On Wednesday after two-plus weeks of waiting, playMGM NJ Sports app through the MGM-owned Borgata in Atlantic City will give company to the DraftKings Sportsbook, which had fully launched on Aug. 6 and remained the only online sports betting app available in New Jersey.
But wait no more: the playMGM app is available now to New Jersey-based Android users. “The playMGM NJ Sports app is being initially soft-launched on the Android platform, with an iOS version due to launch imminently,” said MGM Resorts International in a statement coinciding with the app’s release. “Through our partnership with GVC Holdings, our mobile betting operations in New Jersey will be delivered on a best-in-class mobile platform that positions us as a leader in technology, accessibility and sports betting expertise,” said Scott Butera, MGM Resorts International President of Interactive Gaming.
After zipping around the platform a bit from here in New Jersey, what follows are some initial impressions, notes on what you can bet, and some odds and ends.
MGM’s New Jersey Online Sportsbook Available Through Borgata’s and playMGM App Ahead of Football Season
So what can patrons wager on? A lot.
There’s straight bets, futures, props, and parlays available. The professional (NFL) and college football menus are queued up with a wide variety of different player and team props, futures and totals, such as:
- Most regular-season losses by any NFL team: o/u 13 (-110)
- Deshaun Watson regular-season touchdown passes o/u 26.5 (-110)
- Kareem Hunt regular-season rushing yards o/u 1099.5 (-110)
- Regular-season points by Philadelphia Eagles o/u 404.5 (-110)
- Will the Texans make the playoffs? Yes -130, No +110
- Which two teams will make the Super Bowl? For example, Steelers/Saints is 50-1
- Will Grier (West Virginia) regular-season passing touchdowns: o/u 35.5 (-110)
- Regular season wins by Nebraska 6.5 (o/EV, u -120)
What can’t folks wager on for now? So far I did not find live or in-play wagering options on playMGM. It’s possible I’m missing them or they simply may not have been introduced yet.
All the high-handle (i.e. popular) betting sports are well covered, meanwhile, “the app is supported by a strong pipeline of new products and features that will be introduced over time, as the sports betting market in New Jersey develops,” according to the statement.
“While time to market is clearly important, we are also focused on our proprietary product development roadmap, which will see new features introduced quickly, and without third party technology dependencies,” said Adam Greenblatt, GVC Director of Corporate Development and Strategy. “The app provides customers the opportunity to place bets on all major U.S. sporting events any time and anywhere within New Jersey, and represents a significant first step for the joint venture’s operations in the U.S. mobile sports-betting market.”
The platform is separate from the playMGM poker and casino apps, and thus requires a separate download. (However you can transfer funds between them via a “wallet” transfer und account settings.) At first glance, this app and its screens look similar to the one currently available in Nevada and developed by IGT, however the statement indicates that the company’s new partner, GVC, will take the reins on improving and upgrading the app. In fact, the the home screen for the app says “Powered by Stadium Technology.” So, it’s not entirely clear which of MGM’s partners collaborated on the rollout of this app. In any case, for now it’s no frills, just function.
Odds, Ends, and Comparisons
Depositing options are as pictured. Basically, you’ll be able to use a debit card, a prepaid Visa card, online bank transfers, Neteller and other methods. No cryptocurrency, which has become popular offshore.
Depending on your banking institution, you may be able to use an actual credit card, possibly incurring a cash advance fee. Frankly I am not sure if the New Jersey regulations allow deposits via credit card for sports betting accounts; at least for daily fantasy purposes such transactions are permitted on DraftKings and FanDuel.
For the time being we only have one point of comparison in the online/mobile sports betting market in New Jersey, so let’s line ’em up based on what’s here now:
(1) At MGM, live betting is not yet available, far as I can tell. You can make live, in-play wagers at DraftKings.
(2) I attempted to but was not able to access a desktop/web version of the sportsbook, which I do not think is yet available. It is available through DraftKings.
(3) At MGM, you have the ability to a buy point(s), or at least half a point, for a dime. For example if I wanted to, I could buy down the Eagles for their opener from -4 (-110) to 3.5 (-120) for the extra 10 cents, as indicated. So far I have not seen this functionality a DraftKings.
(4) Some prices and lines. As of this writing I compared a few of today’s baseball games and a few upcoming preseason NFL games.
For the upcoming Yankees-Marlins game:
- MGM Yankees moneyline: -172
- MGM Marlins moneyline: +157
- DK Yankees moneyline: -182
- DK Marlins moneyline: +155
For the upcoming Mets-Giants game:
- MGM Mets moneyline: -160
- MGM Giants moneyline: +145
- DK Mets moneyline: -167
- DK Giants moneyline: +143
So that’s 15 cents for MGM and about 25 at DK.
For the upcoming NFL preseason games between the Broncos (DEN) and Redskins (WAS):
- MGM DEN spread and moneyline: +3 (-115), +130
- MGM WAS spread and moneyline: -3 (-105), -150
- DK DEN spread and moneyline: +3 (-110), +123
- DK WAS spread and moneyline: -3 (-110), -150
For the upcoming NFL preseason games between the Giants (NYG) and Jets (NYJ):
- MGM NYG spread and moneyline: +2.5 (-105), +125
- MGM NYJ spread and moneyline: -2.5 (-115), -145
- DK NYG spread and moneyline: +1 (+112), +120
- DK NYJ spread moneyline:-1 (-136), -143
Competition and options is good for the consumer. More notes and observation of the playMGM app to come.
The Borgata Race & Sportsbook launched at the Atlantic City casino and resort on June 14, only 30 minutes after New Jersey took its first legal wager at Monmoth Park’s William Hill Race & Sports Book. In July, the Borgata produced $562,830 gross revenue from sports betting after generating $986,831 in half of June post-launch. All of this, of course, during a pretty sleepy sports betting season. Across the four operational sportsbooks in July, the total handle was $40.6 million.
