DraftKings may be based in Boston, Massachusetts, but the company may take in the most dollars from Massachusetts residents across the New Hampshire border. The company has just opened its second New Hampshire retail sportsbook.

The new book in Manchester is less than an hour’s drive from Boston. For the foreseeable future, it could stand as a potential destination for Bostonians wanting to legally wager on sporting events.

Details on the second New Hampshire retail sportsbook

DraftKings is based in Boston, and New Hampshire is the company’s first New England operation. “As a New England-based company, DraftKings is honored to launch our American-made sportsbook product in New Hampshire for the start of the NFL playoffs,” Matt Kalish, chief revenue officer and co-founder of DraftKings said via press release.

Just a month after DraftKings opened its first brick-and-mortar book in Seabrook, it opened a second location.

This one is at Filotimo Casino and Restaurant at 1279 S. Willow St. in Manchester.

Aside from the Southside Tavern, the location offers several types of gaming. Options include:

• New Hampshire became the 16th state to legalize sports betting on July 12, 2019 and officially went live on December 30, 2019. Anyone who is at least 18 years of age, has a valid United States Social Security Number and is physically within the state of New Hampshire can bet with DraftKings Sportsbook.
• DraftKings, The Brook and the New Hampshire Lottery Team Up to offer a Premier Sports Betting Experience. Boston, MA and Seabrook, NH (August 12, 2020) – Today, DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG), The Brook and the New Hampshire Lottery announced the opening of the new, state-of-the-art DraftKings Sportsbook.
• Welcome to The Brook, the Seacoast’s premier destination for gaming and pari-mutuel wagering, and New Hampshire’s only retail sportsbook location, The DraftKings Sportsbook at The Brook. After a comprehensive remodel, the former Seabrook Park is now completely transformed into a year round entertainment hub.
• The location opened at the Filotimo Casino and Restaurant in Manchester, which is also home to South Side Tavern. The state will split half of the revenue with DraftKings. Ownership is hoping the.

• Bingo
• Keno
• Lottery
• Lucky 7
• Poker

Now, the 40,000-square-foot facility also offers DraftKings Sportsbook betting kiosks.

The sportsbook space offers individual and group seating in front of a TV wall as well. While bettors are on site, they are required to wear face masks properly unless drinking, eating or taking medication.

In New Hampshire, the state lottery regulates sports betting. The New Hampshire Lottery’s Executive Director Charlie McIntyresaid the lottery chose the Filotimo because of its experience operating charity gaming.

That wasn’t the only reason, however.

“Our stated intent is to take as much activity as we can from Massachusetts. Out-of-state money is the best kind of money,” McIntyre said.

DraftKings and the New Hampshire Lottery won’t have to worry about legal sportsbooks in Massachusetts competing for that money for the foreseeable future. That may spur more retail locations in the state.

MA books aren’t imminent, window is open in New Hampshire

Although the Massachusetts legislature came close to legalizing sports betting in its past session, close doesn’t count in this regard. That body may have more success in the next session, but even a best-case scenario wouldn’t have legal books launching in the state until mid-2021.

That may become the case in Vermont as well. The state is currently conducting a study on the effects of legalization.

If Vermont follows Massachusetts, New Hampshire could see two of its three neighboring states with legal sportsbooks on the way.

That makes time of the essence to get the maximum value out of brick-and-mortar sports betting in New Hampshire. Gov. Chris Sununu spoke to that effect during the opening of the Filotimo book.

Draftkings Sportsbook Manchester New Hampshire

“We don’t want to be building in spring of 2021. We want to be taking advantage of it and we are really setting that gold standard for having that balance of COVID and good economic success,” Sununu stated.

Several New Hampshire cities have already set the wheels in motion to be future retail sportsbook sites. There are only eight more licenses available under current law, with 15 New Hampshire towns in the running.

It’s uncertain exactly what will give some cities the edge over others. Population and existing infrastructure are likely high priorities, as well as distance from existing books to limit market saturation.

What’s certain is that the sooner these books open, the better the chance of them pulling in out-of-state money for the greatest amount of time.

DraftKings Sportsbook expects to take its first mobile bets in New Hampshire during the NFL playoffs after finalizing its contract with the state Monday.

DraftKings will be the only mobile and retail sports betting operator in the state, outside of games available directly through the NH Lottery. Those will be powered by Intralot, which had its contract amended to include sports betting.

“We look forward to collaborating further with the New Hampshire Lottery to bring the DraftKings experience to sports fans in the Granite State,” DraftKings’ co-founder Matt Kalish said. “Our best-in-class mobile sportsbook and several retail locations throughout the state are sure to be a hit with all types of customers as legalized sports betting continues to expand across the country.”

DraftKings won the only contract after offering the best financial package and the fastest implementation timeline, the company said. The Boston-based outfit had the best mobile and retail scores as part of the state’s request for proposal process.

The company will share 50% of revenue with the Lottery for the exclusive mobile and retail sportsbook rights.

DraftKings Sportsbook options in New Hampshire

While the DraftKings Sportsbook mobile app is expected to launch in January, retail sites will have to wait a little longer. Estimates provided to the Associated Press suggest late winter or early spring for the first physical sportsbook opening.

Six cities approved retail sportsbooks throughout the state. Towns could approve being chosen for a retail sportsbook beginning in the spring. Since New Hampshire has full mobile betting, though, retail locations will likely fall behind mobile apps in terms of handle.

Draftkings Sportsbook New Hampshire Game

Players only have to be 18 years old in New Hampshire, instead of 21 in most other states, since the NH Lottery is regulating the games.

NH sports betting moved fast

Draftkings Sportsbook Log In

Launching this NFL season was apparently never a question for Gov. Chris Sununu, who signed the legislation into law in July. He later said he’d bet on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots this NFL season in his state.

Sununu backed off the timeline a bit in the official release, though. He said betting on Brady and the Patriots would be available in time for this year’s Super Bowl.

Draftkings Sportsbook New Hampshire News

The Patriots are currently in first place in the AFC. That means their first game of the playoffs may not come until the weekend of Jan. 11.