William Hill set for historic Thursday with first wagers in New Jersey

William Hill welcome the dawn of a new era by taking the first sports wagers in New Jersey on Thursday – coinciding with the start of the World Cup – following last month’s landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court to repeal the law which prohibits sports betting in all but a handful of states.

Philip Bowcock, chief executive of William Hill, said: “We have a team ready for launch day at our sportsbook at Monmouth Park racecourse for what will be one of the biggest days for William Hill since it was founded in 1934.

“I'd like to thank our team in the US for preparing for this day and we look forward to welcoming customers in New Jersey and taking bets on the full range of sports."

William Hill’s sportsbook at Monmouth Park was established following an agreement in 2013 to make the bookmaker the official sports betting partner at the racetrack in anticipation of the regulation of sports betting.

The company is already the leading operator in Nevada, where it operates 107 sportsbooks.

Delaware became the first state to take advantage of the Supreme Court decision to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Act by offering a full range of betting options following the ruling.

Five other states – New York, Rhode Island, California, Massachusetts and Michigan – have sports betting legislation pending.

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