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Business Wire
a day ago
- Business
- Business Wire
PENN Entertainment Celebrates Grand Opening of Hollywood Casino Joliet
WYOMISSING, Pa. & JOLIET, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today marks the grand opening of Hollywood Casino Joliet, the all-new, land-based property by PENN Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) ('PENN' or the 'Company'). The $185 million state-of-the-art casino replaces the former riverboat property that operated on the shores of the Des Plaines River since 1992. Legislators and area dignitaries, Illinois Gaming Board officials, Chicago Bears executives and NFL legend and Joliet native Tom Thayer are joining PENN team members for a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning. Hollywood Casino Joliet will then open to the public at 4:00 p.m. and welcome guests to experience approximately 1,000 of the newest slot machines, 43 table games, a retail ESPN BET™ sportsbook, upscale national and Chicagoland celebrity-led dining and, above all, a premier guest experience. 'We would like to officially welcome players and guests to the all-new Hollywood Casino Joliet,' said Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment. 'After approximately 20 months of construction, we are thrilled to open the doors to this land-based entertainment destination. We are proud of our 30-year history in Will County and are committed to continuing our investment in the community by creating new jobs, providing important tax revenue, and serving as a new attraction to bring even more visitors to the area.' 'This opening marks an exciting new era of entertainment in Joliet,' said Todd George, Executive Vice President of Operations for PENN. 'We're grateful for the support from the city of Joliet, the Illinois Gaming Board, and our business and community partners who contributed to the successful development of this new property. We look forward to delivering an elevated experience with world class dining, entertainment, and gaming options for patrons across the region.' The roughly 189,000 square foot entertainment destination employs approximately 600 team members and generated around 450 construction jobs. Open seven days a week and 24 hours a day, the fun and excitement will continue 365 days a year. Gaming Floor Hollywood Casino Joliet's gaming floor features 1,000 of the latest video reel slot and video poker machines, as well as 43 exciting table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, and more. The ESPN BET sportsbook includes one of Chicagoland's largest TV screens to create the ultimate watching experience, sports betting tellers, and sports wagering and racing kiosks, along with interactive games. Dining and Entertainment Hollywood Casino Joliet features multiple world-class dining options throughout the property, including many options for guests of all ages. PENN partnered with celebrity chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis to create Sorellina by Giada, an upscale restaurant that combines De Laurentiis' signature fusion of classic Italian cuisine and modern California influence. The restaurant seats roughly 170 guests and features a unique menu of pastas, pizza, and more. Boulevard Food & Drink Hall is a dynamic dining experience operated by McClain Camarota Hospitality, founded by James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Shawn McClain. Open to all ages with both indoor seating and an outdoor patio with a fire feature, Boulevard Food & Drink Hall includes Chicago favorites Antique Taco and Pretty Cool Ice Cream, as well as Five50 Pizza and Lucky Goat, an all-new burger concept from fellow James Beard Award-winning celebrity chef Stephanie Izard. In addition to the numerous betting opportunities and massive screen highlighting the hottest sports action from around the world, ESPN BET is also a full service, classic casual restaurant that seats roughly 185 patrons in the dining room and bar. Guests can enjoy a wide array of food and beverage options, featuring favorites such as burgers, crispy wings, sandwiches, and shareables, plus a wide selection of craft and domestic beers and hand-crafted cocktails. Red Lotus Asian Kitchen will serve patrons authentic made-to-order Asian cuisine, featuring popular noodle and southeast Asian specialties designed to excite the senses in a sleek, modern designed open kitchen. Nearby on the gaming floor is &Vine, a 100-seat bar and entertainment lounge offering distinctive beverages and will be host to various artists for guests to enjoy. In addition, Hollywood Casino Joliet's 10,000 square foot event center