Harris on January 19, 2021Last Updated on February 19, 2021
WPT Sells for $78M, BetMGM Changes Course

Over the course of many years co-hosting the World Poker Tour, the late, great Mike Sexton always signed each show off with a familiar line.

“May all of your cards be live, and may all of your pots be monsters,” said Sexton.

On Tuesday came news that a new owner has purchased the WPT. With a price tag of $78,250,000, the pot for this deal is kind of a monster.

‘Privately-held investment vehicle’ Element Partners acquires WPT

According to the deal announcement, Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc. has entered an agreement with Element Partners, LLC allowing Element to acquire Allied’s “poker-related business and assets, including the entities comprising the World Poker Tour.”

Not much is known about Element Partners. The announcement describes Element as “a privately-held investment vehicle.”

Playin Pennsylvania sister site OnlinePokerReport reached out to the WPT to ask about the buyer, although received no further information. “Element will not be answering any questions at this time,” added the WPT.

The agreement stipulates Element pay $68.25 million up front. Element must also provide Allied a “revenue share of 5% of WPT-branded tournament entry fees on Element-owned or licensed gaming platform” worth up to $10 million.

Element must pay that revenue share within three years of the deal closing, likely to happen by late January or early February. Allied’s shareholders still need to sign off, after which regulatory approvals must be secured and other closing conditions met.

The announcement goes on to describe Allied Esports Entertainment’s interest in exploring a possible sale of its esports business as well.

There is no buyer yet. But once one is found and that sale takes place, Allied intends to continue as a publicly traded holding company and pursue “opportunities in online entertainment, including but not limited to, real money gaming and other gaming sectors.”

An amicable parting for Allied Esports Entertainment and the WPT

First launched in 2002, the WPT and its popular television show quickly became a key factor helping ignite the “poker boom” of the mid-2000s.

The live tour continued to thrive through 17 full seasons and into an 18th. The tour has circled the globe, including visits to Pennsylvania’s Parx Casino in Bensalem and Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. However starting in March 2020 live events had to be postponed or cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even so, online events hosted by partypoker over the last nine months have proven successful for the WPT. A highlight was the WPT Online Championships series last fall during which players won over $100 million.

ClubWPT, the WPT’s online subscription platform, has also experienced a recent increase in registrations and revenue. The WPT television show continues to attract significant audiences as well. The show airs on the Fox Sports Network and is available via multiple online platforms.

In the announcement, Allied CEO Frank Ng acknowledged “the many challenges” posed by the pandemic over the last year. Ng stressed, however, that “through its online platforms and services” the WPT has nonetheless still been able to make “meaningful contributions” for Allied.

For the WPT’s part, CEO Adam Pliska thanked Ng and Allied “for its support in allowing WPT to flourish during this period.” Pliska expressed enthusiasm about “this next chapter and the tremendous new opportunities” for the WPT going forward with Element Partners.

The World Poker Tour has been sold multiple times over the last dozen years.

In 2009, bwin.party acquired WPT Enterprises, then in 2015 sold it to Ourgame International Holdings Ltd. Then in 2018 the Black Ridge Acquisition Corp. purchased the WPT and Allied Esports International, combining the companies thereafter as Allied Esports Entertainment.

MGM nixes Entain acquisition after repeated bids

In other industry news from Tuesday, MGM Resorts International announced it would no longer be pursuing its effort to acquire UK-based gambling company Entain.

Entain had rejected two previous bids from MGM. MGM further cited “limited recent engagement” between the companies as prompting them to withdraw their interest.

Entain owns a number of popular brands in the UK, including bwin, Ladbrokes, Eurobet, and Sportingbet. It also owns partypoker, the platform where recent WPT’s online events have taken place.

One question arising from the failure of the deal concerns the fate of the two firms’ joint venture, BetMGM. However MGM Resorts International CEO Bill Hornbuckle insists that BetMGM will continue to be “a key priority.”

“We believe that BetMGM has established itself as a top three leader in its markets,” said Hornbuckle. “We remain committed to working with Entain to ensure its strong momentum continues as it expects to be operational in 20 states by the end of 2021.”

Pennsylvania is one of the states BetMGM Poker hopes to enter in early 2021.

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Martin Harris Avatar
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Martin Harris

Martin Harris is a writer and teacher who has reported on poker, online gambling, and sports betting since the mid-2000s. Once a full-time academic (Ph.D., English), he currently teaches part-time in the American Studies program at UNC Charlotte. In 2019, his book Poker & Pop Culture was published by D&B Books.

View all posts by Martin Harris

Written By Katie Kohler on December 31, 2020Last Updated on February 19, 2021
BetMGM Sportsbook Now Live in PA

The BetMGM sportsbook app arrived in Pennsylvania on Dec. 17, a few weeks after the launch of the company’s online casino.

“The response to BetMGM Casino in Pennsylvania has been incredible, and we’re thrilled to bring our best-in-class sports betting offering to the Keystone State,” said Adam GreenblattBetMGM CEO.

PA’s newest sportsbook provided a betting recap of 2020 that included big bets, parlays and more from users across the eight states where the sportsbook is available.

