New Hampshire has yet another opportunity to dominate legal sports betting in New England.
The Granite State is currently the only New England state with a full-fledged online wagering app available. And it will soon get into the brick-and-mortar game.
Seabrook and Hampton residents will have an option at their respective March 10 Town Meetings to vote for physical sportsbooks, according to SeacoastOnline.com.
The Brook in Seabrook and Ocean Gaming at Hampton Beach are both highly interested in opening a retail sportsbook.
Massachusetts sports betting lagging
A large chunk of the near 40,000 registered DraftKings Sportsbook users in New Hampshire are Massachusetts residents.
Bay State bettors have been driving just over the New Hampshire border, at which point their DraftKings app is activated via geolocation.
WEEI sports radio host Mike Mutnansky has long been a proponent of legalizing sports betting in New England and he suspects that the Bay State is losing millions.
Here is what Mutnansky tweeted on Super Bowl Sunday.
“Hundreds of cars and thousands of people from Massachusetts – myself included – headed out-of-state today to NH and RI to bet on the Super Bowl. Legally. While MA misses out again. What are we doing? @MA_Senate @MassGovernor #letusbet.”
Seabrook and Hampton are both right on the Massachusetts border. If both towns were to open up brick-and-mortar shops it would obviously widen New Hampshire’s sports betting lead on Massachusetts.
Selection process
The New Hampshire Lottery Commission, in conjunction with DraftKings, will initially select up to 10 retail spots in the state.
Nine Granite State cities had a retail sports betting question back in November and there were five that approved the measure. Manchester, Laconia, Claremont, Berlin and Somersworth all voted yes for a sportsbook in their respective city.
“There are no guarantees that any specific municipality will be getting a location at this point in time,” John Conforti of the New Hampshire Lottery Commission told SeacoastOnline.com. “It is merely the town providing eligibility, that they would welcome the establishment if both DraftKings and the Lottery Commission find one they are willing to partner with.”