includes a customizable layout to accommodate weddings, galas, community events, concerts, sports events, meetings, and more. The event center is also accessible for all ages. PENN Play™ Rewards Program Guests can elevate their experience with PENN Play, PENN Entertainment's industry-leading loyalty program, available at more than 35 destinations nationwide. This free membership offers exclusive access to events, experiences, and personalized rewards across gaming, dining, hotel stays, and entertainment. With five membership tiers—Play, Advantage, Preferred, Elite, and Owners Club, members enjoy benefits such as priority access, premium partner perks, and personalized offers. Members can easily track their rewards and tier progress through the PENN Play app, which also manages their loyalty dollars 'PENN Cash', redeemable for PENN SlotPlay, hotel stays, dining, and more. Once members reach 3,000 Tier Points, they unlock Real Time Rewards, delivering instant PENN Cash bonuses. The program also proudly features PENN Heroes, honoring active-duty military, veterans, and first responders with exclusive benefits, including annual tier upgrades, hotel and dining discounts, and special promotions. About Hollywood Casino Joliet Hollywood Casino Joliet, operated by PENN Entertainment, is now open at the all-new, land-based entertainment destination located at 1401 Gateway Blvd., Joliet, IL. The state-of-the-art casino recently replaced the former riverboat located on the shores of the Des Plaines River since 1992. The all-new Hollywood Casino Joliet features approximately 1,000 slots and 43 live table games, an ESPN BET sportsbook, several new restaurants and bars, event center and meeting space, and ample parking. For more information, visit About PENN Entertainment PENN Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries ('PENN,' or the 'Company'), is North America's leading provider of integrated entertainment, sports content, and casino gaming experiences. PENN operates in 28 jurisdictions throughout North America, with a broadly diversified portfolio of casinos, racetracks, and online sports betting and iCasino offerings under well-recognized brands including Hollywood Casino®, L'Auberge®, ESPN BET™, and theScore BET Sportsbook and Casino®. PENN's ability to leverage its partnership with ESPN, the 'worldwide leader in sports,' and its ownership of theScore™, the top digital sports media brand in Canada, is central to the Company's highly differentiated strategy to expand its footprint and efficiently grow its customer ecosystem. PENN's focus on organic cross-sell opportunities is reinforced by its market-leading retail casinos, sports media assets, and technology, including a proprietary state-of-the-art, fully integrated digital sports and iCasino betting platform, and an in-house iCasino content studio (PENN Game Studios). The Company's portfolio is further bolstered by its industry-leading PENN Play™ customer loyalty program, offering its approximately 32 million members a unique set of rewards and experiences. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'expects,' 'believes,' 'estimates,' 'projects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'goal,' 'seeks,' 'may,' 'will,' 'should,' 'look forward to,' or 'anticipates' or the negative or other variations of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. These statements are based upon management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of timing, future results, or performance. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated in these statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those factors described in PENN Entertainment's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC'), including PENN Entertainment's current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except for PENN Entertainment's ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, PENN Entertainment undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
New York Post
04-08-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
ESPN BET announces betting integration with fantasy sports
