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ESPN BET First Retail Underscoreg Earmarked For Detroit’s Hollywood Casino at Greektown

Davis Isabela

Updated as of February 21, 2024 at 12:44 AM EST. Read time: 2 minutes and 10 seconds. For more information, check out our Twitter and Google News links.

A view of the logo during ESPN The Party as we look at how big ESPN Bet will become.
A view of the logo during ESPN The Party. Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images for ESPN/AFP.

According to a press release by PENN Entertainment and ESPN on Friday, ESPN BET will be opening its first retail sportsbook in April with its name on it.

“The Underscoreg at Hollywood Casino at Greektown,” a property owned by PENN in Detroit, will become the inaugural physical location for the new partnership. This follows a period of successful operation for the ESPN BET mobile brand, which has been gaining a larger market share compared to other top sports betting sites.

“We are excited to announce that our top sportsbook, Hollywood Casino at Greektown, will be the first ESPN BET-branded sportsbook in our collection,” stated Jay Snowden, CEO and President of PENN Entertainment, in the press release on Friday. “In partnership with ESPN, we are eager to grow the ESPN BET brand through our high-quality retail sportsbooks and develop exceptional omni-channel experiences at select PENN properties nationwide.”

Special events tied to the ESPN BET retail presence in Michigan sports betting will include activities hosted by ESPN regional radio personalities, in addition to the retail sportsbook.

Greektown a good start for ESPN BET

Hollywood Casino Greektown is the premier location for retail sports betting in Michigan, a state that has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the American market due to the success of Michigan sports betting apps.

In 2023, Hollywood Casino received $71.1 million in sports bets and generated nearly $6.7 million in gross gaming revenue. The facility maintained a solid hold rate of 9.5%.

ESPN BET appears to have positioned itself for success in the Detroit market by leveraging its strong brand recognition, dynamic media presence, and innovative “omni-channel experience” to emerge as a top sportsbook in Michigan.

First of many for PENN, ESPN?

PENN Entertainment has 32 retail sports betting licenses nationwide, and ESPN BET is in talks to secure naming rights for the majority, if not all, of the brick-and-mortar facilities owned by PENN properties.

In April, the ESPN BET sportsbook will debut at PENN’s Hollywood Casino in Greektown-Detroit, featuring 40 betting kiosks, 25 HDTVs, and a 30-foot video wall.

This will serve as a blueprint for PENN’s shift from the Barstool brand for retail sports betting to the potentially more popular ESPN BET product.

Growing the ESPN BET brand

Since its mid-November launch, ESPN BET has successfully captured a respectable market share, ranking third in several U.S. jurisdictions. However, it still has a long way to go to compete with industry giants like FanDuel and DraftKings, who currently dominate the overall market share.

Retail sports wagering facilities are viewed as a means to achieve respectability and success in the U.S. market.

Mike Morrison, Vice President of ESPN BET and ESPN Fantasy, emphasized the importance of expanding the brand to increase market share and achieve a top position. He expressed excitement for the upcoming retail launch, highlighting the company’s commitment through new market expansions and the first retail location at Hollywood Casino at Greektown in Michigan. Morrison looks forward to opening ESPN BET before major sporting events for fans in the state.

In January, ESPN BET achieved a market share of approximately 6.6% in Indiana and 6.8% in Maryland, nearing the company’s target of a 7% market share in its first year of operation. The exposure gained from the retail launch in Michigan could further contribute to reaching this goal.

Written By:
Davis Isabela
Davis Isabela is the Editor-in-Chief of Underscoreg Review. He has been a writer, reporter and editor for more than 20 years, and his work has appeared in more than 200 publications across North America. His first book, “100 Greatest Canadian Sports Moments”, was a hardcover best-seller in Canada in 2008. He has written more than 50 sportsbook reviews and dozens of other sportsbook-related content articles. James has also been quoted as a sports betting expert in USA Today and Sports Illustrated.