Colorado has reeled in another sports betting behemoth.
It was announced on Monday that the SuperBook would pair up with The Lodge Casino in Black Hawk to provide both an online and on-site sportsbook option to prospective bettors. The SuperBook is one of the largest and most successful sportsbooks in America. It is currently operating throughout Nevada via mobile betting and at its flagship location at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.
A perfect match
The Lodge Casino remains one of the most popular gaming destinations in Colorado.
The partnership is subject to required regulatory approvals by the Colorado Division of Gaming. It is also the first time the SuperBook brand has expanded outside of Las Vegas.
While the May 1 launch for sports betting in Colorado pushes forward, and when the country does finally return to “normal,” sports fans will have a key operator at a popular destination to take their bets.
“We’ve been talking to many different jurisdictions and potential partners for months,” Jay Kornegay told PlayColorado in an interview. Kornegay is the executive vice president of operations at Westgate SuperBook and also happens to be a Colorado native.
“We were looking for jurisdictions that were more favorable, catch friendly, regulation friendly, with remote capability. We’re not looking to be in every state. We’re just looking to be in jurisdictions that make sense, and Colorado certainly makes sense to us.
“It was just a little ironic that (with me), being from Colorado, it ends up being our first SuperBook outside of Nevada, which is kind of icing on the cake for us because this is our first one. Obviously, this is very special. It’s monumental.”
When you consider Kornegay’s experience and reputation as one of the most successful operators in the sportsbook industry, it is a major win for The Lodge Casino in Black Hawk as well.
“Having Jay Kornegay lead this exciting opportunity is an added benefit Colorado fans are sure to appreciate,” said JJ Garcia, vice president of operations for The Lodge and Gilpin casinos, in a press release.
What will bettors get from the partnership?
The SuperBook and The Lodge Casino will provide both an online and on-site sportsbook solution that features an extensive wagering menu.
Prospective bettors can expect that to include all major championships, daily props in local markets, and opening pro football weekly numbers. They will also find advanced weekly lines, pro/college football games of the year, season win totals, weekly pro football props, as well as the SuperBook’s renowned SuperContest, pending Colorado Gaming Commission approvals.
“The market in Colorado … they’re really good sports fans,” Kornegay said.
“They’re very loyal. They are very true. It’s a market that has all four major sports. On top of that, they have all different levels of collegiate sports. You have your smaller schools like the University of Northern Colorado. You have the mid-majors like Air Force and Colorado State. And then a Power-5 in Colorado. It’s a great market that covers a wide range of sports, yet they’re very loyal fans.”
Remote capability is key
Aside from the market, the remote capability is one of the main reasons Colorado and The Lodge Casino were so appealing to Kornegay and the SuperBook. That functionality allows players to sign up for the mobile app remotely, even from their homes. Not only is it more convenient for prospective bettors, it is for the operator as well, Kornegay said.
“We don’t even have that out here in Las Vegas,” he said with a chuckle.
“Remote sign-up was the key since the locations were in small mountain towns. Here in Nevada, we have casinos everywhere. So it’s more convenient for the sports fans to go to their local casino and sign up for an app, even though we prefer it to be remotely done like it is in New Jersey and going to be in Colorado.”
Given all of the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s no way to know when the country will return to normal. When it does, Colorado sports fans will have a major operator at a popular destination to take their bets.
