SaharaBets has joined forces with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes to produce Arizona’s newest online sportsbook. The new betting site officially launched and took its first wagers on Wednesday, January 12.
This recent addition means that there are now nine online sports betting operators live in Arizona, out of a total of 20 that state regulators have legislated for. Ten are directly affiliated with professional sports teams.
SaharaBets is owned by Meruelo Gaming, an affiliate of two casinos — the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno and the Sahara Las Vegas in Las Vegas. All are owned by The Meruelo Group, a conglomerate of companies founded and owned by billionaire Alex Meruelo, who is also the majority owner of the Coyotes.
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- Quality welcome offer
- Some of the best promos
- Variety of betting markets
The partnership effectively makes Meruelo the first sports franchise owner in the US to open his own sportsbook enterprise.
The timing is also significant, with the launch coming just in time for the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl in February. The latter is traditionally the biggest event on the US sports betting calendar.
Uniquely Close Ties
“SaharaBets brings the excitement and reputation of the iconic Sahara Las Vegas to sports fans here in Arizona,” said SaharaBets President Andrew Patterson
“As the sports betting landscape continues to evolve in the Valley, SaharaBets looks forward to collaborating with the Coyotes organization to engage and interact with sports fans in fun and unique ways.”
Xavier Gutierrez, the Coyotes president and CEO, also focused on the close relationship between the sportsbook and the NHL team.
“The Coyotes are dedicated to providing innovative and entertaining experiences for our great fans,” Gutierrez said. “Our partnership with SaharaBets will offer next-level gaming experiences for fans who want to unleash their competitive spirit.”
Sportsbooks Proving Popular in AZ
Arizona is one of the most recent states to legalize and regulate online gambling, with its first sportsbooks opening their virtual doors in September of 2021.
In the first two months of business, the state’s operators had a $777 million handle and gave away $57 million in free bets.
In that time, the combined revenue for all operators was $68 million — with a total profit of $10.7 million once free bets were taken into account. The tax revenue generated in September and October totaled more than $1 million.
The AZ sports betting market is currently dominated by some familiar names. At present, the leading operator in the state is DraftKings, which grossed $151 million in October alone. During that month, FanDuel came in second place with just under $116 million, followed by BetMGM with $92 million and Caesars with $69 million.
Coyotes fans can expect a range of dedicated wagering offers centered around their team. But the unique partnership between SaharaBets and the Coyotes is not solely about betting opportunities.
“More importantly, it’s the engagement and the opportunity fans will have maybe outside the app,” Patterson told the Arizona Republic. “What experiences can they gain by being a SaharaBets customer that really drives them to engage with the team in a different way and with the application, different than what you might get from other operators in the state.”
