Circa Sports Launches in Illinois and Signs Key Kentucky Partnership

Circa Sports had a productive end of last week as the top-end retail sportsbook and competitive mobile sports betting brand tries to expand its footprint and make a market-share splash in the blossoming U.S. legal sports betting industry.

The Las Vegas sports betting brand announced late last week its mobile and retail launch into the competitive and lucrative Illinois market. The company also signed a partnership deal with Cumberland Run that will expedite their launch in another key U.S. state, the Kentucky sports betting market.

It is rumored that Circa Sports also has designs on operations in New Jersey, Ohio, and Michigan, with Illinois being a good trial run for their hopeful launches in those established states.

The Illinois launch

Circa Sports announced on Friday that it will become the eighth mobile sportsbook competing for market share in the Illinois market. Circa Sports Illinois started taking bets Friday at 1 p.m. ET, just in time to take advantage of Week 4 of the NFL season and intriguing weekend college football action.

Circa entered an Illinois sports betting scene that had been quite static with seven operators, despite it frequently falling in the top-six of sports betting states in America. The last new sportsbook to go live in the Land of Lincoln was BetMGM, which started its Illinois journey in March of 2022. 

Circa joins the other Illinois sports betting apps in this market, a group that includes BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, and Barstool Sportsbook.

Illinois becomes the fourth state in which Circa Sports has a presence. Prior to Friday's launch, Circa sportsbooks were live in its home-state Nevada, Colorado, and Iowa.

Circa owner and CEO Derek Stevens said of the launch: “The debut of Circa Sports Illinois is a tremendous moment for our company, and we are thrilled to have worked with this great state and Full House Resorts to bring the expansion to life. There’s nothing like a Midwest sports fan and we know our product matches up with what they are looking for in a betting experience.”

Kentucky next

Circa Sports is the only one of eight sportsbooks to gain licenses in the exciting Kentucky sports betting market but failed to launch on Day 1 of mobile sports betting on Sept. 28. On Friday, a major hurdle for launch was cleared with an announcement of a signed partnership between Circa and ECL Corbin, LLC, at the Cumberland Run harness track and The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland.

Kentucky sports betting apps are mandated to partner with a horse racing track in order to operate in the state.

Circa owner and CEO Derek Stevens, on the partnership said: “Circa Sports has experienced tremendous growth since our 2019 launch, and we’re thrilled to introduce our operations to the great Commonwealth of Kentucky. We are grateful to our partners at Cumberland Run for bringing this to life and look forward to sharing what the brand has in store for Kentucky.”  

A launch date was not mentioned along with the Circa/Cumberland Run partnership news. But it is expected that Circa Sports will hurry to become Kentucky's eighth mobile sports betting provider.

Taking advantage of the bulk of the NFL season has to be the main goal of the sports betting provider.

What Circa brings to the market

Circa Sports is considered one of the best sportbooks in Las Vegas, but has managed to create a respectable mobile sports betting product.

Circa’s major differentiator is their ability to provide the best pricing and best betting options in the country, along with larger betting limits in comparison to their competition. Better odds mean better payouts for Circa customers. 

Prior to their launch in Iowa last year, the company touted “the highest limits, lowest hold percentages and best customer service of any offering in the state.” However, don't expect Circa to add to the list of Kentucky sportsbook promos new users can take advantage of - they have historically not been inclined to offer sign-up bonuses.

Circa has also taken time to develop a strong suite of future bets in parlay, along with two-sided, yes/no future betting opportunities. All are somewhat unique to the Circa sportsbook brand.