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By David Rodish
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Baseball, meet betting.
Arizona Diamondbacks fans have a new sports gambling site and eatery to attend as Caesars Sportsbook has launched the Caesars Sportsbook at Chase Field.
Located on 4th and Jefferson streets, the sportsbook is at a central location for downtown Phoenix and its sports venues.
“It’s pretty convenient,” Caesars spokesperson and former ESPN host Kenny Mayne said. “You can throw a rock across the way and you’re at the game. You can get some good food before (a game). With Cesears and the Diamondbacks partnering up, (the sportsbook) is a cool spot.”
The Caesars Sportsbook at Chase Field is the latest in a wave of sportsbooks opening around Arizona’s sports venues. Fanduel Sportsbook opened the Fanduel Sportsbook at the Footprint Center where the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Rattlers play home games after sports betting became legal in Arizona on September 9, 2021.
The state will continue to add more sportsbooks at its sporting venues. In Fall 2023, TPC Scottsdale, the home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, will open the DraftKings Sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale.
Since legalization, Arizona has embraced sports betting. In March 2022, the state’s handle of $690.9 million was sixth nationally behind New York ($1.64 billion), New Jersey ($1.12 billion), Illinois ($971.3 million), Nevada ($863.3 million) and Pennsylvania ($714.97 million), BetArizona.com reported.
Derrick Hall, the chief executive officer of the Diamondbacks, said the opening of his club’s facility wasn’t just about what it could do for baseball fans, but it “enhances the overall experience of any visit to Downtown Phoenix.”
“Even if there’s nothing here at Chase Field, people will be here for the big events,” Hall said. “It’s exciting, it’s good for the economy and it’s good for Downtown Phoenix. Year round we will have an impact here and that’s great.”
The sportsbook will house Guy Fieri’s Downtown Phoenix Kitchen + Bar at Caesars Sportsbook, the first restaurant in Arizona for the famous restaurateur and TV show host. The food menu will be more comprehensive than the other sportsbooks opening up locations in Arizona.
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One of those will be the DraftKings Sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with DraftKings to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to life,” said Scott Warfield, PGA Tour vice president of gaming. “Arizona has emerged as one of the leading sports betting markets. Customers will have an array of wagering options comparable to those wagers currently available in Arizona on the DraftKings Online Sportsbook.”
DraftKings is the official betting operator of the PGA Tour, and the sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale will be the first of its kind.
“What will differentiate this from other sportsbooks in Arizona is that it will be the only one on a golf course,” Warfield saod. “The DraftKings Sportsbook will be an integral part of the TPC Scottsdale experience throughout the year, including at the WM Phoenix Open.”
BetMGM is building its own sportsbook at State Farm Stadium and plans on having it completed in time for the 2022 NFL season.
“For years we’ve had fans who’ve wanted legalized sports betting,” Hall said. “Where we benefit (from sports betting) is more engagement with the fans, it’s more interaction with the fans. As a result it’s helped our attendance, it’s helped fans (in) knowing who the players on our roster are, and I think it’s been great overall in our interaction and engagement with our fans.”
Caesars Sportsbook at Chase Field is the largest sportsbook in any arena or stadium in the United States.
Alyssa Polc contributed to this story.
For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.
