Nevada’s newest sportsbook launched near the Strip Monday afternoon in the typical Las Vegas fashion for openings, with showgirls and dignitaries who not only cut the ribbon, but placed the first bets.
Boomer’s Sportsbook opened at Ellis Island, where the formal ceremonies were held, and at Casino Valle Verde in Henderson without the pomp and circumstance. Both openings followed Boomer’s launching Friday at The Commercial in Elko, where there were similar ceremonies with local politicians.
This marks the state’s only sportsbook that’s not owned by a casino operator. It took Joe Asher, former owner of Lucky’s Race & Sports Book that was sold to William Hill in 2012 and acquired by Caesars Entertainment in 2021, to give casinos another option to operate their sportsbook.
Asher said Monday that pending regulatory approval, Boomer’s will open a sportsbook in Carson City in late September and another in Las Vegas by the end of the year. He declined to name the casinos and reiterated that he plans to have 10 properties signed up within a year.
“I would bet the over on that; I think we’re going to surpass that goal,” Asher said. “There’s a lot of interest in the market for casinos looking to do something different. They haven’t had a whole lot of options for partnering with sportsbooks and clearly, there’s room in the market to offer people an alternative to the William Hill model, which we’re trying to do.”
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley and former Mayor Oscar Goodman were on hand to open the property, along with Ellis Island and Casino Valle Verde owner Gary Ellis.
“Being in the sports business with Joe Asher is like being in the football business with the Kansas City Chiefs,” Ellis told the crowd. “He’s the GOAT. He’s respected by everyone in this business.”
Goodman placed a $500 wager for charity, betting $250 at 22-1 on the San Diego Padres to win the World Series and $250 on the Las Vegas Raiders to win the Super Bowl at 90-1. Goodman said he bets only underdogs as part of his philosophy and jokingly asked for 10% of anyone who takes his advice and wins their bets.
“It’s a big day for us in Las Vegas,” Goodman said to the audience. “It’s a new concept, and it’s so important to reinvent ourselves. And there’s not a finer guy in town with a finer staff, and he’s taking the risk. These books can lose money.”
Asher said it’s been nine months since he spoke to Ellis about his new company and asked for his support. He said they’ve gotten off to a good start, with a steady stream of people placing bets and signing up for the IGT-technology mobile app that’s already live.
“The idea behind Boomer’s is that it’s going to be only a Nevada-focused race and sportsbook,” Asher told the crowd. “We’re not going to do anything in any other state. It’s 100% Nevada-focused.” Asher said that’s because in Nevada, bettors are required to come into the casino to sign up for a mobile account, unlike other states. That makes it difficult for unknown operators to get a foothold in a state where marketing is used to attract signups.
“We think there’s a real business opportunity to get people to come here or go over to Casino Valle Verde or a number of other places around the state to sign up for the mobile app,” Asher said in an interview. “So much of the business in the locals’ market is mobile. IThe requirement to sign up in person gives us the opportunity to build up a network of books where you can sign up, deposit, and withdraw.”
Asher said their first marketing campaign to lure customers to Boomer’s is by offering up to $250 in free bonus bets to match up to a $250 deposit. Boomer’s will be targeting those in Elko with a billboard and those in proximity to Ellis Island and Casino Valle Verde with the offers. “We think that’s a pretty compelling offer in this market.”
Ahead of football season, Asher will announce a football-focused promotion that will make it attractive for people to come to the properties and sign up for mobile accounts.
Ellis said in an interview that Asher is the reason he changed from William Hill to Boomer’s. “I have known him for many years. He’s a class act and as knowledgeable as anyone in the business,” Ellis said. “I love the guy. He’s the real deal. When Joe said he was starting this venture, I told him I was in.”