Although BetMGM was not available in PA at the time, the Seattle Seahawks vs. Philadelphia Eagles game on Nov. 30 posted the third-largest handle of any single game in 2020.

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BetMGM reflects on 2020

States with the BetMGM app with the highest handle in 2020:

  1. Nevada
  2. New Jersey
  3. Colorado
  4. Mississippi
  5. Indiana

Jason Scott, VP of Trading, BetMGM, commented in an email:

“COVID wreaked havoc on the 2020 sporting calendar, which was challenging for both bookmakers and bettors. Despite the pandemic, the 2020 sporting season was a great success. We expect continued growth with betting now available in Indiana, West Virginia, Tennessee and Colorado, as well as further development in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.”

At BetMGM, sports with the biggest increase in betting action this year were MMA, golf and soccer.

BetMGM 2020 betting recap

Biggest single game-winning bet of 2020

  • $500K to win $510K on Vikings -0.5 (11/29/20)

Biggest parlay winner of 2020

  • $100,000 to win $206,000 on two-team parlay including Cardinals over 7.5 and Athletics -189 (9/10/20)

Biggest single-game parlay winner of 2020

    1. $10 to win $15,000 on a 10-team Build-a-Bet parlay (12/27/20)
      • D. Lillard over 8.5 assists
      • J. Harden over 10.5 assists
      • C. Wood over 22.5. pts
      • C.J. McCollum over 18.5 pts
      • D. House Jr. over 9.5 pts
      • D. Lillard over 30.5 pts
      • J. Harden 40+ pts
      • C. Wood over 11.5 rebounds
      • D. Jones Jr. over 4.5 rebounds
      • P.J. Tucker over 6.5 rebounds

Biggest handle of a single game in 2020

  1. Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury (2/23/20)
  2. Super Bowl: Chiefs vs. 49ers (2/2/20)
  3. Seahawks-Eagles (11/30/20)
  4. Ravens-Patriots (11/15/20)
  5. Vikings-Bears (11/16/20)

Single game that had the biggest win for the books in 2020

  1. Ravens-Patriots (11/15/20)
  2. Seahawks-Eagles (11/30/20)
  3. Vikings-Bears (11/16/20)
  4. Eagles-Browns (11/22/20)
  5. Chargers-Bills (11/29/20)

Biggest NFL and college football winning bets

NFL biggest-winning single bets

  • $500K to win $510K on Vikings -0.5 (11/29/20)
  • $283,022 to win $523,591 on Rams +185 moneyline (11/23/20)
  • $550K to win $522,500 on Buccaneers +3.5 (11/29/20)
  • $582,024 to win $506,361 on Saints -8.5 (11/29/20)
  • $550K to win $500K on Titans +3 (11/29/20)

NFL biggest-winning parlay bet

  • $132K to win $101K on Bills -250 moneyline and Colts -385 moneyline (10/4/20)

College football biggest-winning single bets

  • $550K to win $522,500 on Iowa State -105 moneyline (11/27/20)
  • $550K to win $522,500 on Kansas State-Baylor over 44.5 (11/28/20)
  • $550K to win $500,500 on Utah +7 (11/28/20)
  • $550K to win $500,500 on Georgia-South Carolina over 49.5 (11/28/20)

College football biggest-winning parlay bet

  • $9 to win $139,543 on nine-team parlay on Arkansas State +450, App State under 59.5, Coastal Carolina +185, Duke +20.5, Georgia Tech +325, North Carolina under 65.5, Iowa State under 56.5, UTSA +200 (9/12/20)

Biggest NBA and college basketball winning bets

NBA biggest-winning single bets

  • $71,881 to win $165,327 on Nuggets +230 (9/15/20)
  • $49,293 to win $69,010 on Bucks +140 (9/6/20)
  • $56,307 to win $61,937 on Heat -7.5 (9/8/20)
  • $57,856 to win $60,749 on Heat +6.5 (9/15/20)
  • $60,823 to win $57,782 on Nuggets +5.5 (9/15/20)

NBA biggest-winning parlay bet

  • $80 to win $52,797 on a five-team parlay on Heat +135, Nets +1300, Blazers +145, Magic +100, Suns +310 (8/4/20)

College basketball biggest-winning bets

  • $440K to win $462K on Gonzaga -16 (11/27/20)
  • $450K to win $427,500 on Clemson -105 (11/26/20)
  • $347,473 to win $316,201 on Boston College -1 (11/26/20)
  • $313,290 to win $297,625 on Villanova -5.5 (11/26/20)
  • $275K to win $239,250 on Pepperdine -3 (11/25/20)

College basketball biggest parlay bet

  • $23,083 to win $65,051 on two-team parlay with Georgia -5.5 and Seton Hall -26.5 (12/8/20)

Largest MLB winning bets

MLB biggest-winning single bets

  • $164,309 to win $427,203 on Angels +260 (9/6/20)
  • $221,254 to win $380,258 on Rockies -1.5 (9/5/20)
  • $200K to win $310K on Orioles +155 (9/5/20)
  • $75K to win $232,500 on Orioles +310 (9/4/20)
  • $230K to win $230K on Rockies +100 (9/5/20)

MLB biggest-winning parlay

  • $100,000 to win $206,000 on two-team parlay including Cardinals over 7.5 and Athletics -189 (9/10/20)

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

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Katie Kohler

Katie Kohler is a Philadelphia-area based award-winning journalist and Managing Editor at Playin Pennsylvania. Katie especially enjoys creating unique content and on-the-ground reporting in PA. She is focused on creating valuable, timely content about casinos and sports betting for readers. Katie has covered the legal Pennsylvania gambling industry for Catena Media since 2019.

