TwinSpires launches retail sportsbook in Maryland

TwinSpires Sportsbook kicked off retail operations at Ocean Downs Casino in Berlin on Friday, marking it the fourth physical wagering outlet to launch in the Maryland sports betting market.

The Churchill Downs-owned facility carried out controlled demonstrations in the presence of Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (MLGCC) staff on Tuesday and Thursday before being approved for the full-scale launch. The book opened at 5.30pm Friday following an official ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by members of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Senator Mary Beth Carozza, and MD State Delegate Wayne A. Hartman.

In a statement about the launch, Churchill Downs’ SVP and Chief Technology Officer, Ben Murr, said: “Maryland sports fans have been wagering on the Kentucky Derby with TwinSpires for many years, and will be familiar with the famous betting brand’s market leading offers, products, and promotions.

“The partnership between TwinSpires and Ocean Downs Casino now allows Marylanders to bet on even more than the ‘Greatest Two Minutes in Sports’, and we look forward to offering an unparalleled sports betting experience.”

The new TwinSpires retail sportsbook features 20 self-service betting kiosks and 26 wide-screen televisions. The venue offers wagering on the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, NCAAB, and NCAAF among others. The available betting types include straight bets, props, futures, parlays, teasers, and live bets.

Maryland marks ninth state for TwinSpires

The recent launch in Maryland brings the total number of states in which TwinSpires has a retail or online presence to nine.

The brand was first introduced in the US gambling market in January following a rebrand of the BetAmerica sportsbook and iGaming app. The makeover included moving the platform from SBTech’s technology to GAN and Kambi’s solutions.

Michigan was the first state to welcome the TwinSpires brand. The operator has been offering online and mobile casino gaming and sports betting in the state since January 22 through a partnership with the Hannahville Indian Community. The company also runs the retail sportsbook at the tribe’s Island Resort and Casino in Harris.

Since then, TwinSpires has gone live in eight other states including Pennsylvania, Indiana, Colorado, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arizona, New Jersey, and most recently, Maryland.

The rollout of retail betting at Oceans Downs Casino marks the second launch for the TwinSpires brand this month, following a successful debut in New Jersey on December 2.

Hollywood Casino Perryville targets December 23 launch

Penn National Gaming’s Barstool Sportsbook is also looking forward to adding the Old Line State to its list of operational markets before the end of the year.

The company will kick off operations in the state with the opening of a temporary retail betting lounge at Hollywood Casino in Perryville on December 23. The rollout will start with controlled demonstrations on Monday and Wednesday, and if all goes well, the facility will open officially on Thursday.

Hollywood Casino has also revealed plans to construct a permanent sportsbook early next year. The construction process will take about a month and the venue is expected to open in Q1 of 2022.

Hollywood will be the fifth Maryland casino to offer retail betting when it starts accepting wagers next week. The venue received its license from the Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) on November 18, making it one of the fist facilities to be green-lighted by the state regulators. The other operational facilities include MGM National Harbor, Live! Casino, and Horseshoe Baltimore.

In addition to these casinos, the Riverboat on the Potomac and Long Shot’s in Frederick also got approved by the SWARC earlier this month. Another venue, Greenlight OTB in Hampstead, also cleared the first regulatory hurdle this week after getting the thumbs up from the MLGCC. The facility is now waiting to get approved by the SWARC before starting operations.