BILOXI and TUNICA, Miss., Aug. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- History was made today in Mississippi, as two Magnolia State resorts, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi and Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica, held simultaneous events to usher in the era of legal sports wagering.

The resorts, part of the MGM Resorts International portfolio (NYSE: MGM), both accepted their first sports wagers at 12:00 p.m. CT and now share in the distinction of taking the first sports wagers in Mississippi under newly created state regulations permitting licensed casino operators to establish legal sports books.

"MGM Resorts is proud to once again assume the leadership position in the hospitality industry," said Jim Murren, chairman and chief executive officer of MGM Resorts International. "Sports wagering is a rapidly growing, exciting new entertainment opportunity for our company. We were proud to take the first sports wager in Atlantic City in June and today the first legal sports wager in two locations in Mississippi."

As a part of the MGM Resorts International portfolio, Beau Rivage and Gold Strike launch sports wagering operations with the strong support of MGM's more than 25 years of sports wagering operations experience in Nevada, where the company's resorts combine to write more than 4 million sports wagers each year with an annual handle of more than $1 billion.

"This is a banner day for Beau Rivage and all of Mississippi and we are proud to lead the way on the Mississippi Gulf Coast," said Bill Boasberg, president & chief operating officer of Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. "Here in the heart of the South, home to some of the most ardent sports fans in the world, we open a whole new era of sports entertainment and we do it on the eve of football season. What could be better?"

At 12:00 p.m. CT, a group of local dignitaries and legendary sports figures stepped up to the newly constructed sports wagering windows in the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi for the honor of placing the first legal sports wagers in Mississippi history. Among them, Willis McGahee, former Miami Hurricanes Running Back and 2-time NFL Pro Bowler; Robert Royal, former Louisiana State Tigers All-American Tight End and NFL star; Legendary Oddsmaker Danny Sheridan; Mississippi Gaming and Hospitality Association Exec. Dir. and Former Mississippi Gaming Commission Exec. Dir. Larry Gregory.

Meanwhile, 350 miles to the north in Tunica, a similar group approached the new sports betting windows at Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica to place bets. Among those given the honor of placing a First Bet at Gold Strike were Stanley Morgan, UT Knoxville Wide Receiver and 4-time NFL Pro Bowler; Former Mississippi Gaming Commission Chairman Nolen Canon; Mississippi Senate Tourism Committee Chair Lydia Chassaniol; Mississippi House Gaming Committee Vice-Chair Rep. Cedric Burnett.

At the stroke of noon, the bets were officially entered and ticketed and the Mississippi gaming industry entered a new era of sports entertainment.

The date of these historic first Mississippi sports wagers coincides with the 26th anniversary of the first casino bet made in Mississippi's modern casino age – a legendary dice roll at the Isle of Capri in Biloxi on August 1, 1992.

David Tsai, president and chief operating officer of Gold Strike Casino Resort, heralded the arrival of sports betting with his customers and employees in Tunica.

"This is a defining moment in Gold Strike's nearly 24-year history," said Mr. Tsai. "Sports fans have long waited for this day and we are proud to be the first to offer our customers this exciting new opportunity to engage with their favorite sports and teams. We are honored to be a part of Mississippi gaming history."

Both Mississippi resort executives anticipate the new offering will generate new interest, excitement, and economic benefits for their resorts and communities. That prediction will prove prophetic should Southern sports fans respond in the same manner as their Northern counterparts.

Customer reaction to the introduction of legal sports wagering in New Jersey has exceeded expectations. New Jersey regulators report that sports betters placed more than $16 million in wagers in just the first two weeks sports bets were legal in the state. The new offering boosted Borgata's overall gaming revenues to a record month of more than $65 million, the best June performance in the resorts' 15-year history.

Beau Rivage and Gold Strike Sports Books are operating out of provisional sports betting windows due to the rapid arrival of legal sports wagering in Mississippi, just two months after the US Supreme Court overturned the federal law restricting sports betting. Both resorts are in the final stages of design for future sports book offerings. Details and timelines of those enhancements will be announced at a future date.

About Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
Located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Biloxi, MGM Resorts International's Beau Rivage Resort & Casino was named one of 2017's Top 10 "South's Best Resorts" by Southern Living. The AAA Four Diamond resort features 1,740 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, 10 restaurants, an 85,000-square-foot gaming area, a 1,550-seat theatre, an upscale shopping promenade, a world-class spa & salon and Fallen Oak, a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course. For more information and reservations, call (888) 567-6667 or visit www.beaurivage.com .

About Gold Strike Casino Resort
Gold Strike Casino Resort is MGM Resorts International's 1,200-room resort located 20 minutes south of Memphis in Tunica, Mississippi. The resort includes deluxe rooms and suites, 30,000-square-foot conference and convention center, casino, high-limit gaming area, Chicago Steakhouse and Buffet Americana. Gold Strike also features a refreshing spa, the 800-seat Millennium Theatre, Atrium Café and 50,000 square feet of gaming space with 63 table games and more than 1,100 slot machines. For reservations or information, call 888-245-7529 or visit www.goldstrike.com .

About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 28 unique hotel offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. Expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, the company opened MGM Cotai in Macau in February 2018. It is also developing MGM Springfield in Massachusetts and debuting the first international Bellagio branded hotel in Shanghai. The 78,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at www.mgmresorts.com .

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SOURCE MGM Resorts International