The Coronavirus pandemic is rapidly spreading throughout the country, forcing every major professional US sports league to suspend operations last week. These pro leagues have temporarily halted their seasons, intending to resume in the future. Simultaneously, the NCAA has completely called off all men’s and women’s championships for the winter and spring seasons.
The NCAA has canceled March Madness, a period that traditionally sees high activity at Nevada’s sportsbooks. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that in March 2019, Nevada sportsbooks made $36.5 million in profits from $498.7 million in basketball bets. The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NVGCB) estimates that the NCAA Tournament alone accounted for $349 million of the total basketball bets.
Sports bettors in Nevada typically enjoy this time of year greatly. While March Madness tends to grab most of the spotlight, there are numerous other sports to place bets on. The NBA and NHL are generally gearing towards the playoffs, and MLB is wrapping up spring training to kick off the regular season.
The NFL Hot Stove season is also kicking off. The NFL Draft, initially set to happen in Las Vegas this April, has had its in-person events canceled. However, the draft will continue to occur in April, just not in Las Vegas. Significant trades are already happening as the league prepares for the upcoming year.
Some Nevada casinos closing
MGM Resorts and Wynn have made the decision to shut down their casinos. Meanwhile, the Nevada Gaming Control Board is permitting other casinos in the state to continue operating. It’s mandatory to practice social distancing at the gaming tables and slot machines.
Horse racing and a handful of other games worldwide are still featured by Nevada sportsbooks. State bettors are not obliged to visit a casino to gamble, thanks to mobile betting.
Mobile sports betting in Nevada
The majority of sports in the United States have been called off, however, games are still being played globally. Wherever there is competitive action, you can be assured that sportsbooks will accept bets. As reported by Legal Sports Report, in January, over half (56%) of the money bet on sports in Nevada came from mobile betting. Among all, some sportsbooks have received more mobile sports bets than the rest.
Many tourists on the Vegas Strip may not finance mobile betting accounts, but numerous locals do. William Hill operates over 100 sportsbooks across Nevada. Based on the 2019 summary from William Hill, 69% of bets in Nevada are made through a mobile app (refer to page 12).
Betting sports today in Nevada
A bettor at William Hill won nearly $10,000 from a $100 parlay on soccer in Russia and Turkey over the weekend.
A hearty congratulations to the @WilliamHillNJ mobile bettor who successfully won their 4-leg Russian and Turkish ⚽ parlay, turning $100 into $9,226.25! #WHWinners pic.twitter.com/cEuch6kgb9
From William Hill US (@WilliamHillUS) on March 16, 2020
Live wagering for specific events is still being offered by William Hill. Every morning, they will provide updates on live wagering opportunities.
William Hill isn’t the sole sportsbook operator in business. Other operators such as the Westgate are providing a select variety of betting opportunities for sports gamblers. This week, the Westgate will be accepting bets on the following sports:
- Australian Rules Football
- Semifinal playoffs of the Russian KHL hockey conference
- Basketball Super League in Turkey
- Primera B Nacional Argentina (Soccer)
- Paulista Championship (Soccer) in Brazil
- Primera Division of Chile (Soccer)
- Premier League of Russia (Soccer)
- Super Lig (Soccer) in Turkey
- A League Soccer in Australia
- Super Liga Serbia (Soccer)
The daily sports menu provided may not appeal to most US sports bettors. However, over the weekend, Nevada’s latest sportsbook operator, Circa Sports, became the first in the state to offer NFL season win totals.
Dana White has confirmed that UFC will continue, despite the last event taking place over the weekend in Brazil with the search now on for a venue for the next UFC card. However, the Center for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) is currently recommending against gatherings of more than 50 people. (Update: Three UFC events have been cancelled).
Numerous residents of Nevada are currently working remotely or self-isolating from the public. This could provide them with additional time to explore new sports leagues or prepare for the comeback of US professional sports leagues.
This is an unusual period for numerous individuals in Nevada, as well as globally. Although sports betting will be different for some time, there are still some live events and futures accessible to provide a small break from the constant Coronavirus news.
