After decades of political wrangling by past Chicago mayors, years of City Hall jockeying by potential developers for the lucrative deal and months of preparation by the lucky bidder, Bally’s temporary Chicago casino took the city’s first legal wagers from the betting public Saturday morning.

Not that the lengthy political backstory was any concern for the dozens of people who lined up outside the landmark Medinah Temple in River North ahead of its 8 a.m. opening.

Those among the city’s first crew of casino gamblers were focused on one thing: to “win a grand,” said Chatham resident Erick Andrews, whose 53rd birthday landed on Bally’s opening date.