3 Legal Sports Books Opened in Delaware – Are they Any Good?

After the Governor of Delaware plunked down $10 on June 5 to back his beloved Philadelphia Phillies within the Chicago Cubs, the wager signaled the start of a new era in American sports gambling.
Governor John Carney’s flier on the Phillies even managed to create a $20 profit also, after the (+200) underdogs were able to upset that the Cubbies.
That ceremonial bet placed at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino was followed by many bigger tickets bought by more serious bettors, such as a string of 500 baseball bets placed by local ace Stu Feiner.
All in all, across the state’s three racetrack / casino places — Delaware Park, Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, and Harrington Raceway & Casino — accumulated $322,135 at wagers on the first day of business. That number comes straight from Delaware Lottery manager Vernon Kirk, who heads the regulatory team helping to get Delaware’s sports betting industry up and running.
Residents of and visitors to Delaware have managed to partly bet on sports for several decades, but only on”parlay cards” according to National Football League (NFL) games. Those parlay cards demanded many winners to be connected together, and also the only tickets that cashed were those that revealed all winners.
Traditional single-game or fixed-odds sports gambling, a la what you find in a Las Vegas sportsbook, wasn’t accessible Delaware — or some other American state other than Nevada for that matter. Under a federal law known as the skilled and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, single-game sports betting was prohibited anywhere but the Silver State.
That all changed on May 14, however, when the United States Supreme Court issued a landmark 6-3 judgment in a case called Murphy v. NCAA. That case originated in New Jersey, following the Garden State made repeated attempts to pass its sports gambling laws and regulations. After being sued by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), along with the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, New Jersey’s final appeal to the Supreme Court wound up in the winning column.
When the Court ruled that PASPA violated the 10th amendment to the U.S. Constitution — which grants states the right to pass their own laws absent Congressional action — PASPA was officially struck down once and for all.
What followed the decision three months ago has been a veritable gold rush, with New Jersey rushing to put the last touches on its statewide regulations.
However, while lawmakers in New Jersey took their time, their counterparts from Delaware already had legal frameworks in place thanks to their parlay card surgery. Called the First State for a motive, Delaware moved fast to become the first state outside Nevada to take legal sports wagers.
Here’s how Governor Carney explained the sports gambling launch in an interview with ESPN Chalk:
“For us, it is really an enhancement of our tourism industry.
It will attract a great deal of traffic to our state, particularly at this time of year, throughout summer time, coming into our beautiful beaches south of this.
They come here and stop in the casinos and also do slot machine and table gaming. This will be an additional opportunity for them.”
Carney also took a moment to hype Delaware as the Northeast’s latest sports betting destination when speaking to USA Today:
“Gloating in this business does not last very long.
We are delighted to be first now.
I really don’t expect we will be the only one very long, but today it seems very good to be original.”
(Quote link)
Carney’s historical first wager was set at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, however, the state is home to 2 more racetrack / casinos with in-house sportsbooks: Delaware Park Racetrack and Harrington Raceway and Casino.
Until the sportsbooks at Atlantic City go live — that should be any minute now — Delaware stands out as the sole place for residents of the East Coast to place wagers. With that in mind, bettors will be flocking to those casinos from all corners of the Northeast.
To help get you started in your sports betting journey, I’ve gone ahead and seen all the three sportsbooks in Delaware. Below you’ll find honest and objective reviews of each facility, along with need to know information such as the address, contact number, website, and distances from regional population centres.
So check out my reviews of the 3 sportsbook places now operating in Delaware to create a more educated decision with your betting buck:
Delaware Park Racetrack
Address: 777 Delaware Park Blvd, Wilmington, DE 19804
Phone: -LRB-302-RRB-??994-2521
Site:http://www.delawarepark.com/sports-betting/
Distance from Philadelphia:41 miles
Distance from Baltimore:69 miles
Distance from New York: 122 miles
Distance from Boston:355 miles
Situated at the very northernmost point of the state, in the city of Wilmington, Delaware Park Racetrack is your very conveniently available venue for people in New York and New England.
It’s also the most appealing of the trio, the casino facility nestled close to the banks of the Delaware River along a grassy green mountain. In the exterior, Delaware Park appears to be just another stately three-story estate, but once you step foot in you’ll feel as if you’ve walked onto the casino floor in Las Vegas.
Between the slot machines, bright lights, and gold trim, this place is similar to the Golden Nugget than your typical rural racetrack.
When you discover the sportsbook places — that are situated in the clubhouses around the 1st and 3rd floors — you’ll be greeted by an array of brightly colored tiny lightbulbs exhibiting the day’s lines and odds. These betting boards used to be cutting edge in vegas about a decade ago, however Sin City has phased out them in favor of high-definition tv displays instead.
However, you know what they say about a man’s trash being another’s treasure, therefore Delaware Park is happy to have the gambling boards on site.
Just ask William Fasy, who serves as president of Delaware Park. Through an interview with Deadspin to celebrate his sportsbook opening for business, Fasy touted his place’s most prominent technological flourish:
“These planks were bought eight years ago, and they’re no more employed in Vegas.
