Permanent FanDuel Sportsbook to Open at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut on Thursday

After taking bets at the casino’s sports bar since the end of September, the permanent FanDuel Sportsbook at Mohegan Sun CT will have a soft opening on Thursday — just in time for Sunday’s Super Bowl, a national sports betting holiday.

The first legal bet in Connecticut was placed on Sept. 29 at the Mohegan Sun’s Bow & Arrow Sports Bar by Gov. Ned Lamont. He bet $50 on the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA Playoffs at the temporary Mohegan Sun sportsbook. At the time it had four live betting windows and 50 self-service betting terminals.

The permanent sportsbook, which soft launches at 9 a.m. Thursday, will have multiple live teller windows and 39 betting kiosks, according to a news release. One of the kiosks will be on the all-new mezzanine level that has 22 luxury seats.

The new sportsbook, located in the old Race Book, will have 222 total seats and a 140-foot video wall in its 11,000 square feet, the release said.

“We’re beyond excited about this new venue which completely transforms Mohegan Sun’s old Race Book space into one of the largest and most dynamic FanDuel Sportsbooks in the United States,” Jeff Hamilton, president & general manager of Mohegan Sun, said in the release. “The all-new Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook, led by Sportsbook General Manager Brad Bryant, becomes the premier venue to wager on and catch a game while enjoying top-notch service inside an incredibly immersive atmosphere.

”We’re really thrilled to welcome sports fans out to this new venue, and we plan to have special appearances throughout the year.”

After the permanent sportsbook gets up and running this week, the casino and FanDuel will host a Grand Opening celebration on March 5, just in time for March Madness.

Running through Sunday, bettors who visit the Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook and place an NFL Same Game Parlay of $50 or more at any kiosk can get 25% back as a free bet up to $50, the release said.

That means an NFL Same Game Parlay bet of $100 awards a $25 free bet (redeemable the day after the Super Bowl through Feb. 20), the release said. A parlay allows players to select two or more bets within the same game and if all hit, it’s a winner.

The Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook will be open daily with extended hours on weekends.

After retail sports betting launched in late September, Connecticut’s online sports betting market went live on Oct. 19 following a soft launch on Oct. 12.

There are three online sportsbooks in Connecticut — DraftKings, FanDuel and SugarHouse.

DraftKings has a partnership with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe. The Connecticut Lottery Corp. chose Rush Street Interactive and its SugarHouse sportsbook as its sports betting partner.

Connecticut recorded a handle of $150.1 million in December, which was 13.9% more than November’s handle of $131.7 million. January numbers have not been released.

Real money online casinos in Connecticut posted a handle of $814.9 million in December, up 17.9% from November’s $691.3 million.