The Hawthorne Race Course (pictured) on Wednesday said it has partnered with PointsBet to open a retail sportsbook in Prospect Heights, a suburb of Chicago.
This is the third sportsbook for the two parties. They previously opened the flagship PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne Race Course in September, and the PointsBet Sportsbook at Club Hawthorne in south suburban Crestwood in January.
The sportsbook at the track is the closest sports betting venue to downtown Chicago.
Illinois law allows for sportsbook operators that partner with racetracks to open up to three off-track sportsbooks. The Crestwood and Prospect Heights venues are standalone facilities, neither at a casino nor at a track.
Officials noted the Prospect Heights book is opening just in time for the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness. As reported by Gaming America, the Tournament is expected to attract $1.5 billion in legal wagers over the next three weekends.
The new book has 100 TVs, a beer garden, two all-weather outdoor patios and a 100-foot wrap-around bar.
Bettors will be able to wager on sports and horse racing with cash at self-serve kiosks, or with a betting concierge.
“This is one of the best times of the year for sports wagering with college basketball madness and Kentucky Derby prep races every weekend, so we are very excited to open another premium sportsbook with PointsBet,” Tim Carey, president and CEO of Hawthorne Race Course, said in a statement.
“One of the big appeals about partnering with Hawthorne is they are a legacy sports business in Chicago with 130 years of service to bettors with the largest network of off-track wagering venues in Illinois,” added Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA.
Nicholas Helmer, Mayor of Prospect Heights, made the ceremonial first bet, a $130 wager at +200 on Gonzaga to win the NCAA College Basketball Championship in honor of the 130th anniversary of Hawthorne Race Course. The Mayor will donate any winnings to a local charity.