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. You've heard of SportsCenter, but now ESPN's betting platform, ESPN BET, is bringing you FanCenter. The media conglomerate, which hosts a sports betting platform with gambling powerhouse PENN Entertainment, is bringing its latest feature to the app to help you keep an eye on your fantasy teams. ESPN BET is rolling out a new 'For You' page where your ESPN Fantasy rosters will automatically upload into your betting app once you link your ESPN account. Users will now get ESPN BET's player insights, Over/Under props, and stats uploaded directly onto the app, which could help users make those dicey start/sit decisions on a week-to-week basis. 3 Start-sit questions are all the rage in fantasy football. X, @ESPNFANTASY 3 Illustration of ESPN Bet FanCenter app screens showing personalized sports betting picks. ESPN BET 'We've been focused on increasing the visibility of ESPN BET across the ESPN ecosystem, such as showcasing odds in stories and box scores and expanding the availability of markets within the ESPN app to include player and game props,' Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment, told The Post. 'Now we're extending that connectivity to the fantasy product with a really innovative feature, tapping into the massive ESPN fantasy userbase and streamlining the process for players to double down on their rosters with just a few taps.' In addition to the fantasy sports piece of this new feature, bettors will also have a highlighted market to build bets based on their fantasy team called 'Fantasy Bet Builder.' ESPN fantasy football was the No. 1 fantasy sports platform in the app store, as it set an all-time high mark with more than 13 million people playing the game. 3 ESPN and PENN Entertainment collaborated on this interesting new feature. ESPN BET PENN Entertainment and ESPN are coming up on two years in business together, with the expectation that they would carve out a significant market share from the big guys, DraftKings and FanDuel. These increasing efforts from PENN to work towards that goal with ESPN are a show of unity between the two companies, as they've mostly underperformed that expectation to date. Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps PENN Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden had hoped that they would build a 20 percent market share by 2027, but they are projecting a 4.7 percent share by the end of 2025. ESPN BET and PENN Entertainment are in the midst of a 10-year $2 billion deal through 2033, although there are opt-out clauses if certain marketshare requirements are not met. Why Trust New York Post Betting Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he's showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Garrett Nussmeier Heisman Trophy Betting Odds: LSU Veteran Among Favorites
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is the consensus second-favorite in the current 2025 Heisman Trophy betting odds. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is the consensus second-favorite in the current 2025 Heisman Trophy betting odds. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After starting our series on how to bet on the 2025 Heisman Trophy race with early betting favorite Arch Manning, today we're turning our attention to LSU's Garrett Nussmeier. Nussmeier's odds, like Manning's, are 10-to-1 or shorter across the board. The fifth-year senior was one of the most productive quarterbacks in the country in 2024. Now, he enters his second season as the starter in Baton Rouge with sky-high expectations. Keep an eye on Newsweek Sports Betting over the next few weks for similar pieces on each of the 2025 Heisman favorites as we wrap up July and head into August. Garrett Nussmeier Heisman Odds (July 22) Below are Nussmeier's current Heisman Trophy odds at DraftKings, FanDuel, bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET and Fanatics. DK FD bet365 Caesars Fanatics ESPN BET Garrett Nussmeier +850 (2) +800 (2) +850 (2) +750 (2) +900 (t-2) +900 (t-2) Garrett Nussmeier Heisman Betting Analysis The fifth-year senior -- who backed up Max Johnson in 2021 and Jayden Daniels in 2022 and 2023 -- has an NFL frame (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and 744 career pass attempts under his belt, including a 4,000-yard season in 2024. That -- plus his pedigree as the son of former Saints QB and current New Orleans offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier -- helps explain why he enters the 2025 season one of the top three favorites to be taken No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. As of July 22, Nussmeier is +425 to be the No. 1 pick in next year's draft, just behind Manning at +225 and Allar at +275. But the question we're tackling today is whether he offers value at his current odds to become LSU's second Heisman winner in the last three years after Daniels in 2023. Garret Nussmeier 2024 Stats Below are Nussmeier's stats across his 13 starts for the Tigers, who finished 9-4 (5-3 SEC). Completions Attempts Comp. % Yards (YPA) TD INT Sacks Passer Rating 337 525 64.2 4,052 (7.7) 29 12 16 142.7 Nussmeier and the Tigers had their ups and downs last