It took a while, but the Badger State finally entered the world of sports betting on Tuesday. When The Oneida Nation started accepting sports bets at one of its casinos.
And even though the bettors had many games to choose from, Winsconsin’s first legal bet landed on the upcoming NFL bout between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.
Wisconsin Welcomes Sports Betting
Sports betting got underway in Wisconsin on Tuesday, November 30. When the Oneida Casino opened its sportsbook and started accepting wagers. As a result, the casino in Ashwaubenon was one of the hottest places to be this week, as bettors poured in to place their first legal sports wager in Wisconsin.
The Oneida Nation held a ceremony at their casino to commemorate the occasion. Before accepting the state’s first legal bet on a match between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. But while the Oneida sportsbook might have received the first legal bet, it was by no means the first bet made in the state.
“Sports betting is nothing new in the state of Wisconsin,” said Oneida Vice-Chairman Brandon Stevens.
“But legal sports gambling is,” hinting that the state has a huge problem with illegal betting.
As it stands now, the Oneida is the only legal sportsbook in Wisconsin. Meaning that betting options in the state are still fairly limited. While more tribal nations are expected to gain permission to start offering betting services. It might take a bit longer before we can talk about Wisconsin as a proper betting state.
How long will it take for other tribal nations to enter the world of sports betting is anyone’s guess. Still, the Potawatomi Nation, which owns a hotel and casino in Milwaukee, has made it clear that they are interested in requesting permission to follow suit.
“The Potawatomi look forward to bringing sports betting to Milwaukee in the future,” said the tribe.
More Tribes Set To Join
Besides the Potawatomi Nation, more Winsconsi tribes have expressed their intentions to open a sportsbook in the state. Most notably, the Ho-Chunk Nation, which owns and operates casinos in multiple locations across Wisconsin Dells, Nekoosa, Madison, and Tomah, said it plans to start offering sports betting at their locations.
But like the Potawatomi Nation, the Ho-Chunk Nation has not specified the exact date.
“We are going to do it. It’s just a matter of when,” said spokesperson Ken Luchterhand.
“It will be a very quick turn-around. We’re going to hit the ground running.”
A Way To Battle Illegal Sports Betting
Even though it wasn’t until this Tuesday that Wisconsin accepted its first legal wager. Sports betting is nothing new for the Badger State. Wisconsin residents have been betting for a long time, albeit via illegal sportsbooks, to such an extent that it has become a problem.
And the lawmakers soon realized that the only way to stop that was to launch sports betting in the state. Oneida Vice-Chairman Brandon Stevens summarized the situation perfectly, this Tuesday and many experts agree with his thoughts.
“We know people are going to bet, so why not have them do it here,” said Adam Thompson, former Green Bay Press-Hazzete sports editor.
He further explained that betting, which technically isn’t legal, is hugely popular in Wisconsin. So it makes a lot of sense for the state to open more legal sportsbooks in a bid to battle the issue.
The first step to avoiding illegal betting activity in the state was the opening of the Oneida sportsbook. As a result, Wisconsin punters can now legally bet on any sports events. This includes basketball, football, soccer, baseball, and more.
However, while the selection is vast, the state does not permit betting on games featuring Wisconsin-based college and youth teams.
Oneida Employee Places The First Bet
Oneida Nation has made the needed adjustments to its Ashwaubenon casino. Which now features a sportsbook operation on the east side, near the area that housed the sports bar. There, people can bet through a cashier; however, this is by no means the finalized product.
As revealed by the Oneida Nation, more modifications will be made to the sports bar by the end of the year. Making the area more accommodating and welcoming to bettors. That is because Winsconsin bettors can’t bet online or use their phones to place bets. Instead, they can only wager if they’re present at the casino. Why not take a look at the BParlay.com Round Robin Parlay Calculator to assist you with your sporting bets in 2021. All of our resources are freely available to all of our readers and subscribers.
Whether online betting will become a thing in the state is a mystery. But as it stands now, the bettors must use sportsbooks’ kiosks. The kiosk was first demonstrated to the public on Tuesday, when Oneida employee, Alma Webster, placed Winsconsin’t first legal bet, picking New Orleans Saints to beat Dallas Cowboys.
Oneida hoped to open earlier
Although Oneida had hoped to open the sportsbook before the NFL season began, the delayed launch proved a huge success. And that is mainly thanks to Oneida’s careful planning and preparation for the launch date.
The casino handed out special brochures “Sports Betting 101” in a bid to welcome all bettors, whether they’re experts or beginners. Furthermore, all employees have been trained to answer any question new gamblers might have, to round up a perfect launch of the casino’s betting operations.
As sports betting continues to grow in the state, the Oneida Nation is already looking ahead, searching for a way to expand its betting service further and provide the customers with the best betting experience. Why not catch up on other betting news with the BParlay.com Sports Blog.
