Greektown Casino Ready To Unveil New Barstool Sportsbook On Wednesday

Michigan Stoolies, prepare your wagers. The opening of the permanent Barstool Sportsbook at Greektown Casino in Detroit is Wednesday night, according to a news release from parent company Penn National Gaming.

The book is in the middle of the casino floor and will replace the temporary sportsbook, which opened on March 11.

Greektown has been closed since Nov. 18 for a second time because of the pandemic. The casino announced Tuesday it would be opening on Thursday for Christmas Eve. However, the announcement about the sportsbook indicates the casino will open Dec. 23, subject to any final regulatory approval.

Penn National told Playinmichigan that the casino plans to reopen Wednesday night at 9 p.m., alongside the new sportsbook.

“We are thrilled to be opening our new Barstool Sportsbook,” said John Drake, vice president and general manager at Greektown, in a release. “The new design showcases the spirit of the Barstool Sports brand, resulting in an outstanding sports wagering experience that we expect our customers will thoroughly enjoy.”

Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said that Detroit’s casinos could begin to open this week with certain restrictions. Detailed guidance from the Michigan Gaming Control Board is expected this week.

Barstool Sportsbook in final stages of construction

Greektown has been teasing the construction of the sportsbook this week on its Twitter account. A video released mid-day Tuesday shows the sportsbook in what appears to be the final stages of completion.

Here’s how the release from PNG described the new space:

“It features a captivating entryway, sports viewing area and dining space, betting counter that features large odds boards, numerous sports betting kiosks and ticket writer stations that will support thousands of sports wagering options for customers. Guests will enjoy a first class wagering experience in close proximity to dining and numerous televisions showcasing sports action from across the country and around the world.”

Greektown sportsbook third betting option in Detroit

The Barstool sportsbook will be the third permanent space in Detroit casinos, joining BetMGM Sports Lounge at MGM Grand Detroit and the FanDuel Sportsbook at MotorCity Casino.

“The passionate sports fans in Detroit and throughout Michigan have been excitedly awaiting the opening of our new Barstool Sportsbook,” Drake said. “We look forward to welcoming them when we reopen the casino (Wednesday) evening.”

Since sports betting launched, Greektown has been in third position for the Detroit casinos, accepting $25 million in sports wagers through November, which is 20.6% of the market share. Detroit took in more than $121 million in sports betting wagers in 2020. The casinos will not take any December sports bets until Wednesday when MGM and MotorCity plan their reopenings.

Michigan is launching online sports betting and online casinos soon, likely in mid-January, according to the MGCB. Barstool has indicated it plans to be one of the platforms ready for Michigan’s launch. Penn Sports Interactive was one of 15 companies provisionally licensed by the MGCB this month.

Penn National also announced Tuesday it would be opening Barstool Sportsbook locations in Indiana this week at Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg on Wednesday and Ameristar East Chicago Casino & Hotel on Thursday.

The first Barstool Sportsbook opened at the Ameristar Casino in Black Hawk, Colo. in November.