View all posts by Katie Kohler

Written By Katie Kohler on February 18, 2021
What Wentz Trade Means for Eagles, Colts Odds

The Philadelphia Eagles and Carson Wentz break-up saga is officially over.

After months of silence from Wentz after being benched at halftime during Week 13, and speculation on what’s next for the $128 million quarterback, Wentz was shipped to the Indianapolis Colts, the favorite (-400) to be his home next season.

The Eagles traded Wentz to the Colts for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick that could turn into a first. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortenson first reported the much-anticipated deal.

Wentz trade shifts Colts odds

The Colts finished 11-5 in 2020 with Phillip Rivers as quarterback. He retired after the Colts were ousted in the Wild Card round 27-24 by the Buffalo Bills. Colts head coach Frank Reich is often cited as a main reason Wentz reportedly preferred the Colts. Reich was the Eagles offensive coordinator in 2017 when Wentz was having an MVP season before he tore his ACL.

The trade for Wentz caused movement for the Colts’ Super Bowl odds:

  • DraftKings: The Colts moved from +2500 to +2200
  • FanDuel: The Colts were +2900 after Super Bowl LV and are currently +2600
  • BetMGM: The Colts’ odds have shifted from +2500 to +2000

Colts odds after Wentz trade at DraftKings:

  • Super Bowl: +2200
  • AFC Championship: +1100 (was +1200)
  • AFC South: -106
  • Regular Season MVP: Wentz +3000 (was +4000)

Eagles odds after Wentz trade

The Eagles drafted Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft in a move that surprised many, especially after awarding Wentz with a contract extension and having various other needs. Wentz, playing behind a makeshift offensive line and aging wide receivers, had a huge regression in 2020 and led the NFL in interceptions (15).

Hurts started the final four games and finished with a stat line of 77/148, 1,061 yards, 6 TDs, 4 INTs. He also rushed for three touchdowns.

The Eagles have eight picks in the 2021 NFL Draft including the sixth overall selection. Of course, since the Wentz trade is finalized, now the speculation turns to who the Eagles will draft and if they might select a quarterback.

Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl odds after Wentz trade

  • Super Bowl: +6600
  • NFC Championship: +2800 (only Washington and Detroit have worse odds)
  • NFC East: +400 (was +350)
  • Regular Season MVP: Jalen Hurts +8000 (was +10000), Miles Sanders +25000

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Michael Perez

Katie Kohler Avatar
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Katie Kohler

Katie Kohler is a Philadelphia-area based award-winning journalist and Managing Editor at Playin Pennsylvania. Katie especially enjoys creating unique content and on-the-ground reporting in PA. She is focused on creating valuable, timely content about casinos and sports betting for readers. Katie has covered the legal Pennsylvania gambling industry for Catena Media since 2019.

View all posts by Katie Kohler

Written By Katie Kohler on February 17, 2021
PA Sportsbooks Break Record Handle to Start 2021

Pennsylvania sportsbooks couldn’t have really asked for a better start to 2021.

December’s all-time handle was shattered by a record-breaking January handle of $615.3 million. Compared to November, sports betting handle was up 25%. Revenue for January hit $34 million.

Six months into the 2020/2021 fiscal year, sports betting handle in Pennsylvania has eclipsed $3.1 billion according to figures released by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. It has also already surpassed the total 2019/2020 fiscal year’s totals ($2.2 billion) in only six months.

It was a notable month for the state’s tax coffers as about $10.5 million in taxes was collected from sports betting revenue. It puts Pennsylvania’s total tax dollars collected since the start of sports betting in the state at over $111.7 million.

FanDuel again held the lead atop all of the state’s 12 online operators for handle. Their $220.7 million handle accounted for about 38% of all online wagers. FanDuel took back the top spot for revenue in January too, posting $14.3 million.

PA sports betting handle on the rise

January 2021’s handle marked a 76.6% increase from last year. Here is a look at fiscal year breakdown of the handle, revenue and taxes for sports betting in Pennsylvania.

Fiscal year 2018/2019

  • Handle: $244.6 million
  • Revenue: $3.1 million
  • State tax 34%: $699,319
  • Local share: $41,136

Fiscal year 2019/2020

  • Handle: $2.5 billion
  • Revenue: $163.2 million
  • State tax: $46 million
  • Local share: $2.7 million

Fiscal year 2020/2021 (June to present)

  • Handle: $3.1 billion
  • Revenue: $175 million
  • State tax: $59.4 million
  • Local share: $3.5 million

Where do PA sports betting taxes go?

Pennsylvania levies the highest tax on sports betting revenue at 36%.

The money collected from taxes from sports betting goes into the general fund; 34% is a state tax and 2% is a local share assessment.

Top players in PA online sports betting January 2021

The NFL playoffs headlined a month with other offerings such as bowl games, the college football National Championship game, NBA and college basketball. FanDuel, in partnership with Valley Forge Casino, broke their December record ($207.6 million) for handle in January 2021 by taking $220.7 million in bets. It represents about a 25% increase in handle since November 2020.

DraftKings continues to hold tight to the No. 2 spot with $143.5 million in handle, up from $131 million last month. DraftKings, through its partnership with The Meadows, saw its revenue rise from $5.4 million last month to $7.7 million in January.

January was also BetMGM‘s first full month. The online sportsbook, through its partnership with Hollywood Casino Morgantown, had a handle of $39 million and $414,300 in revenue.

It was also a notable month for freebies as online operators doled out $15.3 million in promotional credits.

Not included in the January figures was Pennsylvania’s $53.6 million Super Bowl LV handle. Bets on the big game increased 74% from last year.

New Jersey released its sports betting figures today and continues to flirt with the $1 billion mark for monthly handle. In January 2021, New Jersey’s handle was $958.7 million. Nevada has yet to release its numbers for the month. But if the trends from previous months hold, PA will rank third for total handle behind New Jersey and Nevada.

What about Barstool?

In December, Barstool online sportsbook experienced a surge in handle ($71.8 million) and revenue ($13.9 million). But the number that caused a double take was the 20% hold percentage. The hold for the other 11 sportsbooks last month was about 6%.

Barstool’s unheard of hold percentage caused an immediate reaction and many wondered what the next month would bring.

In January, Barstool’s handle was $65 million and its revenue was a little over $1 million with about a 4% win for the sportsbook. Across all of PA’s online operators, it was an average 7.8% hold.

When Penn National reported its Fourth Quarter results in mid-January, President and CEO Jay Snowden commented:

“Since launching in Pennsylvania last September, the Barstool Sportsbook app has registered over 72,000 customers in the state and has generated total handle of nearly $300 million, despite very limited external marketing spend.

“Trends in January thus far are encouraging. Visitation and length of play have improved, several of the properties that were forced to close in November and December have reopened, and our retail sportsbooks continue to positively impact both gaming and non-gaming revenues. We are continuing to see encouraging growth in the younger demographic tiers of our database, and we believe the roll-out of vaccinations will encourage more guests in all age segments of our database to return to our land-based facilities soon. Given the service enhancements and operational changes we have implemented, we stand to achieve meaningful EBITDAR growth as our volumes continue to approach previous levels.”

PA sports betting handle & revenue by operator in January 2021

Sports Betting OperatorTotal HandleTotal RevenueOnline HandleOnline RevenueRetail HandleRetail Revenue
Valley Forge Casino (FanDuel)$223,307,287$14,518,621$220,730,775$14,293,196$2,576,511$225,425
The Meadows Casino (DraftKings)$145,230,750$7,904,355$143,512,213$7,720,309$1,718,537$184,046
Hollywood/Penn National (Barstool)$66,535,848$1,308,335$65,042,521$1,067,375$1,493,327$240,960
Hollywood Morgantown (BetMGM)$39,306,952$414,300$39,306,952$414,300$0$0
Rivers Pittsburgh (BetRivers)$31,653,273$2,084,736$26,809,167$1,280,033$4,844,106$804,703
Parx Casino$28,765,215$2,344,867$22,777,577$1,845,056$5,987,638$499,811
Rivers Philadelphia (PlaySugarHouse)$27,722,868$2,032,918$20,761,429$1,361,433$6,961,439$671,485
Mount Airy Casino (Fox Bet)$27,339,866$1,846,237$26,632,094$1,768,955$707,772$77,282
Mohegan Sun Pocono (Unibet)$11,889,856$437,183$10,014,947$377,770$1,874,909$59,413
Presque Isle Downs (BetAmerica)$4,123,074$474,816$1,649,043($81,367)$2,474,031$556,183
Harrah’s Philadelphia (Caesars)$3,364,583$298,698$1,250,067$36,506$2,114,516$262,192
Wind Creek$2,070,815($83,618)$1,454,868($143,898)$615,947$60,280
South Philly Race & Sportsbook$1,995,038$247,918$0$0$1,995,038$247,918
Mohegan Sun Lehigh Valley$988,552($71,405)$0$0$988,552($71,405)
Live! Philadelphia$535,373$116,944$0$0$535,373$116,944
Live! Pittsburgh$465,476$95,491$0$0$465,476$95,491
Total$615,294,827$33,970,396$579,941,653$29,939,668$35,353,174$4,030,728

PA online sportsbooks in January:

  • FanDuel (Valley Forge Casino): $220.7 million in handle (up from $207.6 million), $14.3 million in revenue
  • DraftKings (The Meadows): $143.5 million in handle (up from $130.9 million), $7.7 million in revenue
  • Barstool (Hollywood Casino): $65 million in handle (down from $71.8 million), $1 million in revenue
  • BetMGM (Hollywood Casino Morgantown): $39.3 million in handle (up from $12 million), $414,300 in revenue
  • Rivers Casino Pittsburgh: $26.8 million in handle (up from $26.7 million), $1.2 million in revenue
  • Fox Bet (Mount Airy): $26.6 million in handle (down from $28.6 million), $1.7 million in revenue
  • Parx online sportsbook: $22.7 million in handle (down from $23.7 million), $1.8 million in revenue
  • Rivers Casino Philadelphia: $20.7 million in handle (down from $21.8 million), $1.4 million in revenue
  • Unibet (Mohegan Sun Pocono): $10 million in handle (up from $9 million), $377,770 in revenue
  • Bet America (Presque Isle Downs): $1.6 million in handle (up from $1.5 million), negative $81,367 in revenue
  • BetFred (Wind Creek): $1.4 million in handle (up from $99,309), negative $143,898 revenue
  • Caesars Sportsbook (Harrah’s): $1.2 million in handle (down from $1.4 million), $36,506 in revenue

January fantasy figures

In January, fantasy operators reported about $3 million in revenue, about a 41% increase from Jan. 2020.

Of the six DFS operators in the state, DraftKings and FanDuel account for nearly all of the revenue.

Lead image credit: AP Photo/Ashley Landis

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Katie Kohler

Katie Kohler is a Philadelphia-area based award-winning journalist and Managing Editor at Playin Pennsylvania. Katie especially enjoys creating unique content and on-the-ground reporting in PA. She is focused on creating valuable, timely content about casinos and sports betting for readers. Katie has covered the legal Pennsylvania gambling industry for Catena Media since 2019.

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Written By Staff on February 16, 2021
Mega Millions numbers

Here we go again!

It’s been less than a month since the last Mega Millions jackpot hit. Not to mention, the prize was a massive billion-dollar jackpot.

Yet, here we are again because Tuesday, Feb. 16, the Mega Millions estimated jackpot sits just shy of $100 million at $96 million. There’s also a cash option of $69.4 million.

Winning Mega Millions numbers for Tuesday, Feb. 16

Find tonight’s winning Mega Millions numbers below when they are available. Each week, two Mega Millions drawings occur on Tuesdays and Fridays after 11 p.m. EST.

Winning numbers: 1 – 36 – 44 – 54 – 66 Mega Ball: 10

Megaplier: 3X

Rank
Casinos
Bonus
Features
Play
1
125% WELCOME BONUS
Up to $1250 to bet on sports
250% Slots + Table Bonus
150 Free Spins On Gorilla Or Buffalo Ways
50 Daily Boost For Your Massive Wins
Grab your 175% + 50 free spins
5
$20 Free
On Sign Up
$20 Free with No Deposit
100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Live Dealer and Exclusive Games
Use Bonus Code: PLAYNJ
6
$2,000
Play It Again
Up to $2,000 Back if Down After First Day
Blackjack, Roulette, Slots & More
1 X Play Through 
To Claim: Click Play Now
8
$100 Bonus Play
Opt-in & Bet Just $1
Bet $1 Get $100 Bonus Play
50 Bonus Spins Included
Daily Casino Bonuses
To Claim: Click Play Now
9
$1,000 Bonus
100% Match On First Deposit
100% Up to $1,000 On deposit
300+ Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now

Lucky five Match 5 winners

Five appears to be a lucky number, at least for the previous drawing on Friday, Feb. 12. To recap, the winning numbers were 5 – 14 – 24 – 25 – 27 and a Mega Ball of 14. Additionally, the Mega Millions second-place prize is called a Match 5 for matching all five white balls.

Finally, there were five nationwide Match 5 $1 million winners from the following states:

  • California
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Texas
  • Virginia

The Megaplier was 3X but none of the Match 5 tickets added on the $1 option, which would have boosted the prize to $3 million.

Play online at the PA Lottery

The PA online lottery offers up not just tickets to the major draw games such as Mega Millions and Powerball, but other fun interactive games as well. Moreover, there’s a welcome bonus and games cost as little as five cents per play. Of course, Mega Millions tickets cost $2 each or $3 each with the $1 Megaplier option.

Finally, there’s other states where online lottery is available as well:

  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kentucky
  • New Hampshire
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • New York 

Please play responsibly.

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Written By Staff on January 20, 2021Last Updated on February 16, 2021
Powerball winning numbers

Cha-ching!

For only the fourth time ever, the Powerball estimated jackpot hits the over-$700 million mark. In fact, for Wednesday, Jan. 20, the Powerball estimated jackpot sits at $730 million, with a $546 million cash value payout.

Even more, tonight’s drawing marks the 36th draw without a jackpot winner, which continues the longest such streak in Powerball history.

Winning Powerball numbers for Wednesday, Jan. 20

Each week, look for Powerball drawings on Wednesdays and Saturdays after 11 p.m. EST. Winning numbers are posted below after tonight’s drawing.

Winning numbers: 40 – 53 – 60 – 68 – 69 Powerball: 22

Multiplier: 3X

Rank
Casinos
Bonus
Features
Play
1
125% WELCOME BONUS
Up to $1250 to bet on sports
250% Slots + Table Bonus
150 Free Spins On Gorilla Or Buffalo Ways
50 Daily Boost For Your Massive Wins
Grab your 175% + 50 free spins
5
$20 Free
On Sign Up
$20 Free with No Deposit
100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Live Dealer and Exclusive Games
Use Bonus Code: PLAYNJ
6
$2,000
Play It Again
Up to $2,000 Back if Down After First Day
Blackjack, Roulette, Slots & More
1 X Play Through 
To Claim: Click Play Now
8
$100 Bonus Play
Opt-in & Bet Just $1
Bet $1 Get $100 Bonus Play
50 Bonus Spins Included
Daily Casino Bonuses
To Claim: Click Play Now
9
$1,000 Bonus
100% Match On First Deposit
100% Up to $1,000 On deposit
300+ Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now

14 new millionaire winners from Jan. 16 drawing

No jackpot winner does not mean there is a lack of winners. For the previous drawing, on Saturday, Jan. 16, 14 winning tickets emerged that matched all five white balls. As a recap, the winning numbers were 14 – 20 – 39 – 65 – 67 and a red Powerball of 2. The Power Play was 3X.

$1 million winning tickets were sold in:

  • California 
  • Florida 
  • Georgia 
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Missouri
  • New Mexico
  • New York 
  • Ohio
  • Texas 
  • West Virginia 

PA Lottery sells $2 million Powerball ticket

Additionally, nationwide, there were two Powerball tickets that matched all five white balls and added on the $1 Power Play option. These two second-place tickets are worth a doubled $2 million.

The PA Lottery reminds you to check your tickets, especially if you purchased them at Uni-Mart at 3577 Route 611 in Bartonsville. The other winning ticket sold was in New Hampshire.

Powerball online tickets

Remember that here in Pennsylvania, you can take advantage of the PA online lottery. Easily purchase Powerball tickets online from your mobile device, from the comfort of your own home or on the go.

Also, there are other states that allow the sale of online lottery tickets:

  • New York
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • New Hampshire
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Virginia

If you are lucky enough to hit the big one, PlayUSA has some tips on how to proceed.

No matter how big jackpots become, make sure to play responsibly.

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Written By Nathan Frederick on January 21, 2021Last Updated on February 16, 2021
Conor McGregor Odds Boost at DraftKings PA

The big name is back.

Conor McGregor could be past his MMA prime, but he’s arguably still the biggest draw in the sport.

And his bout with Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on Saturday in Abu Dhabi has energized fight fans, leading to some monster bets at the nation’s sportsbooks. 

According to ESPN, earlier this week, a bettor in New Jersey made a $188,800 wager on McGregor at FanDuel Sportsbook that would win a net $65,103. (The moneyline price was -290). Last week, a sportsbook operator at PointsBet took a $100,000 bet on McGregor at -277 odds. And the sportsbooks expect even more action as the fight approaches on Saturday.

“Saturday is trending to be our biggest UFC event ever, surpassing UFC 246, when McGregor took out Donald Cerrone,” Patrick Eichner, communications director for PointsBet told ESPN.

PA sports betting apps all offer odds and a number of wagers for Saturday’s bouts. We highlight some of them here for you.

DraftKings promo offers 257-1 odds

DraftKings is doing its part to generate some excitement for UFC 257 as well. New users at DraftKings can bet $1 and win $257 if McGregor wins by knockout in the first round. Here’s the fine print:

  • First-time DraftKings depositors only.
  • Make a deposit of $5+ into your sportsbook account.
  • Following deposit, visit the landing page from the Sportsbook Promos page and pick “McGregor to win by KO in the 1st Round” by clicking “BOOST THIS FIGHT.”
  • Pick wisely; you CANNOT change your boosted event once you have clicked “BOOST THIS FIGHT.”
  • Following event selection, you’ll be issued a single-use odds boost for McGregor to win by first round KO. The boost is for +25700 (257-1) odds.
  • Make sure you have made your qualifying deposit first and are logged in when you choose your event. Refresh if the boost doesn’t appear at first.
  • Apply your boost to “McGregor to win by KO in the 1st Round” by adding that market to your bet slip and applying the boost. Your FIRST bet with the boost is your qualifying bet.
  • Max bet $1.
  • One bet per user.
  • Excludes live bets, parlays, cash-out bets, free bets and voided bets.
  • Must be in PA, CO, IN, IA, NJ, IL, TN or WV.
Rank
Casinos
Bonus
Features
Play
1
125% WELCOME BONUS
Up to $1250 to bet on sports
250% Slots + Table Bonus
150 Free Spins On Gorilla Or Buffalo Ways
50 Daily Boost For Your Massive Wins
Grab your 175% + 50 free spins
5
$20 Free
On Sign Up
$20 Free with No Deposit
100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Live Dealer and Exclusive Games
Use Bonus Code: PLAYNJ
6
$2,000
Play It Again
Up to $2,000 Back if Down After First Day
Blackjack, Roulette, Slots & More
1 X Play Through 
To Claim: Click Play Now
8
$100 Bonus Play
Opt-in & Bet Just $1
Bet $1 Get $100 Bonus Play
50 Bonus Spins Included
Daily Casino Bonuses
To Claim: Click Play Now
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$1,000 Bonus
100% Match On First Deposit
100% Up to $1,000 On deposit
300+ Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now

McGregor fighting as lightweight for the first time in three years

As noted in a preview at CBS Sports, Conor McGregor is moving back to the lightweight division at UFC 257 for the first time since 2018. And in his last UFC fight (as a welterweight), nearly a year ago, McGregor knocked out Donald Cerrone in just 40 seconds.

McGregor has also fought Poirier once before. In 2014, McGregor defeated Poirier by KO/TKO in the first round at UFC 178. Poirier has lost only twice since then, including a submission defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242 in 2019.

In Saturday’s fight (which starts with early prelims at 6 p.m. on ESPN+ before moving to ESPN Pay-Per-View for the main card), McGregor is -305 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Poirier is +250. The fight’s over/under is set at 2.5 rounds.

There are also wagers available on the winning method and winning round for the main event and the rest of Saturday’s fights.

The remaining matchups on the 12-fight card and the moneyline odds according to DraftKings are as follows:

  • Dan Hooker (-125) vs. Michael Chandler (+100)
  • Joanne Calderwood (-117) vs. Jessica Eye (-105)
  • Ottman Azaitar (-155) vs. Matt Frevola (+125)
  • Amanda Ribas (-335) vs. Marina Rodriguez (+250)
  • Arman Tsarukyan (-286) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (+225)
  • Brad Tavares (-150)  vs. Antonio Carlos Junior (+120)
  • Sara McMann (-130) vs. Julianna Pena (+105)
  • Khalil Rountree (-335) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+250)
  • Makhmud Muradov (-143) vs. Andrew Sanchez (+115)
  • Movsar Evloev (-420) vs. Nik Lentz (+330)
  • Zhalgas Zhumagulov (-125) vs. Amir Albazi (+100)

DraftKings 257 Special features $1 million prize pool

Daily fantasy players can also cash in on big prizes during Saturday’s MMA action. At DraftKings, the $25 entry UFC 257 Special pays out $200,000 to first and a million dollars in all. Second place takes home $100K, and third receives $40,000. Another contest, the MMA Haymaker, has a $100,000 prize pool at a much cheaper $3 entry fee.

And over at FanDuel, the flagship contest is an $8.88 entry UFC Octagon that features a $150K prize pool and a first-place prize of $30,000.

So whether you’re building a daily fantasy lineup or a betting slip at your favorite sportsbook, Saturday’s UFC action has plenty to offer.

There are 12 fights on the card. A few promotions to build your bankroll. And one of the UFC’s biggest names in the main event.

Conor McGregor will soon be in the Octagon again.

And that’s more than enough to get things buzzing.

Lead image credit: AP Photo/John Locher

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Nathan Frederick

Nathan Frederick is an award-winning writer with more than 1,000 published bylines and two decades of journalism experience. His work has won awards from the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Journalists, the Keystone Press Association, and the Associated Press Sports Editors. He has also authored three books, one of which debuted as an Amazon No. 1 New Release.

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Written By Staff on February 10, 2021Last Updated on February 15, 2021
Powerball numbers

Wednesday, Feb. 10, brings the next Powerball drawing, with an estimated $42 million jackpot.

Alternatively, a jackpot winner could opt for a $31 million cash value one-time payout.

Winning Powerball numbers for Wednesday, Feb. 10

There are two Powerball drawings that occur weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays after 11 p.m. EST. Find tonight’s winning numbers below.

Winning numbers: 15 – 39 – 58 – 63 – 67 Powerball: 7

Multiplier: 2X

Rank
Casinos
Bonus
Features
Play
1
125% WELCOME BONUS
Up to $1250 to bet on sports
250% Slots + Table Bonus
150 Free Spins On Gorilla Or Buffalo Ways
50 Daily Boost For Your Massive Wins
Grab your 175% + 50 free spins
5
$20 Free
On Sign Up
$20 Free with No Deposit
100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Live Dealer and Exclusive Games
Use Bonus Code: PLAYNJ
6
$2,000
Play It Again
Up to $2,000 Back if Down After First Day
Blackjack, Roulette, Slots & More
1 X Play Through 
To Claim: Click Play Now
8
$100 Bonus Play
Opt-in & Bet Just $1
Bet $1 Get $100 Bonus Play
50 Bonus Spins Included
Daily Casino Bonuses
To Claim: Click Play Now
9
$1,000 Bonus
100% Match On First Deposit
100% Up to $1,000 On deposit
300+ Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now

$1 million ticket sold in NC

In Powerball news, a $1 million ticket was sold in North Carolina for the last drawing. As a recap, that drawing had winning numbers of 1 – 16 – 48 – 49 – 65 and a red Powerball of 8. The optional Power Play was 2X.

