Industry | Sports betting |
---|---|
Founded | June 1, 2019 |
Founder | Derek Stevens |
Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 8 |
Areas served | Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, and Kentucky |
Key people | Sportsbook director: Matt Metcalf (2019–2023) Chris Bennett (since 2023) |
Owner | Derek Stevens |
Website | www |
Circa Sports is an American sportsbook operator based in Las Vegas. It was founded by casino owner Derek Stevens and began operations on June 1, 2019. It is named after Stevens' Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The resort includes the company's flagship sportsbook, with 1,000 seats spread across three floors. Other locations in Las Vegas include the Golden Gate and The D Las Vegas, both owned by Stevens.
Circa Sports also launched online and mobile app betting in Colorado on July 1, 2020, through a partnership with Century Casinos. The company has since expanded its mobile app operations to Iowa and Kentucky. Illinois operations were launched on September 29, 2023, via mobile app and a sportsbook, the latter in partnership with Full House Resorts. Illinois marks the company's first physical location outside of Nevada.
Circa Sports is named after the Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas. [1] The company was founded by Circa owner Derek Stevens, who is a fan of sports and betting. [1] [2] He began visiting Las Vegas in the late 1980s, and was impressed by the sportsbooks at several resorts, including Caesars Palace, the Stardust, the Riviera, and the SuperBook at the Las Vegas Hilton (later known as the Westgate). [3] [1] [4] [5]
Stevens had wanted to operate his own sportsbook since the purchase of downtown's Golden Gate hotel-casino in 2008. [3] [1] However, he did not believe that there was enough volume to support a sportsbook operation. He later purchased Fitzgeralds hotel-casino, also in downtown Las Vegas, and renamed it as The D Las Vegas in 2012. By the end of 2015, Stevens was planning to build the Circa Resort, and he believed that the project would give him enough volume to run a sportsbook company. [4]
In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, which further inspired Stevens to start Circa Sports. [4] He filed for licensing to operate his own sportsbooks in September 2018, [6] and received final approval from the Nevada Gaming Commission on April 25, 2019. [1] Stevens said the books would operate with an "old-school Las Vegas hospitality, where our guests and oddsmakers interact closely in a friendly and fun environment." [3] They would operate as traditional books, but with modern technological features, [7] [1] and would cater to professional bettors as well as newcomers. [3] [8]
Matt Metcalf was hired as sportsbook director for Circa Sports, [9] while Chris Bennett was chosen as sportsbook manager. [7] Metcalf had previously worked for the sportsbook at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas, as well as the Hilton's SuperBook. [3] [10] Metcalf previously worked with Bennett at the SuperBook and chose him to join Circa Sports. [1] [10] Stevens and Metcalf visited most of the sportsbooks in Las Vegas to gather ideas for Circa Sports, [3] and Stevens also consulted with professional sports bettors. [9] Bennett would succeed Metcalf as sportsbook director in 2023, while Metcalf remained as an advisor. [11]
The first Circa Sports book opened at the Golden Gate on June 1, 2019. [8] [7] It measures 1,297 sq ft (120.5 m2). [4] The Golden Gate offered wages and odds not available at most books. [7] [12] For its first day, the Golden Gate book operated with no vigorish. [7] [8] The book took in more than $800,000 on its first day, but lost over $100,000. [7] A mobile phone app also launched on the same day, to attract a younger demographic. [9] [8] In May 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Circa debuted a temporary curbside betting operation at the Golden Gate. [13] [14]
A second Circa Sports was opened at The D on June 19, 2019. The book there had previously been operated by William Hill. [15] Vegas Golden Knights games are a primary focus at The D's sportsbook. [16] Stevens planned to eventually open the brand's flagship sportsbook at the Circa Resort in late 2020. [1] Operating the two original sportsbooks would help prepare Metcalf and his team for the opening of the main book at the Circa Resort. [8]
The Circa Resort opened on October 28, 2020. [10] The sportsbook there is considered a prime feature, containing 1,000 seats spread across three floors. [7] [17] [18] [19] It also contains a broadcasting studio for the Vegas Stats & Information Network. [20] [21] According to Stevens, it is the largest sportsbook in the world, beating out the 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) SuperBook at the Westgate. However, he has not specified the exact size of the Circa book. [22] [23] The new book would continue Circa's reputation for allowing sharp bettors. [24] [25] [26] However, this made the company likely to lose more money than other sportsbooks. [10]
