What The Caesars Sportsbook Rebrand Means For US Bettors + FAQ's

Caesars Entertainment senior vice president and chief marketing officer Sharon Otterman best summed up the thrust of the company’s highly anticipated Caesars rebrand of the William Hill gambling brand early in a Zoom call on Tuesday.

“We are going to be everywhere,” she said of the wider launch of Caesars Sportsbook.

And with an expansive new marketing campaign featuring recognizable mainstream actors and a comprehensive melding of its entertainment, hospitality and ‘experiences’ with its new sportsbook app, Caesars seems determined to expand its empire dramatically after spending $3.7 billion to purchase venerable William Hill.

This is PlayUSA’s guide for current William Hill users and those new to Caesars Sportsbook.

What are the changes with the rebrand of William Hill to Caesars?

Current William Hill users can now expect to be prompted to download a “re-skinned” mobile app. (i.e. it got a fancy makeover.)

Caesars’ loyalty program, Caesars Rewards, will be integrated into the sportsbook app, meaning:

The first bet for every new customer is a promo for up to $5,000 for new customers, according to a company release.
Every wager – win or lose – accrues Caesars Rewards Tier credits and Rewards Credits, which can be redeemed for various perks. Caesars boasts more than 50 destinations in 16 states.
The $5,000 promo bet is described by Caesars as the “single largest sportsbook offer in a legal setting ever created.”
Whereas William Hill had a $2 minimum bet, the figure drops to ten cents with Caesars.
Registration information, log-ins and wallets should all transfer with migration from the William Hill to Caesars app.
The Caesars sports betting app is already on the Google Play store.

Is there a new app to download?

Customers that have the current William Hill app (one that is not state-specific) will notice that there will a prompt to update the app, or, if it already has updated automatically, everything has changed over. That means your account, funds, bets, etc., are all still there.

What is the promo code offer for Caesars Sportsbook new users?

Those who are new players and do not have a previous account with William Hill are eligible for a $5,000 promo bet that they can access here.

How the Caesars Sportsbook $5,000 promo bet works

It’s only for new users.
William Hill account holders are not eligible.
The user must place the wager and lose to receive the credit, and you must do it within seven says of registration.
Credits are paid back in free future betting credits.
It is not a deposit match.
The promotion ends after September.

Caesars appears to be attempting to liven up the brand, as William Hill had a reputation for rigidness which includes numerous complaints by bettors of having their wagers limited or being banned altogether.

Said Otterman of the $5,000 promo bet: “That’s just something that a Caesar would do is to treat everyone like royalty. And flexible limits as part of our campaign, we’re fine with small bets, we’re fine with big bets. It’s the whole new world, very different from the William Hill world.”

What states will offer Caesars Sportsbook?

Arizona: (pending regulator approval; state expected to launch sports betting by Sept. 9) Caesars has a market access deal with the Diamondbacks to bring its product to the Arizona sports betting market.
Colorado: As with most states – Caesars hopes – the transition from William Hill in Colorado will involve little more than updating apps. If you’re a fan of those betting kiosks at Isle and Lady Luck, reports PlayColorado, rest easy, but get used to some new colors.
Indiana: Caesars launched an online sportsbook there in May 2020, but moth-balled it less than a year later as the William Hill acquisition transpired. Caesar crosses the Rubicon – or in this case, the Wabash – to make a triumphant return.
Iowa: Caesars takes over a first-place team with a major market presence, says PlayIowa.
Louisiana: (pending approval; sports betting targeted to launch around Sept. 9) The company signed a 20-year lease to slather its name on the Superdome.
Maryland: (pending approval; sports betting expected to launch in 2021) No market access yet.
Michigan: Caesars assumes the previous William Hill partnership with the Grand Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. PlayMichigan reported a smooth customer transition on Tuesday.
Mississippi: Caesars’ press blitz on Tuesday did not address Mississippi, which had 11 William Hill sports betting outlets either via sportsbook or kiosk. Horseshoe Casino in Tunica and Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi had rebranded for Caesars sports betting in Mississippi by Tuesday, however.
New Jersey: A Caesars Entertainment spokesperson told PlayUSA that the sportsbook at Ocean Casino in Atlantic City will remain affiliated with William Hill for the time being. There is no word on the mobile app affiliated with the property. … The Harrah’s casino in New Jersey will remain part of the Caesars Rewards program.
Pennsylvania: Caesars representatives told PlayPennsylvania that the company’s current sports betting app can be used as the new iteration is implemented.
Tennessee: William Hill launched there in March 2021.
Virginia: William Hill generated only about 7% of bets in Virginia through the first half of the year, according to PlayVirginia.
West Virginia: The Eldorado merger opened the market.

What about states that require in-person registration?

The app will be called Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill in these states, as Illinois, Nevada and Washington, DC will have individual apps for each jurisdiction. The Illinois app migration is set for around January.

William Hill’s deal with the sportsbook at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in New Mexico has not been addressed. The company also had sports betting deals with the state lottery in Rhode Island and casinos in Delaware that have not been addressed. The two casinos in RI are now owned by Bally’s.

The Caesars Sportsbook marketing campaign

Residents in states where Caesars is active can expect to see a lot of marketing ads. Or as Otterman put it, “dozens and dozens and dozens of spots” as part of a grassroots activation intended for Caesars to differentiate itself. Think togas in, three-piece suits out. Wine in, tea out.

These episodic ads will feature actor JB Smoove as a “part knucklehead part smart just wanting to treat everyone like royalty,” Otterman said caesar-of-the-people.

Comedian Patton Oswalt will star as exposition mechanism Carl, questioning Caesar about the rewards program and a “Cleo” character has not yet been revealed.

“Carl is a chance for us to be able to explain a lot of the confusing offers that exist in sports betting and make it more clear for the people,” Otterman said. “So we’ve launched this really wide campaign. Uh, they’ll be dozens and dozens and dozens of spots over the next couple of weeks.”

Caesar will pontificate and pump up his plebeians in a Coliseum packed with Jumbotrons and at a dais suggesting the ancient Roman electronic media represented a golden age for journalism.

And, Caesars hopes its sports betting ambitions.