A mobile Pennsylvania sports betting provider is getting into the sponsorship game.
Bensalem-based Parx Racing and Parx Casino has announced that betPARX will be the title sponsor of the 42nd running of the $1 million Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24.
The betPARX Pennsylvania Derby will headline a full card with other major races such as the $1 million Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, the $300,000 Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes, the $200,000 Grade 3 Greenwood Cup, the $300,000 Grade 3 Turf Monster and five other stakes races, including the Parx Dirt Mile.
 “We are excited to partner with betPARX as the title sponsor for the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby,” said Joe Wilson, chief operating officer of Parx Racing, in a news release. “This continues the evolution of the PA Derby becoming a premier 3-year-old racing event and a major prep for the Breeders’ Cup. Partnering with betPARX allows us to strengthen our commitment to racing in the Commonwealth.”
The race is held at Parx Racing and Casino and the main sportsbook facility for betParx is on the same site in Bensalem, which is northeast of Philadelphia in Bucks County.
Pennsylvania is among the few states that offers real money online casinos in Pennsylvania. The others are New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan and West Virginia.
Those states, plus Nevada, also offer online poker.
New betParx Brand Started Recently
A new addition to Pennsylvania sports betting apps was launched earlier this year in betParx.
Parx Casino introduced betParx, its new mobile betting platform, as having a wide variety of online casino slots, table games and sports betting.
“betPARX is thrilled to partner with Parx Racing and this prominent GI race in Pennsylvania — right at our own track. We know racing fans tend to also enjoy casino and sports betting action on the betPARX app, making this the perfect partnership within the Parx family,” said Matthew Cullen, senior vice president of interactive gaming and sports at betPARX.
History of the Pennsylvania Derby
The Pennsylvania Derby made its debut in 1979. Since then, it has served as a major final prep race for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic. This year’s Breeders Cup will be held Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.
Here are some of the more prominent winners of the Pennsylvania Derby noted by Parx Racing:
- Broad Brush (1986)
- Afleet (1987)
- Summer Squall (1990)
- Macho Uno (2001)
- Harlan’s Holiday (2002)
- Will Take Charge (2013)
- Bayern (2014)
- Frosted (2015)
- West Coast (2017)
Last year’s Pennsylvania Derby was won by Hot Rod Charlie, with Flavien Prat aboard.
The betParx brand is currently operating or will be operating in four states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey and soon in Ohio.
Pennsylvania Derby Day is part of a sports-filled Saturday in the Keystone State, as Central Michigan visits Penn State and Rhode Island visits Pittsburgh in college football. Just 30 minutes away, the Philadelphia Phillies host their National League East Division rival, the Atlanta Braves, at 4:05 p.m. in the third game of a four-game series with hopes of a wild-card playoff berth still on the line.
