Borgata was the first of the nine Atlantic City properties to launch a sportsbook on June 14, giving it a leg up against the competition — both in terms of booking bets and allowing itself significant preparation for football season. Borgata was the first of three AC books I visited on Sept. 8, the second major college football Saturday of the season. 
Getting to the window
I’m not a big college football bettor, and the only game I wanted to get down on was Duke-Northwestern. The only issue was that it was a noon ET kickoff and I didn’t make it into the book until 11:57 a.m. The line to the five open sportsbook windows was about 15-20 deep, but to my surprise it moved quickly. I got to the top of the line at 12:01, where I was greeted by a manager who asked me if I needed any help.
I told him I wanted to bet a noon game and wasn’t sure if that was still possible. Even though the game hadn’t yet kicked off, he noted that the computers were fairly strict but it was worth a try. The game was off the board and I didn’t have any time to grab a sheet, so I told the clerk I was trying to bet $50 on Duke +3. She had a sheet handy, gave it a quick once-over and punched the number into the computer. Out came the ticket, with a time stamp of 12:02:27. Bingo.
As I was walking away, the manager checked in to see if I had been successful. I gave him the thumbs-up and thanked him for the help. Needless to say I was duly impressed with every element of the process.
Surveying the landscape
Apart from the line to the window, the book was pretty empty at noon. As I was on my way out I snapped a few pictures from the back of the book. I was promptly flagged by a member of the security team and informed that I wasn’t permitted to take photos without proper authorization. A different manager appeared and instructed me to go inquire about getting credentialed. I had other places to visit, so I went on my way.
With Duke going on to beat Northwestern, 21-7, I returned to the book shortly after 3 p.m. to cash my ticket. The place was teeming with bettors and full of boisterous energy, but not for the reasons I would have guessed. Borgata essentially retrofitted its existing racebook with a sportsbook, and it rapidly became apparent that it’s still first and foremost a racebook. Of the four projection screens situated above the betting windows, three of them had horse races and the fourth was split into quarters with some college football and MLB. In addition, every stall of the seven rows of terminals within the book was occupied by bettors whose gazes (and voices) were fixed intently on the pony screens. Betting kiosks line one side of the book, but again, only accept race wagers.
Assessing the betting menu and odds
For the most part, Borgata’s betting sheets and board offered industry-standard odds and prices. Week 1 NFL numbers were consistent with what I was seeing in Las Vegas and offshore. Other than the Bengals-Colts line, which was juiced on both sides (CIN -3, -120; IND +3 -115), the games all had 10-cent sides and totals. Futures prices were steady for the most part as well, with the Giants (20/1), Eagles (7/1) and Packers (8/1) representing the notable exceptions, as all could be found at significantly more favorable prices in Vegas and offshore. Regional biases were clearly at play on the former pair while Green Bay is a heavy public team, which explains the discrepancy.
Similar story for MLB: dime lines across the board and consistent futures prices, save for the Yankees (6/1) and Dodgers (9/2). Much like the I-95 football teams, public liability looks to have sucked the value out of the Yanks and Dodgers. Potentially some old-timer nostalgia steam on the Dodgers, given they left Brooklyn in 1957.
Final thoughts
With Borgata being part of MGM Resorts International — which boasts significant oddsmaking experience and runs a handful of prominent sportsbooks in Las Vegas — I expected a Vegas-style operation and wasn’t disappointed.
Prices at Borgata are fair, the staff is well-trained and lines to the window move quickly. As noted above, the only real drawback is this facility is basically a racebook that offers sports betting, as opposed to a tried-and-true sportsbook. If and when they can begin to cater more exclusively to their sports betting clientele, Borgata will be tough to top among Atlantic City properties.
| The Menu | |
| The Odds | |
| The Book | |
| Overall |