FanDuel has announced that it will host a grand opening Friday of its Audi Field retail sportsbook in Washington, D.C., the first of its kind at a Major League Soccer venue in the U.S. The book will be FanDuel‘s second in a professional sports arena — the company opened a book at Phoenix’s Footprint Center last September.
The opening means that bettors in the District of Columbia will be able to wager at three different in-stadium sportsbooks. Caesars was the first to open a sportsbook (as William Hill at the time) in a professional venue at Capital One Arena in August 2020. Fans can also wager at the BetMGM sportsbook, which opened at Nationals Park earlier this year.
For FanDuel’s official ribbon-cutting Friday, the ceremonial first bet will be placed by actor Carl Anthony Payne II, who has had roles on The Cosby Show, Martin, and Young Dylan. The 2,700-square-foot sportsbook includes two video walls and 47 HD televisions, as well as three teller windows and 18 self-service kiosks for bettors. The space allows for an unobstructed view of the field.
In-stadium sportsbooks legal in 6 jurisdictions
While the Washington, D.C. City Council was the first U.S. legislative body to allow for in-stadium sportsbooks, five U.S. states have followed suit. Bettors can currently also wager at professional sports sites in Arizona, and in the future will be able to wager at pro venues in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, and Ohio. In addition to the FanDuel Sportsbook at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Caesars last month opened its permanent location at Chase Field, home of the Diamondbacks, while Barstool Sportsbook (Phoenix Raceway), BetMGM (Phoenix Cardinals), and DraftKings (TPC Scottsdale) all have plans for retail sportsbooks.
Your first look at the new Caesars Sportsbook coming to Chase Field in 2022! pic.twitter.com/jsLbLSxaw6
— Chase Field (@ChaseField) September 1, 2021
In Illinois, DraftKings has plans for a Wrigley Field sportsbook that could open later this year, while FanDuel is building out its sportsbook at the United Center, which also could open in late 2022. In Maryland, DraftKings is partnered with M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens.
Wagering is not yet live in Kansas or Ohio, though the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which has a deal with Rush Street Interactive, last week applied for a wagering license.