During 2020, Circa Sports announced plans to eventually open a sportsbook at the Tuscany casino, near the Las Vegas Strip. [27] [28] [29] This location opened in March 2021, replacing William Hill as operator. It is a satellite sportsbook, and was opened in time for March Madness, [30] [31] during which Circa Sports accepted $10,000 bets. [32]
Another Circa book opened on April 29, 2021, at The Pass Casino in Henderson, Nevada. [33] [34] In August 2022, Circa opened a location at the new Legends Bay Casino in Sparks, Nevada. [35] It is Circa's sixth location, and also marks the company's debut in northern Nevada. [36] [37] [38] It attracts business from California, where sports betting is illegal. [39] [40] In January 2024, Circa took over sportsbook operations at the Silverton casino in the southwest Las Vegas Valley. [41] [42]
In February 2020, Circa Sports announced a 15-year partnership with Colorado-based Century Casinos to provide online and mobile-app sports betting for the latter. Colorado was in the process of legalizing sports betting, and the partnership would mark Circa's first out-of-state venture. There were no plans for Circa to add a physical sportsbook in Colorado, although the company did plan to eventually expand its operations to other states. [43] [44] International Game Technology subsequently agreed to provide its technology to Circa, powering its Colorado mobile app. [45] Circa Sports launched its online services there on July 1, 2020. [2] [46] [47] [48]
By March 2021, Stevens was planning to expand his online services to Iowa, with several other states also in consideration for future expansion. Tax rates, market size, and gaming regulations were factors in determining where to expand. [16] Circa's Iowa operations began on October 7, 2021, offering mobile sports betting through a partnership with Wild Rose Casino, which has three locations in the state. [49] [50]
In May 2022, Circa partnered with Full House Resorts to open a sportsbook in Waukegan, Illinois, marking its first physical location outside of Nevada. [51] [52] The companies signed an eight-year deal, and Circa would initially operate in a temporary casino while Full House constructs a permanent facility, to be known as American Place. [51] [53] [54] The Illinois launch was held on September 29, 2023, via mobile app and the temporary facility. [55] [56] American Place is expected to open by 2026. [56]
In May 2024, Circa expanded its mobile app to Kentucky, in partnership with the Cumberland Run horse track in Corbin. [40] [57] [58]
In 2019, the company launched the Circa Sports Million contest, which had a guaranteed $1 million grand prize. The contest required a $1,000 entry fee, and participants would bet on NFL games. [9] [4] [59] In addition to the grand prize, the contest would also have quarterly winners. Stevens said, "If you get behind by week eight and there's 3,000 people in front of you, it's tough to catch up. But you can get hot for four weeks and win the quarter. We're essentially giving people four chances to win." [3] The contest was inspired by high bets that Stevens had made in recent years. Metcalf said, "He really likes the idea of someone having the chance to win $1 million. He experienced that firsthand and how exciting it was, and he wanted someone else to have that." [59] The contest needed a minimum of 1,500 people for Circa to make a profit; it garnered 1,875. [60]
Due to its popularity the first year, Circa Sports Million II was launched in 2020, with a $3 million prize. Another NFL contest was also launched that year, titled Circa Survivor. It offered a $1 million winner-take-all prize. [61] [62] [63] Both contests have become annual events. [64] The 2020 contests received fewer entrants due to the pandemic, and Stevens began offering free hotel rooms as an incentive to sign up. [65] [66] In 2021, Circa Millions III and Circa Survivor offered total payouts of $4 million and $6 million respectively. [67] [68]
Circa Sports also launched a Super Bowl squares game in 2020. [69] Due to its popularity, it became an annual event, [70] [71] under the name "Circa Squares". [72]
MGM Resorts International is an American global hospitality and entertainment company operating destination resorts in Las Vegas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, and New Jersey, including Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Park MGM.
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about 4.2 mi (6.8 km) long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, but is often referred to simply as "Las Vegas".
The Stardust Resort and Casino was a casino resort located on 60 acres (24 ha) along the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. The Stardust was conceived by Tony Cornero, and construction began in 1954. Cornero died in 1955, and the project was taken over by his brother. The Stardust had numerous creditors, and construction was stopped in 1956, when the project ran out of money.
Sports betting is the activity of predicting sports results and placing a wager on the outcome.
The Pass Casino, formerly the Eldorado Casino, is a casino in the Water Street District, located in downtown Henderson, Nevada. It is owned and operated by DeSimone Gaming. First opened in 1961, it was owned by Boyd Gaming from 1993 to 2020.
