The first to do it

A BetMGM retail sportsbook at the Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium campus will open in time for the 2022 NFL season. Once the sportsbook opens, the Arizona Cardinals will be the first NFL team to offer on-site sports betting.

a capacity of around 500 people

Last week, the NFL team provided some first concept images of what the facility will look like. The retail sportsbook will encompass almost 17,000 square feet and two stories. Plans also include a 265-square foot video wall, dining options, as well as over 25 self-service betting kiosks, a sports bar, and teller windows. It will open on game days and non-game days, with a capacity of around 500 people.

No more Cardinals games will take place at the stadium this season. The Phoenix-based NFL side lost out in the Playoffs on Monday at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams.

An exciting experience for fans

Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill noted the great response since announcing the partnership with BetMGM last August. Referring to the new retail facility, he said: “When this sportsbook opens next season, it will provide an opportunity to engage and entertain our fans in a way that is unprecedented.”

BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt believes the operator’s partnership with the Cardinals will enhance the gameday experience in a creative way. On this point, he said: “The BetMGM Sportsbook at State Farm Stadium will be one of the most unique and innovative additions to a venue that the sports and entertainment industry has ever seen.”

A big market in Arizona

Every major professional sports venue in Arizona is set to open a retail sportsbook. There is already a Caesars Sportsbook at the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field and a FanDuel Sportsbook at the Phoenix Suns’ Footprint Center. Retail sportsbooks will also launch at the Phoenix Raceway and the home of the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open – TPC Scottsdale.

BetMGM launched its online sportsbook in Arizona last September

Arizona sports betting went live in September. As part of the licensing process, each professional sports organization or venue obtained a license for a retail sportsbook and could partner with an online operator. BetMGM launched its online sportsbook in Arizona last September through its partnership with the Cardinals.

As a whole, sports betting has had great success in Arizona since launch. Total betting handle for September and October reached $777m, with October handle breaking the national record for a full debut month. Mobile sportsbooks accounted for the vast majority of the betting handle, with two retail sportsbooks and nine online platforms operational during the two months.