fall. LSU was ranked as high as No. 8 in late October, but then endured a three-game losing streak en route to a 9-4 (5-3 SEC) finish. Nussmeier's ceiling was on display late in LSU's home upset of Ole Miss in October and in the final three games of the year. He completed over 70 percent of his passes in each of his team's wins over Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Baylor. But Nussmeier struggled during the three-game skid that put a damper on an otherwise strong year. He completed just 50 percent of his 50 passes and was intercepted three times in a 38-23 loss to Texas A&M on Oct. 26. Two weeks later, following a Nov. 2 bye, Nussmeier threw two more picks in a blowout home loss to Alabama on Nov. 9. He also went just 27-for-47 for 260 yards and 1 TD, while being sacked seven times, as LSU lost 27-16 to Florida on Nov. 16. Garrett Nussmeier vs. Top-50 Defenses (per ESPN SP+) In 2024 LSU's schedule a year ago only featured three teams -- No. 11 Ole Miss, No. 17 Alabama and No. 19 South Carolina -- that finished the year in the AP Top 25. The Tigers did, however, face nine top-50 defenses, according to ESPN's SP+. Here's how Nussmeier fared against those units: Opp. (SP+ def. rank) Score Comp/Att (%) Yards (YPA) TD/Int Ole Miss (3) LSU 29, Miss. 26 22/51 (43.1) 337 (6.6) 3/2 Alabama (8) Bama 42, LSU 13 27/42 (64.3) 239 (5.7) 1/2 South Carolina (13) LSU 36, So. Car. 33 24/40 (60) 285 (7.1) 2/1 Oklahoma (17) LSU 37, OU 17 22/31 (71) 277 (8.9) 3/0 Texas A&M (19) A&M 38, LSU 23 25/50 (50) 405 (8.1) 2/3 Florida (23) FLA 27, LSU 16 27/47 (57.5) 260 (5.5) 1/0 Arkansas (35) LSU 34, ARK 10 23/34 (67.6) 233 (6.9) 0/0 UCLA (44) LSU 34, UCLA 17 32/44 (72.7) 352 (8.0) 3/0 USC (48) USC 27, LSU 20 30/39 (76.9) 308 (7.9) 2/1 Average/total 5 wins, 4 losses 232/378 (61.3) 299.5 ypg (7.13 ypa) 1.88 TD/1 int Nussmeier and the Tigers proved against South Carolina and Oklahoma that they could put up big numbers against quality defenses. And they also deserve credit for coming through in the clutch vs. Ole Miss to salvage an otherwise ugly night. Still, given his struggles against Ole Miss, Alabama, Texas A&M and Florida last year, there's good reason to wonder what kind of numbers Nussmeier will be able to post against another brutal schedule in 2025. This year, LSU has another tough season opener on the road at Clemson. Dabo Swinney's team is currently a 3-point favorite in that matchup. In case you haven't heard, LSU is looking to start the year 1-0 for the first time in four seasons under coach Brian Kelly after losing to FSU in 2022 and 2023 and USC last year. LSU will also once again face Florida (home, Sept. 13), Ole Miss (away, Sept. 27), South Carolina (home, Oct. 11), Texas A&M (home, Oct. 25), Alabama (away, Nov. 8) and Oklahoma (away, Nov. 29). Buy Or Sell: Nussmeier To Win Heisman Trophy Best available odds: +900 (Fanatics, ESPN BET as of July 22) Sell On an LSU offense replacing four starting linemen who are now in the NFL (including No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell) plus top tight end Mason Taylor and WR Kyren Lacy, I just don't see Nussmeier putting up Heisman-worthy numbers. Let's consider the glass-half-full take on Nussmeier and Co. for a second, though. The best-case scenario for the offense as a whole starts with the running game taking a step forward after then-freshman Caden Durham battled injuries a year ago. And -- as usual -- LSU will also have plenty of talent at WR. With leading receiver Aaron Anderson returning and Barion Brown (Kentucky), Nic Anderson (Oklahoma) and tight end Bauer Sharp (also from OU) providing a boost via the transfer portal, the Tigers will hardly lack for playmakers. I think the young LSU offensive line will experience some growing pains, though. The inexperience up front will make it hard for this offense to move the ball at times, starting on Aug. 30 vs. a Clemson D-line featuring projected 2026 first-rounders TJ Parker and Peter Woods. Unless the Tigers' unproven front five dramatically exceeds expectations, I would pencil in Nussmeier for similar numbers to last year's (plenty good enough for All-SEC contention, but not quite All-American or Heisman contention). It also doesn't help Nussmeier's Heisman case -- especially at shorter than 10-to-1 odds -- that he's at risk of being overshadowed by fellow SEC QB Heisman contenders Arch Manning at Texas and LaNorris Sellers at South Carolina. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
ESPN Breaks Silence On Stephen A. Smith's Absence From 'First Take'