The Linq is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. It opened as the Flamingo Capri on October 30, 1959, on property located directly north of the original Flamingo resort. The Flamingo Capri was a 180-room motel, owned by George E. Goldberg and Flamingo employee Bill Capri.
The Golden Gate Hotel & Casino is located at One Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. A part of the Fremont Street Experience, it is the oldest and smallest hotel on the Fremont Street Experience.
Penn Entertainment, Inc., formerly Penn National Gaming, is an American entertainment company and operator of integrated entertainment, sports content, and casino gambling. It operates 43 properties in 20 states, under brands including Hollywood Casino, Ameristar, and Boomtown. It also offers sports betting in 15 jurisdictions and online casino gaming in 5, under brands such as ESPN BET and theScore.
Derek Stevens is an American businessman who owns several hotel-casinos in downtown Las Vegas. Stevens, along with his brother Greg, purchased the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino in 2008, followed in 2011 by Fitzgeralds, which they renamed as The D Las Vegas. He also owned the Las Vegas 51s baseball team from 2008 to 2013, and built the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center in 2014.
Leroy's Horse & Sports Place, also known as Leroy's Race and Sport Book or simply Leroy's, was an operator of sports books in Nevada. As of 2012, it had 72 race and sports books and kiosks. It was based in Las Vegas. Leroy's parent company, American Wagering, was purchased by British bookmaker William Hill in 2012, and its locations were rebranded under the William Hill name.
Affinity Interactive, formerly known as Herbst Gaming and Affinity Gaming, is an American private casino and sports betting company based in Paradise, Nevada. It operates eight casinos in Nevada, Missouri, and Iowa, and publishes the Daily Racing Form.
M Resort Spa Casino is a boutique hotel, spa, and casino in Henderson, Nevada. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment. The property includes a 92,000 sq ft (8,500 m2) casino and a 16-story tower with 390 rooms. The M Resort is located eight miles south of the Las Vegas Strip, and is the southernmost casino in the Las Vegas Valley.
Eastside Cannery Casino and Hotel is a closed locals casino on the Boulder Strip in Sunrise Manor, Nevada, owned and operated by Boyd Gaming. The Eastside Cannery includes a 63,876 sq ft (5,934.3 m2) casino and 307 rooms in a 16-story tower. It was developed by Cannery Casino Resorts at a cost of $250 million. It is a sister property to the original Cannery Casino and Hotel, opened in North Las Vegas in 2003.
Caesars Entertainment, Inc., formerly Eldorado Resorts, Inc., is an American hotel and casino entertainment company founded and based in Reno, Nevada that operates more than 50 properties. Eldorado Resorts acquired Caesars Entertainment Corporation and changed its own name to Caesars Entertainment on July 20, 2020.
Durango is a hotel and casino in Rhodes Ranch, a community in the Las Vegas Valley. It is located along Durango Drive, beside the Las Vegas Beltway. The resort includes an 83,178 sq ft (7,727.5 m2) casino, 209 rooms in a 15-story tower, and several restaurants.
Fiesta Rancho was a hotel and casino located on 25.46 acres (10.30 ha) of land at 2400 North Rancho Drive in North Las Vegas, Nevada, across the street from the Texas Station hotel and casino. The Maloof family opened the Fiesta on December 14, 1994, with 100 rooms and a 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m2) casino. It was the first hotel-casino to open in North Las Vegas.
Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN) is an American sports betting radio network and streaming television channel. Founded in 2017 by the family of sportscaster Brent Musburger, VSIN broadcasts from their studios at the Circa Resort & Casino Sportsbook studios and BarCanada at The D Las Vegas on Fremont Street in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a hotel and casino resort in Paradise, Nevada, east of the Las Vegas Strip. It previously operated as the Hard Rock Hotel from 1995 to 2020, before closing for renovations to be rebranded as Virgin Hotels.
Circa Resort & Casino is a casino and hotel resort in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, on the Fremont Street Experience. The property was previously occupied by the Las Vegas Club hotel-casino, the Mermaids Casino, and the Glitter Gulch strip club. Circa is owned by brothers Derek and Greg Stevens, who also own other downtown casinos. They purchased the Las Vegas Club in 2015, followed by the acquisition of Mermaids and Glitter Gulch. The three businesses were demolished in 2017, and construction on Circa began in February 2019, with an opening initially scheduled for December 2020.
Bally's Corporation is a gaming, betting, and interactive entertainment company headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. It owns and operates 15 casinos across ten states, a horse track in Colorado, and online sports betting operations in 14 states.