But they’re the top boards in Delaware!”
(Quote link)
If you’re unfamiliar with a sportsbook gaming enthusiast that the image below will show you exactly what I’m talking about.
Sports Book Beting Board
As you can see, each game or wager is coded using a base number (401, 402, etc. in the example image above). When gambling on 401 in the image above, you’d be backing the Minnesota Vikings (-10) over the Los Angeles Rams. That (-10) figure denotes the point spread, therefore in this scenario, the Vikings will be laying 10 points to the Rams.
If you wanted to take Minnesota with no spread, just search for the negative or positive amounts to the right of the point spread. These figures are called the”moneyline,” and they represent true chances on your bet. For the Vikings instance, you’d be backing a big (-600) preferred, while a bet on the underdog Rams would offer (+400) on your money.
Each participant or team will get their own number, so you would just tell the clerk”$100 on 401moneyline please” to place a c-note down on the Vikes.
Along with the fancy gaming planks, Delaware Park has also set up a bank of self employed wagering kiosks. These weren’t up and running just yet when I visited the centre, but they seemed like ATM machines in the early 1990s. Think a boxy framework, small display, and no-nonsense interface and you will get the idea.
It is possible to wager to your heart’s content at Delaware Park, which offers daily actions on Major League Baseball (MLB), and also the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals, along with a slew of everyday golfing clubs and tennis tournaments.
If you’re interested in futures betting, have a shot in the upcoming 2018 World Cup soccer championship, or attempt to forecast which NFL team will take the Super Bowl title this season.
Fasymade it apparent in a form of meet and greets with the local media that Delaware Park would be going”all in” on its sportsbook. According to him, each Kind of betting will probably be on the table, save you:
“I think the only thing we are not going to provide is’in sport’ wagering.
You’re likely to have prop bets. You’re just not likely to have in game prop bets happening.
And eventually you’re going to have a mobile device”
(Quotation link)
The notion of in-game gambling was popularized by online sportsbooks, with gamers able to put extra wagers even as the game is continuing. Say your team falls into an early hole, and you’re keen on balancing the ledger. Placing an in-game wager on the opposite side offers valuable protection against upsets and unexpected conditions.
While the in-game betting fad won’t be coming into Delaware Park just yet, Fasy did allude to the emergence of mobile and internet wagering down the road.
Do not overlook, Delaware is one of just three countries — along with Nevada and New Jersey — in which a legal and regulated online gaming industry has gone live. With internet casinos and poker rooms already hosted by the country’s three casino / racetracks, it will not be long until it’s possible to download the Delaware Park sportsbook program straight to your smartphone or mobile device.
If it comes to customer service, Delaware Park really hit the ball out of the park. Under advice from Fasy — who is clearly enthused about turning the place into a sports bettor’s haven — the team here are knowledgeable and considerate. Sure, a couple hiccups could be seen in terms of erroneous tickets and so on, for example my futures bet on the Miami Dolphins year win total being entered as a Miami Marlins moneyline by error.
However, those growing pains should be expected for any new sportsbook. Thanks to this useful attendants, I managed to cancel the Marlins ticket and then exchange it for the Dolphins in a matter of minutes.
All in all, I can’t suggest Delaware Park enough, based both on the place’s contemporary feel and Fasy’s clear commitment to creating the state’s best sportsbook.
Dover Downs Hotel and Casino
Address: 1131 North DuPont Highway; Dover, Delaware
Phone:-LRB-302-RRB-??674-4600
Site:https://www.doverdowns.com/horse-racing/race-and-sports-book
Distance from Philadelphia: 78 miles
Distance from Baltimore:106 miles
Distance from New York: 165 miles
Distance from Boston: 388 miles
When I first laid eyes on Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, my first thought was of those glittering Off-Strip casinos sprinkled across the Las Vegas desert.
Places like the South Point and Red Rock Resort, which unite sprawling hotel towers spanning a number of stories with classical design — that is what Dover Downs is about for.
And the illusion is not broken one piece when you walk through the doorways. Vaulted ceilings, fancy art, and marble flooring all unite to turn the area into a casino connoisseur’s dream come true. This place includes conference halls, shopping outlets, and of course, a racetrack in which NASCAR events are hosted every year.
Head through the primary entry and find the nearest bar off to the side, and you will be smack dab in the sportsbook. Just search for the large comfy chairs and enormous projector displays overhead, and you are there.
At first glance, the sportsbook centre at Dover Downs seems to suggest a flourishing enterprise place to capitalize on the passing of PASPA. And to be sure, the facility has expanded its offerings to include the complete complement of single-game wagers, props, and futures.
But during my time there, the focus from staff and clients alike stayed on horse racing. This makes sense I guess, what with the place’s longstanding association with the”Sport of Kings.”
I was curious, but about the apparent absence of buzz concerning ordinary sports betting, particularly with the NBA and NHL Finals going on in the time.
A little digging around advised the tale, as I found the following quotation from Dover Downs president Ed Sutor in an article published by theDelaware Public:
“It is nice to have. [However ] at Nevada, where they’ve had it for 50 years, it only represents about two percent of the revenues.
