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Mississippi’s Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi is about to get a serious sports betting upgrade.
DraftKings and the casino announced they will open a DraftKings retail sportsbook in January 2024. This move will transform sports betting at the property from an afterthought to a prominent presence.
DraftKings Sportsbook will take over former restaurant space
Golden Nugget Biloxi plans to put its DraftKings Sportsbook in a space where there used to be a buffet. The new sportsbooks will have:
- A trio of LED video walls
- VIP and stadium seating
- Seventeen self-serve betting kiosks
- Five betting windows where you can place a bet with a sportsbook cashier
The new sportsbook is a significant upgrade from Golden Nugget Biloxi’s current setup. If a customer were to place a sports bet now, they’d have to use sports betting kiosks at Michael Patrick’s, an on-site restaurant.
Bettors have the option of building a bet on the casino’s sportsbook app. And then, they scan a unique bet QR code at a kiosk to complete the wager.
Golden Nugget Casino noted that the sports betting kiosks at Michael Patrick’s will remain open while it builds its DraftKings Sportsbook.
Michael Kilbort, a senior-level retail sportsbook boss at DraftKings, said the company looks forward to opening a “state-of-the-art retail sportsbook” at Golden Nugget Biloxi.
Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi General Manager Chett Harrison said in a press release:
“Our team is proud to announce the addition of the DraftKings Sportsbook at Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi. Together with the leadership team at DraftKings, we are creating an amenity that patrons can enjoy while offering sports fans an unparalleled sports betting experience at one of the top entertainment destinations in Mississippi.”
Golden Nugget Biloxi’s new sportsbook should draw decent traffic
Mississippi’s Coastal region (home to Golden Nugget Biloxi) is by far the state’s most profitable casino region.
Between its table games, slots, and sportsbooks, it has generated $1.2 billion in revenue this year. This figure is about $500 million more than what casinos in the state’s other two regions (Northern and Central) have earned in 2023.
Looking at Mississippi’s October 2023 gaming revenue, the Coastal Region garnered over $122 million in revenue. That’s about 64% of the overall gaming revenue for the month.
The name recognition of the new DraftKings Sportsbook will give it a huge advantage as it looks to acquire brick-and-mortar customers. Leveraging the DraftKings name is even more important considering that sports betting, whether online or in-person, is only legal within casinos.
Once a bettor steps outside of a casino, they can no longer legally place a bet. However, recently, a law-creating task force was put together with the goal of producing recommendations on how to expand legal online sports betting in Mississippi.
Currently, whatever Golden Nugget Biloxi can do to boost its in-person betting, the better, as there are eight other casinos in Mississippi‘s coastal region vying for customers.
