Sports book operator William Hill US inks partnership deal with NHL’s Golden Knights Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports · September 19, 2018 at 7:26 am For the first time, a legal sports book operator and a National Hockey League franchise have developed a multi-year partnership. Of course, it’s in Las Vegas. William Hill US and the Vegas Golden Knights have agreed to a deal that will mix hockey and legal sports wagering. During intermissions, the jumbotron scoreboard at the T-Mobile Arena will display updated league-wide odds on NHL games. “We are always looking for innovative ways to engage different segments our fan base and provide a unique fan experience,” Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz said in a statement. William Hill US, a subsidiary of UK-based betting giant William Hill PLC, operates 108 sports race and sports betting facilities in Nevada. Since May, William Hill US has launched sports book in New Jersey, Mississippi, Delaware and West Virginia. The company also has a mobile sports wagering app. William Hill will have an advertisement placed an in-rink dasherboard visible to television cameras, along with in-arena signage. The sportsbook operator will also be featured on the LED ribbon board with the phrase, “William Hill Line Change,” when the Golden Knights change player lines during the game. In the team’s inaugural season, the Golden Knights exceeded all expectations by winning both the Pacific Division and Western Conference and reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Vegas lost in the finals to the Washington Capitals. Now in the team’s second season – which begins Oct. 4 at the T-Mobile Arena against the Philadelphia Flyers – the Golden Knights are expected to make several nationally televised appearances. “We are headquartered in Las Vegas and have seen first-hand what this team has done for our community,” William Hill CEO Joe Asher said in a statement. “We are proud of the fact that this is the first sponsorship agreement between a sports book and an NHL team in the country.” Since sports betting became legal throughout the U.S. in May, several partnerships have been reached between gambling operations and professional sports leagues and teams. Earlier this month, the WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma and the Dallas Cowboys – one of the National Football League’s storied franchises – announced a first of its kind partnership deal. In August, the National Basketball Association announced a three-year sports betting partnership with MGM Resorts International. “This partnership between a major professional team and a sports book operator is a historic, landmark agreement and we are delighted to be leading the way with William Hill in this space,” Bubolz said. Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgamingreports.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter