Barstool, DraftKings Making Moves in the Midwest
The sports betting industry continues to grow throughout the United States, but the Midwest portion of the country continues to be at the center of it all. A new market is set to launch in the Midwest on September 1 as sportsbooks will go live in Kansas.
It was a struggle for lawmakers in Kansas to approve legal sports betting, but it finally happened earlier this year. This state is not going to become one of the biggest markets in the Midwest, but the top operators are going to be available.
There was also some other big news this week in the Midwest involving both Barstool Sportsbook and DraftKings. Each company is looking to bring new sports betting experiences in both Kansas and Michigan.
Most of the focus in sports betting is centered around mobile or online options, but Barstool and DraftKings haven’t forgotten about the in-person experience also.
Barstool Providing Unique Experience
Barstool Sportsbook has partnered with the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, and construction has already started on the permanent site. Retail sports betting will be available in a temporary location, but the finished product will provide an experience that can’t be found anywhere else.
In the construction plans, Barstool has announced that there will be a porch located just 30 yards from Turn 2 at the Speedway. This porch will be open during races at Kansas Speedway giving sports bettors a chance to hear and feel all of the action.
Currently there are just four sportsbooks that have been approved at a speedway, including this Barstool Sportsbook in Kansas. Anyone that visits this location will also have a direct look onto the Speedway, and it is expected to be a hot ticket to try and get.
Some temporary sportsbooks end up going away when the permanent location is built, but that will not be the case with the Barstool Sportsbook. The kiosks and window teller booths will remain a part of the permanent sportsbook, and it’s unclear when that will officially open.
DraftKings Paving the Way
DraftKings Sportsbook is already available in the state of Michigan through a partnership with the Bay Mills Indian Community. This company recently announced plans to increase its presence in Michigan by opening what it is calling, “Sports & Social DraftKings.”
This venue will be built just 20 miles away from Detroit, but it will not serve as a retail sportsbook. Betting will be available on-site, but all of those wagers will have to be placed through a mobile device.
Cordish Companies partnered with DraftKings in order to make this a possibility, and this first venue is going to be massive. This will be a space of more than 10,000 square feet of odds boards and television, but it will also be a place to hang out and watch the games.
After the launch of this new project in Detroit, DraftKings and Cordish Companies have plans to focus on other major cities throughout the country.
