New William Hill Betting Lounge Comes to Prudential Center in Newark

Written By: Kayla Sherrell

Ever since sports betting was legalized in the Garden State, the sports gambling market in New Jersey has been on the rise. Resident gamblers have already shown their support by placing around $1 billion dollars in bets at local casinos and race tracks in just the past 6 months. This has raised approximately $8 million in tax revenue for the New Jersey treasury, and returns are only expected to only go up from there.

Sports betting in New Jersey is booming, and both investors and officials are moving in on this lucrative new industry. Casinos and state officials alike are looking to integrate betting facilities into more sports-related establishments than ever before. And, due to the enthusiasm of New Jersey’s residents over legalized gambling, Garden State hockey fans will soon see a new sports betting lounge in Newark’s Prudential Center.

Devils Fans Get a New Betting Lounge

To the excitement of New Jersey Devils fans, the Prudential Center in Newark recently added the new William Hill Sports Lounge to its facility. The lounge will allow sports fans to make wagers in a comfortable environment with top-of-the-line facilities. And to the thrill of New Jersey gamblers, it’s being run by one of the top sports bookmakers in the country.

William Hill and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment recently signed a multi-year partnership with the owners of the New Jersey Devils professional hockey team. The deal, which was signed in October, will gave the bookmaker a physical presence at the Prudential Center. The William Hill Sports Lounge opened on December 14, and it’s already providing amenities to local sports betters. The agreement also gives the bookmaker rights over some digital and radio broadcasts on the Devils Hockey Network, the Devils’ digital and social media channels, and the Prudential Center’s exterior marquee LED billboard.

William Hill Sports Lounge Makes Its Debut

The William Hill Sports Lounge opened up to take bets the moment the Devils stepped onto the ice on December 14. The lounge’s debut kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony, featuring former Devils players Ken Daneyko and Chico Resch. The viewing center featured enormous video screens and featured updated odds on sporting events for fans with mobile betting apps. Updated league-wide odds will continue to be displayed on the gigantic four story tall Prudential Center’s scoreboard, during Devils games.

In addition to having the most current gambling technology out there, several William Hill staffers stay at the ready to answer any questions or address any concerns gamblers may have while enjoying the lounge. But don’t be mistaken, the lounge isn’t your typical velvet-couch scene. The William Hill Sports Lounge is a bit unusual in that it contains no seating area for gamblers. However, this move is much more intentional than it seems at first blush.

The betting scene in New Jersey is thriving, but the state prohibits in-person cash bets. At the Prudential Center, hockey fans are able to bet from their seats while using mobile online sports betting apps. No cash exchanges hands, but customers get the fun and excitement of sports betting in real time. Advancements like this go to show why the Supreme Court overturned the outdated and unnecessary federal ban on sports betting in the first place, and gaming enthusiasts across the country are looking forward to what’s coming next.