Gambling Today: Circa Sports Launching Betting App In Colorado in July


SI Gambling insider Frankie Taddeo takes an inside look at the new Circa Sports betting app which has received praise for being very “bettor-friendly.”

Another Vegas sportsbook is starting to gain national recognition as it continues to expand.

Circa Sports, which currently operates multiple sportsbooks in downtown Las Vegas as well as the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino and the D Las Vegas, has announced it will be launching its sports betting application in the state of Colorado sometime in July.

According to the company’s press release:

“The Sportsbook Cooperation Agreement with Century Casinos and Circa Sports is a 15-year agreement that includes a market access fee, a share of net gaming revenue, and a minimum revenue guarantee payable to the Century Casinos each year.”

Circa Sports has created a solid niche here in Las Vegas sports betting circles, and they plan to now bring the same offerings to the Centennial State.

“Like Circa Sports’ Nevada app and sportsbooks, Circa Sports Colorado will feature creative props bets, higher and fairer betting limits, and lower holds (the fraction of money wagered that the book expects to keep) on futures markets than other sportsbooks and sports betting apps.”

The new app, according to the release, is designed for sports bettors to feel like they’re in control of building their own unique betting experiences.

“With the proliferation of sport betting apps, the industry has lost that customer-first feel. What we’re doing with Circa Sports is providing an unrivaled customer experience that is built on transparency and enabled with technology. It’s a sportsbook run by sports bettors,” said Derek Stevens, CEO of Circa Sports. “We’ve experienced immense success with this approach since launching in Vegas last year, and are thrilled to be able to offer it to the great state of Colorado, which has a rich history in professional and amateur sports, and a strong fan base that supports its teams.”

Stevens and Circa Sports should be applauded for some very attractive business practices as well as exciting NFL contests that offer multi-million dollar payout potential. Circa Sports is currently the only sportsbook in Las Vegas that allows futures bets to be placed in parlays and does not attempt to reduce limits for winning bettors.

“We believe Circa Sports will fill a unique need in Colorado”, said Stevens. “We plan on taking larger limits than most, similar to what we do in Nevada. We will also offer some unique products, such as cross-sport parlays, something that has been extremely popular in Las Vegas.”

As previously covered here at SI’s Gambling Today, Stevens ran a promotion where he gave away 2,000 free one-way flights to Las Vegas. Seats that were part of “Keep America Flying” were available on a first-come, first-serve basis and were quickly grabbed up by tourists looking to return to Sin City post-COVID-19 shutdown. The promotion appears to be paying immediate dividends and is something Stevens envisions will only grow over the summer months.

“Business is ramping up nicely with enhanced safety procedures in place. We’ve seen a trend in drive-in markets and expect to see more people starting to fly by the end of July.”

As an avid sports fan and bettor himself, Stevens is clamoring for the return of all the major US sports. Once they’re back, he anticipates sports betting moving forward very quickly in many states around the country to help stimulate local economies hurt by the shutdown.

“Sports wagering is still in its infancy in the United States. The percentage of States that will allow sports wagering will continue to increase in the next 24 months. States will be looking at every possible revenue source after the Pandemic of 2020,” said Stevens.

According to the release, the Circa Sports Colorado app will be run from its hub of skilled oddsmakers, led by Matthew Metcalf, in Las Vegas. This is Circa Sports’ first market venture outside of the state of Nevada and while the company is currently researching other states for additional company expansion, it continues to move ahead of schedule to open its newest property; Circa Las Vegas on October 28.