Caesars Sportsbook Debuts Colossal Ad Campaign, William Hill Phased Out

Posted on: August 2, 2021, 09:15h. 

Last updated on: August 18, 2021, 08:12h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The Caesars Sportsbook has officially debuted in the United States, as Caesars Entertainment does away with the William Hill brand in favor of incorporating its own name into the online gaming space. 

Caesars Sportsbook William Hill sports betting
Caesars Entertainment is dropping William Hill in the US, and instead launching a new trademark called Caesars Sportsbook. The online identity is up and running in several states that allow online sports betting, and the platform is using actor JB Smoove (pictured) to promote the sportsbook. (Image: Caesars Entertainment)

Caesars Entertainment closed on its acquisition of William Hill in April. The roughly $4 billion purchase gave Caesars one of the globe’s most trusted and experienced bookmakers. 

The deal provides the newly formed Caesars Entertainment market access to 18 legal sports betting markets, including 11 mobile jurisdictions, in the US. It is the culmination of Eldorado Resorts’ $17.3 billion reverse takeover of the larger casino firm last year.

Caesars is dropping the William Hill identity stateside and rolling with its own iconic casino identity. The Caesars Sportsbook app is already live in eight states — Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. It’s expected to soon come online, pending regulatory approvals, in Arizona, Maryland, and Louisiana. 

William Hill Exit

“Caesar” conjures up various meanings, from the Roman Empire dictator to casinos. 

In the US, Caesars, as it relates to gambling is substantially more known than William Hill. And that’s why the casino company is phasing out the William Hill sportsbook brand domestically. In the Caesars Sportsbook release, Caesars explains that William Hill sportsbooks have — or will be — rebranded to the company’s new sports betting arm. 

Mitchell Marier, a spokesperson for Caesars, told Casino.org that the William Hill brand will remain visible in Nevada at retail sports betting locations not owned by Caesars Entertainment. But every Caesars-operated property on the Las Vegas Strip will incorporate the Caesars Sportsbook, including Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, LINQ, Paris, and Planet Hollywood. 

Outside the US, William Hill is a staple of high streets throughout towns and cities in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1934 by businessman William Hill, the bookmaker counted more than 1,400 betting shops in the UK as of last fall. However, Caesars Entertainment plans to sell many of the retail betting locations in the coming months. 

Various Promos

To lure sports bettors online in the states it operates, Caesars is offering a myriad of promos.

Every bet wagered through the Caesars Sportsbook app — win or lose — collects Caesars Rewards credits that can be used at one of the casino’s more than 50 properties across 16 states. Caesars says its new app also offers extensive odds and flexible wagering limits, and comes with numerous payment options. 

People in states where the Caesars Sportsbook operates should expect to be inundated with television, radio, and social media marketing sports in the immediate future. 

Caesars has brought in comedic actors JB Smoove and Patton Oswalt. In the commercials, Smoove embodies the persona of Augustus Caesar, but an interpretation of the Roman statesman who fancies a sports bet. Patton plays Caesars’ close confidant who introduces him to the Caesars Sportsbook. 

Football fans will also see the Caesars Entertainment brand in the coming months. Caesars Entertainment is the official casino sponsor of the NFL, and recently secured the naming rights to the Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints.