Cheesesteaks, crab fries, parlays and exactas all in one place?
Yes, there is such a place and it’s the newest thing in Pennsylvania sports betting .
Bensalem-based Parx Casino has teamed up with iconic crab house and sports bar Chickie’s & Pete’s, opening a 600-square foot race and sportsbook adjacent to its newest, 8,600-square foot location in Malvern on Wednesday.
The combination of the two — located at 10 Liberty Blvd. at the Grove Shopping Center — makes it the first of its kind in the nation that is not attached to a casino, racetrack or major sports venue and is the first licensed gaming outlet in Chester County, which is 36 miles from Philadelphia.
Parx partnership with Chickie's and Pete's dates back to 2010 when Chickie's and Pete's opened a sports bar and restaurant inside the main Parx Casino main location in Bensalem. That remains there today.
First of Its Kind in Nation
“This is the very first stand-alone restaurant and sports bar that has a race and sports book in it, so it's super exciting for our entire region and a great place for people to watch and wager and for people to have their Chickie’s and Pete’s favorites,” said Carrie Nork Minelli, director of public relations for Parx Casino in an interview on TV station WPVI-TV Channel 6.
The eatery — its 19th full-service location — also has two high definition LED video walls plus more than 40 additional televisions. The new location also has outdoor space with a patio, along with 224 seats inside and a 36-seat bar.
Chickie’s and Pete’s is owned by Pete Ciarrocchi, who started the business in 1987. It is known for its spicy crab fries. His parents opened a bar of the same name in 1977 in Northeast Philadelphia.
Owned and operated by Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment, Parx will run and operate the sportsbook, creating about 15 jobs, including management, security and tellers. Chickie’s and Pete’s will operate the food and beverage end and any related hirings, which at opening stands at 85 jobs.
Parx last August announced a multi-year agreement to become online casino partners with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
January Numbers Due Soon
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) is expected to release its handle and revenue report for the state late next week.
It will be interesting to see the numbers, coming off an interesting month with NFL playoffs and a contending NBA team in the Sixers.
Coming off a record in November, in which more than $63.66 million dollars in taxable revenue came into the Keystone State, shattering the old mark of $37.35 million, December revenue brought some winter blues.
The gross sports betting taxable revenue for the month was $18.8 million, which was down a whopping 70.5% from November, and down 44.9% from December 2020 ($34.05 million).
However, sports betting handle was a solid $750.38 million, down just 1.47% from November’s $761.57 million, and up nicely 36.8% from a year ago ($548.59 million).
