Cavaliers Announce Caesars Entertainment As Sports Betting Partner
February 24, 2022
The Cleveland Cavaliers announced their multi-year partnership with Caesars Entertainment Inc. on Thursday. This makes Caesars the official sports betting partner of the team as well as the official casino partner. A sportsbook venue is scheduled to open on the street level of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in the northwest atrium. The team expects the venue to open by end of 2022 or just before the legalization of sports gambling in the state of Ohio which will be on January 1, 2023.
"We're ready to welcome Ohio sports fans into the Caesars Sportsbook Empire, while also making history with our second sportsbook at an NBA arena," said Co-President of Caesars Digital Chris Holdren in a news release.
“Building upon our already established roots with Scioto Downs in Columbus, we're excited to announce our partnership with the Cavaliers at an exciting time in their franchise's history”.
"As we prepare to launch sports betting in Ohio later this year, this wide-ranging partnership enables us to connect with the Cavs' passionate and highly engaged fanbase. Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will be a first-class venue providing an exciting atmosphere for sports betting and more."
Construction development
The 10,355-square-foot retail is equipped with betting windows for cash wagering a full-service bar and VIP lounge, extensive food and drink menu, and wall-to-wall televisions. These additions will be paid entirely by both the Cavaliers and Caesars and the venue will be open year-round. Construction is expected to start next month.
"Ultimately, it's our goal to provide the best possible experience for the fans who come out to the FieldHouse, whether it's for a concert, a show, a Cavs game, or a (Lake Erie) Monster game," said the Cavaliers' president of business operations Nic Barlage.
"Caesars is a best-in-class operator of brick-and-mortar venues all over the world, so the opportunity to partner with them on a retail sportsbook was a perfect fit from our perspective."
The Cavs sportsbook is currently a two-level space located inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. A SeatGeek box office is placed on the ground level which after construction will expand to the northeast side at the Cleveland-Cliffs entrance. Above the box office is a member's lounge which will be moved to a unique space in the building.
"Fans are between 36% and 40% more likely to watch a game if they have a bet placed on it," Barlage said. "That degree of engagement provides us a chance to grow a captive audience. That benefits the players on the court and the fans in the stands. We want to provide the greatest amount of exposure for our brand and grow the Cavaliers' presence not only in Northeast Ohio but across the country and the world."
The partnership with the Cavs is not the first from Caesars Entertainment Inc. In May 2021, they opened at a professional sports venue as their first-ever sportsbook at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. They plan to expand more this time for the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in the state of Phoenix.