ESPN Breaks Silence On Stephen A. Smith's Absence From 'First Take' originally appeared on The Spun. ESPN viewers haven't seen Stephen A. Smith on TV for the past few days. While some might be enjoying that break, others are wondering what's going on behind the scenes. Advertisement Just a few months ago, ESPN signed Smith to an extension that'll pay him $100 million over the next five years. There's no question he's going to remain the face of the network. "Stephen A. works incredibly hard to elevate the sports conversation day-in and day-out and we are grateful he will remain at ESPN," said Jimmy Pitaro, the network's chairman. "He is a difference maker, and fans are captivated by his deep sports knowledge, strong opinions and unmistakable flair." Earlier this week, Awful Announcing called out the prominent ESPN personality with their latest opinion piece titled "America needs a vacation from Stephen A. Smith." That article caught an ESPN employee's attention. BOSTON, MA - JUNE 14: Stephen A. Smith looks on during the game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks during Game Four of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 14, 2024 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Jim Cowsert/NBAE via Getty Images)John R. Manzo, the associate director of communications for ESPN BET, responded to that post from Awful Announcing. He let everyone know that Smith is actually on vacation through the end of the month. Advertisement "Stephen A. is actually on a well-deserved vacation into July, yet the conversation hasn't stopped," Manzo wrote on X. "A reminder his influence doesn't take a day off." So there you have it, Smith won't be on ESPN until some point in July. It makes sense for Smith to go on vacation right now since the NBA season is over and NFL training camp is still a few weeks away. According to Front Office Sports, the charismatic ESPN personality will receive an expanded role in the network's NFL coverage. Related: Stephen A. Smith's Former ESPN Colleague Admits She Hates Him ESPN Breaks Silence On Stephen A. Smith's Absence From 'First Take' first appeared on The Spun on Jun 27, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
23-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Magic see massive NBA Finals odds boost after Tyrese Haliburton's injury
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. It's never too early to look forward to the 2026 NBA Finals, but Sunday had massive implications for next year. Coming off their title-clinching Game 7 win, the Thunder are a heavy early favorite to go back-to-back, sitting at +220 at ESPN BET, but they are hardly the story. The Orlando Magic saw their hopes to win the NBA Finals boosted when they traded for guard Desmond Bane but, guard Tyrese Haliburton's expected torn Achilles is another contender in the eastern conference down a star. The Magic were as high as 40/1 to win the NBA Finals prior to the Bane trade, dropping to 22/1, and now down to 15/1 after the Haliburton injury. The Pacers were second favorites to win the title coming into Sunday, only to see their odds plummet from +850 to 40/1 by Monday morning. 3 Tyrese Haliburton had an Achilles injury in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Getty Images Those two weren't the only movers on Sunday as the Rockets acquired Kevin Durant and shot up from 18/1 to +800 to win the Finals. 2026 NBA Finals odds Thunder +220 Rockets +800 Cavaliers +800 Knicks +850 Timberwolves 10/1 Magic 22/1 Celtics 13/1 Lakers 14/1 Nuggets 16/1 Clippers 22/1 Warriors 22/1 Spurs 25/1 Mavericks 33/1 76ers 33/1 Pacers 40/1 Pistons 40/1 Heat 50/1 Bucks 66/1 Hawks 100/1 Grizzlies 100/1 Suns 100/1 Kings 100/1 Raptors 100/1 Bulls 200/1 Pelicans 300/1 Nets 500/1 Hornets 500/1 Trail Blazers 500/1 Wizards 500/1 Jazz 500/1 Odds provided by ESPN BET 3 Desmond Bane was traded to the Magic. Getty Images The Knicks and Cavaliers also saw a slight boost moving from 10/1 to +850 and +800 respectively as the East is weakened a bit with the injury. The Minnesota Timberwolves were downgraded a bit with the Durant trade becoming official, moving from 10/1 to 14/1 after the trade. San Antonio, long expected to be in the market for Durant, was 18/1 to win the finals but dropped dramatically to 25/1. Dallas, also expected to be in the market for Durant, dropped from 22/1 to 33/1 after failing to acquire the star scorer. 3 Kevin Durant had massive implications on next year for several teams. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Betting on the NBA? But no matter what happens this summer, Oklahoma City is all but assured to be the 2026 title favorite. If their odds hold, the Thunder will be the biggest preseason favorite since the 2017-18 Warriors were -187, according to Sports Odds History.
