A new era of gaming was ushered in Thursday with a Philadelphia sports icon and the state’s top lawmaker proudly holding up wager slips after placing the first legal sports bets at a resort casino. Julius “Dr. J.” Erving and Senate President Steve Sweeney were first in line at the Race & Sports Book inside Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and placed wagers on the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers, respectively, to win the Super Bowl next February.
Erving placed a $5 wager on the Eagles with 8-1 odds, while Sweeney bet $200 on Green Bay at 10-1 odds. “This couldn’t be a better birthday present for Borgata and our team members today to bring on another form of entertainment,” said Marcus Glover, president of the casino hotel, which is celebrating its 15th year this summer. “(Sports betting) brings a sense of vibrancy and adds to the excitement that already exists inside the four walls of Borgata today. …Today, Borgata leads the way as New Jersey enters a new era of sports entertainment.”