It’s official: WynnBET will become the 10th online sportsbook in Indiana.
The company can make its Indiana debut anytime on or after March 25.
WynnBET’s Indiana launch will be the sportsbook’s fourth. The company is already open for business in New Jersey, Colorado and Michigan.
WynnBET might be the first sportsbook to launch in the Hoosier State this year, but it won’t be the last.
WynnBET the first new 2021 Indiana online sportsbook
Last year was Indiana’s first full year of legal sports betting.
Hoosiers wagered over $1.7 billion on sports throughout the year, mostly through online sportsbooks.
Sports betting’s overall growth fueled that huge handle.
Six new online betting apps made their way to Indiana in 2020. That gave Hoosiers more gambling options than ever before.
WynnBET is already kicking off the next round of growth for 2021.
More new sportsbooks will be making their Indiana debuts in the coming months. SBK Sportsbook, 888 Sport and Barstool Sportsbook are already on their way.
SBK beating Barstool Sportsbook?
Barstool is already operating a pair of retail sportsbooks in Indiana, so right now it’s the only one of the future newcomers that already has a presence in the state.
Despite that, Barstool’s online sportsbook might not beat its competitors to market in Indiana.
The company is targeted Illinois for its latest launch. It wanted to be up and running there in time for March Madness.
While Barstool focuses on the Land of Lincoln, SBK Sportsbook already has its eyes set on the Hoosier State.
In Indiana, online sportsbooks have to snag a temporary vendor license before they can open for business. It’s one of the first steps in the regulatory process, and usually comes a few months before a sportsbook’s launch in the state.
SBK already has its license, but Barstool does not. That puts SBK at the front of the launch line in Indiana.
However, even elbowing past Barstool wasn’t enough for the company to beat WynnBET to market.
WynnBET’s launch will give its casino partner Rising Star a much-needed boost.
Rising Star sportsbooks struggling
As mentioned before, all of Indiana’s online sportsbooks have a retail partner.
Both WynnBET and SBK will be two of Rising Star Casino’s partners.
Rising Star is already working with BetAmerica, but the partnership hasn’t exactly been a fruitful one.
BetAmerica, which is rebranding to TwinSpires soon, is routinely the worst performing online sportsbook in Indiana.
In January, BetAmerica only managed to bring in $171,000 worth of bets. The second-lowest mark was the $677,000 haul from Caesars Sportsbook.
The sportsbook’s struggles are a big reason behind the company’s rebrand, which might give BetAmerica the fresh start it needs.
With WynnBET and SBK bringing the online lifeboats for Rising Star, the casino might finally find the online success it was hoping BetAmerica would generate.
That could solve Rising Star’s online struggles, but it won’t fix the casino’s lackluster retail performance.
Much like its online counterparts, the in-person sportsbook at Rising Star is regularly the least popular in the state.
The casino’s $107,000 handle was at the bottom of the barrel in January. French Lick Resort’s $800,000 in wagers was the second-worst showing.
Being last in both the online and retail section of Indiana’s rankings is hardly ideal, but that might finally be changing soon. With WynnBET and SBK on the way, Rising Star might finally have the sports betting momentum it needs.
