Pro teams bring betting to the game with stadium sportsbooks

By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Professional sports teams and gambling companies in the U.S. are increasingly bringing sportsbooks to the game, opening betting facilities in or near stadiums. It might seem counterintuitive to spend millions on brick-and-mortar retail outlets when over 80% of U.S. sports betting is done via phone or computer. But the idea is to provide a place for fans to watch and bet on sports all year long. This week alone, BetMGM opened a sportsbook at the home of baseball’s Washington Nationals, and FanDuel announced plans for a sportsbook inside Chicago’s United Center, where the Bulls and Blackhawks play.