FanDuel has announced that it will host a grand opening Friday of its Audi Field retail sportsbook in Washington, D.C., the first of its kind at a Major League Soccer venue in the U.S. The book will be FanDuel‘s second in a professional sports arena — the company opened a book at Phoenix’s Footprint Center last September.
The opening means that bettors in the District of Columbia will be able to opened at Nationals Park earlier this year.
For FanDuel’s official ribbon-cutting Friday, the ceremonial first bet will be placed by actor Carl Anthony Payne II, who has had roles on The Cosby Show, Martin, and Young Dylan. The 2,700-square-foot sportsbook includes two video walls and 47 HD televisions, as well as three teller windows and 18 self-service kiosks for bettors. The space allows for an unobstructed view of the field.
In-stadium sportsbooks legal in 6 jurisdictions 5l3b29
While the Washington, D.C. City Council was the first U.S. legislative body to allow for in-stadium sportsbooks, five U.S. states have followed suit. Bettors can currently also wager at professional sports sites in DraftKings (TPC Scottsdale) all have plans for retail sportsbooks.
Your first look at the new Caesars Sportsbook coming to Chase Field in 2022! pic.twitter.com/jsLbLSxaw6
— Chase Field (@ChaseField) September 1, 2021
In Illinois, DraftKings has plans for a Wrigley Field sportsbook that could open later this year, while FanDuel is building out its sportsbook at the United Center, which also could open in late 2022. In Maryland, DraftKings is partnered with M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens.
Wagering is not yet live in Kansas or Ohio, though the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which has a deal with Rush Street Interactive, last week applied for a wagering license.
