Casino City’s Friday Five: New York mobile sports betting edition

Last Saturday morning at 9 a.m. EST, mobile sports betting launched in the state of New York with four sportsbook operators. Before we get into those details and some impressive figures from the opening days, we have news about bonus spins available for Everygame Poker players, major jackpot wins from Florida and Las Vegas, and some new luxury suites at a Las Vegas Strip hotel.

Let’s begin with some online slot play:

5. Everygame Poker giving away spins to start of 2022
Through 17 January, depositing players at Everygame Poker can get bonus spins on popular slot games Stacked, Stay Frosty, Take the Kingdom and Safari Sam 2.

Stacked features a vaudevillian magician who conjures spins, multipliers and instant prizes. When he performs his secret trick, a random number of face-down mystery cards are added to the reels. The face-down cards are magically turned over to reveal matching symbols.

Stay Frosty! is a five-reel, 100-payline slot with sticky wilds that stay sticky for two spins when part of a winning combination. The snowman wild can occupy one position or the entire reel.

A fearsome medieval dragon guards great treasure in the new Take the Kingdom, a 100-payline game with exploding fireballs and bonus spins with extra wilds. The dragon breathes fireball bombs on the grid which explode into wilds every seventh spin. Three or more treasure chest scatters trigger 12 bonus spins with 6, 9, or 12 wilds.

Safari Sam 2 is a five-reel, 50-payline game where every spin can sound the Call of the Wild, turning all symbols on up to four reels into wild compass symbols.

4. Flamingo Las Vegas pays out major jackpot
During her first time playing Face Up Pai Gow, a Caesars Rewards member hit the Mega Progressive Jackpot at Flamingo Las Vegas on the morning of 11 January, resulting in a win of $968,167 and an additional $5,000 for the Fortune Bonus.

The guest was visiting from Olympia, Washington for a family vacation, and she plans to use the winnings to invest in her nail salon business.

A fabulous Mega Progressive #jackpot on Face Up Pai Gow from a lucky @Caesarsrewrads winner for $968,167! Plus they hit the $5,000 Fortune Bonus ?? ?? #4EverFabulous #Congrats
21+ Gambling Problem? Call 800-522-4700 pic.twitter.com/HFA4TgCLee

— Flamingo Las Vegas (@FlamingoVegas) January 11, 2022

3. Women wins two $1 million jackpots in three weeks
On Sunday, 9 January, a lucky Clearwater, Florida resident named Gloria visited Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and won a $1,045,153 jackpot while playing Aristocrat Gaming’s Dragon Link progressive slot game.

This jackpot comes just 18 days after she won $1,241,642 on Dragon Link, marking her second progressive jackpot over $1 million on the popular Aristocrat game.

WOW! Amazing win, not once, but twice! Same person, 18 days apart at @SHRTampa. Congratulations! Who's next?!#WinnerWednesday #jackpot #slots #slotmachine #aristocratgaming #casino pic.twitter.com/ZC3kbLITEw

— Aristocrat Gaming - US (@aristocratslots) January 12, 2022

2. Aria Las Vegas debuts redesign for SKYVILLAS and Sky Suites
Aria Resort & Casino unveiled seven newly reimagined SKYVILLAS and a complete redesign of its more than 400 Sky Suites delivering guests a new and elevated sanctuary on the Las Vegas Strip.

In addition to enjoying a completely new space, Villa guests will delight in indulgent daily surprises handpicked by the resort’s celebrated team of butlers. Cigar aficionados will appreciate the personalized cigar cart delivering hand-rolled masterpieces, and foodies will enjoy custom-made chocolates or freshly baked mesquite bread, amongst other bespoke treats. Furthermore, the SKYVILLAS concierge is available at all times to ensure Villa guests enjoy memorable and carefree stays.

Sky Suites are available as one and two-bedroom accommodations. Sky Suites offer all guests luxury airport transportation, a personal concierge, private pool, private entrance and preferred dining reservations.

“In reimagining ARIA’s SKYVILLAS and Sky Suites, our crown jewels, we took great care to consider what would enhance and differentiate ARIA’s award-winning experience,” said Anton Nikodemus, President & COO of ARIA. “Inspiring design and breathtaking views are complemented by exceptional, detail-oriented service, creating unparalleled stays for our guests.”

1. New York launches mobile sports betting
The four New York sportsbooks that launched Saturday morning (Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel and BetRivers) already have partnerships with New York casinos. The operators must house their servers at casinos in the state.

New York generated 5.8 million wagers in the first 12 hours, approximately 2.5 times more than the next closest state (Pennsylvania with 2.3 million bets) during the same time frame, according to GeoComply.

In addition, BetMGM announced that it will be launching its sportsbook in New York on 17 January. Players in the Empire State will soon be able to access the benefits of betting with BetMGM, an Official Sports Betting Partner of the Knicks, Rangers and Madison Square Garden Arena.

The remaining four conditionally licensed mobile sports wagering operators (BallyBet, PointsBet, Resorts World, and WynnBet) continue to work towards satisfying statutory and regulatory requirements necessary to launch and will be approved on a rolling basis when requirements are met.