The start of football season and the NFL is finally here. While residents in New York can wager on all of the action through NY sports betting apps, starting with a Thursday Night Football matchup between the Buffalo Bills at the Los Angeles Rams, retail establishments feature lots of specials for the NFL kickoff.
Altogether, the state includes four commercial casinos, along with several others owned by Native American tribes. (This list is set to expand soon enough, as the state is also in line to debut three new downstate NY casinos in the near future.)
Although a New York City option isn’t available just yet, the state showcases a bunch of retail casinos with sportsbooks. Many of these brick-and-mortar locations highlight ways to celebrate the return of the NFL this weekend.
NFL kickoff specials at NY casinos
All four of the state’s commercial casinos include some type of promotion, special, or giveaway. That’s a fairly nice incentive to pair with the opening NFL games of the year.
Let’s examine each of the NY casinos and see what deals each lists for guests to take full advantage of.
Tioga Downs
Tioga Downs is home to FanDuel Sportsbook, which covers 2,600 square feet and features more than 50 seats and 27 video displays.
In addition to the large video wall, the retail book includes eight betting windows to conduct your wagers in person. It also has three sports tickers so you’re always up to date with the scores and stats of the day.
Besides just enjoying the games, Tioga Downs reward members can attempt to win some money this season, too. Through the $1,000,000 Pigskin Pick’em, the casino is handing out cash every week for picking the NFL contests correctly.
Starting Sept. 6, bettors can swipe their player card every Tuesday through Sunday at the kiosks in the lobby near the players club. Here, you must pick every NFL game playing that week, along with answering a question for the tie break. The promotion allows guests to submit an entry once per day during each weekly window.
The top 10 entries at the end of the week earn prizes, with the top five receiving cash. First place wins a total of $500 weekly.
There’s plenty of reason to continue entering the pool, as it’s possible your season results provide a massive payout. If a contestant reaches 215 total wins using their best entry, they’ll take home $1 million. The promo is open now and runs through Jan. 8.
Sundays aren’t the only day to cash in at Tioga Downs, either. On Thursdays in September, it runs its Helmet Hysteria deal. This promotion delivers 10 prizes each day, with two lucky guests getting announced every hour. If selected, you choose a helmet that comes equipped with various prize amounts. There are two with $250 bonuses, six with a $100 bonus, and two others with $50.
It should be noted that patrons only have three minutes to get to the rewards club, or notify a casino associate when they hear their name.
Del Lago Resort & Casino
Another great avenue in NY is the del Lago Resort & Casino in the Finger Lakes region. Its DraftKings Sportsbook is sizable, expanding more than 6,000 square feet overall.
The retail sports betting site includes more than enough ways to place bets for all of your NFL interests. It houses four betting windows, in addition to 23 self-serve kiosks.
Once your wagers are in, guests can take in all of the excitement on Sundays through 1,000 square feet of LED video screens.
Refreshment is also a vital part of watching your favorite NFL team. DraftKings runs specials for certain drinks every Thursday, Sunday or any other time the Buffalo Bills are playing.
Specific beverages like Labatt Blue and Blue Light are on sale, with buckets of five beers costing just $20.
Although it’s not available just yet, the retail sportsbook also offers a food platter special for Oktoberfest. Beginning Sept. 17, guests can enjoy an array of sausage and bratwurst for $14 per platter. This special is available until Oct. 3.
Rivers Casino & Resort
The Rivers Casino on the Mohawk River in Schenectady provides a few ways for NFL fans to cash in this season, as well.
Its Rivers Sportsbook is a luxury-styled lounge with lots of VIP seating. The land-based spot shares a video wall spanning 53 feet, as well as 22 other TVs. Bettors have the ability to put action down at six betting windows, or 14 kiosks throughout the area. Rivers Casino even accommodates those looking for a private viewing experience, with five private booths that each hold up to six people.
To celebrate the fact that the NFL is back, Rivers guests can benefit from drink specials every day the NFL plays. Every Sunday, Monday and Thursday through Feb. 13, guests can utilize the football special drink prices.
At Van Slyck’s, Dukes and The Landing Bar, there are $4 drafts and $4 cans on popular beer choices like Bud Light and Michelob Ultra.
Football fans can even win some money at Rivers through its Rivers Touchdown Toss-Up. Rush Rewards members receive entries into this monthly promo for simply playing their favorite eligible casino games. Every 50 points obtained from slots and video poker nets one entry. Table games provide two entries at the same rate.
Then on Thursdays, these numbers are multiplied with a bonus 5x multiplier. Instead of one and two entries, bettors get five and 10 entries into the drawing every Thursday of the month.
Every Thursday night at 8 p.m. this September, three winners get selected to try their luck at collecting $2,500 in cash. Each receives three opportunities to roll the dice to move into the end zone. Whichever player makes it, takes home the money. If no one scores a touchdown, Rivers will hand out a $500 cash bonus to the player who went furthest.
Resorts World Catskills
The final NY commercial casino ready to go for the NFL this year is the Resorts World Catskills. The upstate casino features its Sportsbook 360 within a 6,000-square-foot space that delivers all NFL fans need.
It includes a 360-degree arc of entertainment with 32 sizable TVs, to go along with its massive HD screen. The sportsbook also displays more than 30 betting kiosks within the establishment.
Before enjoying the games on Sunday, guests at the casino can win thousands in money for a gas card, or even the grand prize of a new Cadillac Escalade.
With Resorts’ $100K Gameday Giveaway, every 100 points guests earn rewards them with an entry into the promotion. Every Friday and Saturday in September (and Oct. 1) includes a drawing at 7 p.m., with another each hour until 10 p.m. Then on Oct. 1, the grand prize is announced, along with four other notable winners.
The one winner selected every hour during September wins a $500 bonus for free slot play. They also earn a Resorts WorldBet prize pack.
However, the night to win is the first day next month, when five winners profit from some great gifts. A Cadillac Escalade goes to the overall top winner, while gas cards ranging from $500 to $5,000 are the secondary prizes.
Bettors at Resorts can capitalize on an entry multiplier that is set up for Thursdays in September. Depending on which rewards level you’re at, you could see up to 6x the number of points to acquire more entries into the giveaway.