In NC, the winning $1 million ticket matched all five white balls. Overall, the odds of matching all five white balls are 1 in 11.6 million. Lucky, indeed.

Bayleaf Convenience & Deli on Six Forks Road in Raleigh sold the winner. In NC, a winner has 180 days from the drawing’s date to claim the prize. Because no one won the entire Powerball jackpot, it climbs as an annuity for this drawing.

Powerball online tickets

In Pennsylvania, the PA online lottery sells Powerball tickets online. Also, you can buy Mega Millions tickets online, plus play other lottery games. Finally, new players receive a welcome bonus, and there are new lottery games being constantly added.

You do not need to buy online lottery tickets only in PA, either. There are other states that offer online lottery ticket sales:

  • New York
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • New Hampshire
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Virginia

Please play responsibly.

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Written By Kevin Shelly on February 10, 2021Last Updated on February 15, 2021
Parx Proposal for Sports Betting at Chickie's and Pete's Facing Opposition

The issue of moving the Turf Club OTB wagering operations from 7th and Packer in South Philly to a nearby Chickie’s and Pete’s restaurant at 15th and Packer remains unresolved.

Hours of complicated and contradictory testimony before the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment on Wednesday ended with no decision.

A special meeting at 10 a.m. on March 9 might resolve the issue.

There was a suggestion that the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office or the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board input be sought before the meeting.

Parx OTB Turf Club wants to be in a nearby restaurant

At issue is a zoning approval to move both horse racing operations and a sportsbook at Parx’s current 36,000-square-foot satellite betting operation, also known as South Philadelphia Race & Sportsbook, to a 2,607-square-foot space carved out of a portion of the popular restaurant and sports bar.

The Turf Club, an off-track betting (OTB) operation, is struggling due to virus restrictions, competition from the neighboring and newly opened Live! Casino Philadelphia, and an aging clientele among pari-mutuel gamblers.

Its hope is that moving the operations would help bring in younger gamblers more attracted to sports betting than the ponies.

An extended partnership with other OTBs

Ultimately, Parx and the restaurant chain want to relocate additional OTB operations to other Chickie’s and Pete’s.

In fact, three OTB sites tied to Parx Casino and Racing have quietly sought permission to relocate the licenses of sites in:

  • South Philly (Turf Club)
  • Upper Darby in Delaware County
  • Montgomery County (The Oaks)

The proposed new sites are owned by Pete Ciarrocchi, the owner of Chickie’s and Pete’s, a chain with 17 locations.

Petitions have sought to limit public input on proposed OTB moves

Petitions seeking the location changes expressly asked the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission to approve the requests “on an expedited basis” and “without requiring a written public comment period or public comment hearing.”

Shannon Powers, a spokeswoman for the race commission, recently told Playin Pennsylvania there was no decision yet on the request. She also said the law is open-ended about allowing for public comment or a hearing in such circumstances.

The race commission’s agenda typically comes out just a few days before a board meeting. The commission’s next public meeting is on Feb. 23.

Additional OTB relocations are likely to follow, a Parx lawyer confirmed recently.

C&P’s has offered horse wagering for several years at a location in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. And it has an outlet in Parx where wagering is allowed.

City zoning regs raise questions about sportsbook

At the Wednesday zoning meeting, there was general agreement that horse betting is an acceptable use at 15th and Packer.

But a fundamental question remained: Does Philly zoning law permit a sportsbook operation at that particular location?

Muddying the issue, the city’s Department of Licensing and Inspections initially classified the plan by the restaurant chain and Parx as a “special exception,” which sets a relatively low bar for zoning approval.

Then objectors led by the Packer Park Civic Association, a group from the neighborhood surrounding the restaurant, said no, that was wrong.

Only a casino can have sports wagering under city zoning standard, according to city lawyer

The civic group argued the city should have responded with a refusal. A refusal would require a variance, a far more stringent approval process. Last week, the city’s Law Department formally agreed that a refusal was warranted.

City lawyer Leonard Reuter went further on Wednesday during the zoning meeting, which was conducted on Zoom.

He pointed to language in the city’s zoning code requiring a location to be licensed as a casino to operate sports gambling.

Paul Boni, the civic group’s lawyer, agreed, while Michael Mattioni, the lawyer for Parx and Chickie’s and Pete’s, disagreed.

That’s when Zoning Board lawyer Sharon Suleta brought up holding a special meeting, which the board accepted.

Barbara Capozzi, president of the civic association, said after the meeting that a refusal decision by the city should stand. If so, zoning law requires proving a hardship to win a variance.

Then she quipped, “Let it be said that the name ‘Pete Ciarrocchi’ and ‘hardship’ can never be in the same sentence. And God bless his business skills for that!”

Lead image via Dreamstime

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Kevin Shelly

Kevin C. Shelly is an award-winning career journalist who has spent most of his career in South Jersey. He’s the former assistant city editor of The Press of Atlantic City, where he covered the casino industry and Atlantic City government as a reporter. He was also an investigative, narrative enterprise, and features reporter for Gannett’s Courier-Post.

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