Just in time for college basketball madness, Hawthorne Race Course and PointsBet opened their third premium retail sports book.
The PointsBet Sportsbook at Club Hawthorne in north suburban Prospect Heights, Ill., is the partners’ second standalone (non-casino, off-track) venue, following the opening of the PointsBet Sportsbook at Club Hawthorne in south suburban Crestwood in January.
The venue features:
• Cash wagering via self-serve kiosks or betting concierge on sports and horse racing
• Cash deposits and withdrawals for customers’ mobile wagering accounts
• 100 TVs
• A newly remodelled restaurant with a 100-foot wrap-around bar
• Two all-weather outdoor patios
• A beer garden
• Free curbside parking
“This is one of the best times of the year for sports wagering with college basketball madness and Kentucky Derby prep races every weekend, so we’re very excited to open another premium sports book with PointsBet,” said Tim Carey, president and CEO of Hawthorne Race Course.
Illinois law allows for sports book operators that are partnered with race tracks to open up to three off-track sports books. The flagship PointsBet Sportsbook at Hawthorne Race Course previously opened in September, and is the closest sports betting venue to downtown Chicago.
Prospect Heights mayor Nicholas Helmer made the ceremonial first bet, a $130 wager at +200 on Gonzaga to win the NCAA College Basketball Championship in honour of the 130th anniversary of Hawthorne Race Course. The mayor will donate any winnings to a local charity.
“One of the big appeals about partnering with Hawthorne is that they are a legacy sports business in Chicago, with 130 years of service to bettors with the largest network of off-track wagering venues in Illinois,” said Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA. “We now offer the best in-person sports betting experience at three locations as a complement to our premium mobile wagering platform, which is the fastest in the world.”
All PointsBet Sportsbooks at Club Hawthorne and Hawthorne Race Course will feature exclusive retail-only betting promotions and sweepstakes, beginning with a free $10,000 bracket challenge for the college basketball tournament and a sweepstakes to win a free 65-inch TV. Reservations for game-time seating is highly recommended for all venues.
The PointsBet Sportsbook at Club Hawthorne in Prospect Heights, Ill., is located at the corner of Milwaukee and Des Plaines River Road (1250 River Road).
(Hawthorne/PointsBet)