January 20th
Landover, Maryland
The Washington Commanders in partnership with Fanatics have opened the NFL first in stadium Sportsbook. Maryland is one of the most recent states to all sports betting, and recently expanded to mobile sports betting.
The mobile sports betting aspect is important because due to league rules the Sportsbook cannot take bets at their windows or at the kiosks on Commanders gamedays.
Team President Jason Wright was on hand at the event cutting the ribbon to commemorate the opening. Executives from Fanatics were also on hand for the opening as this was the opening of their first ever Sportsbook facility, and they are the vendor that reimagined and operate the new team store at Fed Ex Field, and work with the team to create new apparel that aligns with the rebrand to the name Commanders.
Inside of the new facility the sportsbook is 5000 square feet, featuring eight betting windows, 21 self service betting kiosks, 2 giants LED Video walls, and 38 TV monitors and a full service restaurant with a bar for fans and bettors to enjoy. The facility will be open 7 days a week from 10am until midnight.
Sports you can bet on at Fanataics Sportsbook, college and pro football, basketball, hockey, tennis, soccer, MMA, and Boxing.
Team President Jason Wright in remarks to the press was adamant that he wanted the local African American population to benefit from projects like the new sports book, and worked hard with the Maryland State legislature to make sure there was equity in those would profit from the Commanders and Fanatics new venture.
The first bet was placed by the Commanders fan ambassador Chris Bryant affectionately known in the fan community as one of the “Hog Farmers”, Bryant made a twenty dollar Wizards and Capitals parlay bet at one of the betting windows.
Attendance at Fed Ex Field went up 10 percent this past season, Fanatics and the Commanders hope that offering a place to watch all of the other NFL action and track their mobile device bets will help with attendance and bring fans to Fed Ex Field on non game days.
Featured Images by Rob Warren