A lot of people are mistaking the numbers bet as the earnings.
It’s not a massive take for the business.”
(Quote link)
Sutor wasn’t the sole Dover Downs executive that seemed to be lukewarm at best as it came to expanded sportsbooks in the state:
Dover Downs Gamingchief executive officer Denis McGlynn threw cold water on the notion that sports betting are an economic boon for the nation when speaking to Delaware Online:
“There is a lot of rhetoric that gets thrown around down there that doesn’t have some basis in fact.People need to manage their expectations on this.
The dollars that are left over after you pay off the winners are extremely little and you divide it among a variety of people in this state.
When (surrounding countries ) get up and running, we are going to see a draining of individuals that are coming , just as we have seen in the normal casino business and prior to that at the horse racing industry.”
(Quotation link)
Even though a pragmatic company standpoint certainly makes sense, particularly from an operator’s perspective, I’m not sure I understand Dover Downs’ angle on this.
By neglecting to adopt the entire array of sports betting options now open to Delaware, the venue risks being abandoned in Delaware Park’s dust. And perhaps that’s already true.
This past year the state of Delaware accumulated $1.9 million in revenue on its parlay card games. From that figure, Delaware Park dominated the market with $1.2 million, nearly 3 times that obtained in by Dover Downs ($422,000).
The absence of religion expressed from the higher-ups in Dover Downs appears to have trickled down to the team level. Clerks did not seem very educated when I inquired about futures and unless you’re wagering on the ponies, nobody expressed the type excitement I felt back at Delaware Park.
And that is a pity too, because from the outside in, this site boasts the kind of conveniences every gambler enjoys.
Harrington Raceway and Casino
Address: 18500 S Dupont Hwy, Harrington, DE 19952
Telephone: -LRB-302-RRB-??398-4920
Website: http://casino.harringtonraceway.com/sports-book
Distance from Philadelphia:99 miles
Distance from Baltimore:87 miles
Distance from New York: 186 miles
Distance from Boston:409 miles
Harrington Raceway is located incentral Delaware, only one hour and a half from Baltimore and Philadelphia.
But you’ll be forgiven for driving right by the place without even noticing.
This casino is affixed to a small harness racing course, and the whole grounds was built out in the middle of nowhere.
The casino building’s exterior resembles that of non-denominational church, and not much adorns it to imply gambling and entertainment is afoot. It’s an interesting design choice to say the very least, and things do not exactly improve when you head inside.
If you have ever been into the older Downtown district in Las Vegas — home of”fabulous” Fremont Street — then you understand what to anticipate at Harrington Raceway. Rundown slot machines, aging d??cor, and a generally sullen scene are the defining features of the casino floor.
Fortunately for bettors, the sportsbook area does provide a bit of advancement — but just barely. Matters fell more straightforward in there, however, the setup of personal cubicles with connected TV monitors — typical for racebooks — is not exactly inviting. The projector screens overhead are big and bright however, so I will give them that far.
Interestingly , Harrington Raceway’s chief executive officer Patti Key has yet to comment publicly on the legalization of sports betting. Whether that speaks to some companywide philosophy highlighting horse racing across the sportsbook is not to me to say — but Key remaining tight-lipped is pretty interesting.
Because of the monitor’s standing as a serious harness racing facility, the sportsbook is generally crowded before scheduled start times. If you’re there for sports only, be sure to catch a copy of the daily racing form to see when the lines will probably begin piling up.
A nice byproduct of this place’s serious approach to horse racing is the employees are prepared and ready to roll. I had to correct a couple of ticket authors from time to time at both of the other sportsbooks, but the folks at Harrington batted 1.000 in relation to precision.
In general, the experience surpassed that which I would have expected when I first saw the building, which is probably the reason why they say never to judge a book by it’s cover.
Conclusion
Based on the place you call home, among the 3 places listed above are the most convenient based solely on closeness. That is probably reason enough to select a favorite, but because Delaware is a small state, you can hit all three inside a weekend to see them up close and personal.
In terms of my own tour of the state’s sportsbooks, I preferred Delaware Park, Harrington Raceway, and Dover Downs in this order.
Delaware Park benefits from the enthusiasm of its leadership, as Fasy brings a genuine interest in the sports gambling business to the table. His team are genuinely eager to assist new bettors learn the principles, and that goes a long way in my own book. When the very first online sportsbooks go reside in the very first State, I will bet my bottom Delaware Park is running the series.
Harrington Raceway might not be much to check at, but the place knows how to conduct a racebook. The staff can answer questions and lead you through the process with ease. Whether this victory goes to sports betting remains to be seen, however I have a feeling severe bettors can call this place home.
In terms of Dover Downs, my feelings on the situation are simple — if the people in control don’t enjoy sports betting, they won’t appreciate sports bettors either. Until I hear word of a change in tone coming down the chain of command, I just wouldn’t expect the mistakes and malaise here to be solved anytime soon.

Read more: newyork-info.com