Golden Nugget Relaunches Atlantic City Sportsbook

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Adam Warner

Updated by Adam Warner

Last Updated 1st Feb 2025, 12:38 AM

Golden Nugget Relaunches Atlantic City Sportsbook

The Golden Nugget Atlantic City is reopening after a five-year hiatus, with amenities expected in a modern-day sportsbook, (Image: Adam Warner / Casinos.com)

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- Sports bettors in New Jersey have a new spot to place wagers on the Super Bowl, or more accurately, a return of an old one as Golden Nugget Atlantic City reopened its doors on Wednesday.

““Perfectly timed for guests to get their bets in for the Super Bowl, we are launching new and improved technology and betting options,” General Manager Tom Pohlman said. “Our team is committed to providing an elevated betting atmosphere, and these enhancements are proof of that.”

In addition to newer, cleaner furniture, the upgraded Sportsbook promises to spread a host of new betting options -- including MMA, college baseball, college softball, women’s college basketball, men’s college hockey and the Summer and Winter Olympics. 

The new Golden Nugget sportsbook also will offer same-game parlays, teasers with both traditional or alternate spreads, a wider range of player and team prop options, boosted odds, and, says Pohlman, "a bet builder to create personalized bets, and the allowance of early cashouts.”

The book itself will normally be open 3 pm - 11 pm on weekdays, 11 am -11 pm on Saturdays and 10 am - 11pm on Sundays. You can bet 24/7 on kiosks all over the casino floor. What you can't do is bet on sports on the Golden Nugget app. DraftKings, the owner and operator of Golden Nugget Online Gaming, shut down the sportsbetting part of it in April 2024. 

First Day Software Hiccups

The update is not a remodel of the space, rather Golden Nugget updated their wagering software. And unfortunately the relaunch had a hitch. Golden Nugget needed the Ok from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to turn the machines back on, and expected it to happen at about 1pm on Jan. 29. But as of 3 pm, they were still waiting.

Golden Nugget Kiosk

On Day 1, the betting kiosks at Golden Nugget Atlantic City were on the fritz. (Image: Adam Warner / Casinos.com)

It's unfortunate since there was actually a major sporting event going on at 3 pm on midwinter Wednesday; the final day of UEFA Champions League soccer. Eighteen matches started simultaneously and featured virtually all of Europe’s top clubs. But the DGE approval never came. You could watch the matches, at least one of them, on the big screens in the smallish book, you just could not place a wager.

On the other hand, soccer does not drive the handle at US books.

Ready for the Big Game?

At least Golden Nugget is presumably open in time for the Super Bowl, especially with the Eagles playing as it's a relatively short drive for Eagles fans living in the Philly area (about an hour give or take). It is only a two hour or so from the Northern NJ suburbs and I can relate from personal experience that we have a boatland of (incredibly vociferous)  Philadelphia sports fans up here as well. The Giants have 4 Super Bowls titles vs. 1 for the Eagles, but who’s counting.

The sportsbook did however miss the entirety of the football season until now. While NJ casino sports book numbers were lower across the board this fall as compared to 2023, it is still the time of year that brings in the highest handle and revenue.

It's nice that Golden Nugget will now improve their offerings on the sports listed above as UFC/MMA in particular generates decent betting interest. But March Madness remains the biggest handle outside of football, and the reopen will at least capture that soon.

Golden Nugget stadium seating area

The new seating area at Golden Nugget Atlantic City, where serious bettors can get to work. (Image: Adam Warner / Casinos.com)

All that being said, Golden Nugget really needs this re-launch to work if they want to become any sort of player in the sports betting space. New Jersey has nine casinos, but 10 “entities” as Resorts reports digital and retail numbers. 

Golden Nugget ranked 10th of 10 in casino revenue through August at just $29,614. It is a bit apples to oranges as  they are now the only casino without an online affiliation. Resorts (DraftKings) earned $18,219,239 by August, and Borgata (BetMGM) took in $5,617,689. But still, they certainly want the new sports book to become something  better than a loss leader.

It's not the only big change going on at Golden Nugget this coming week. As announced back in late October, DraftKings is shutting the Live Dealer studio that they ran at Golden Nugget. That shutdown occurs on Friday, Jan. 31. DraftKings will utilize a third party operator going forward instead of running it themselves.

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Adam Warner
Adam Warner

Adam Warner is a freelance writer for Casinos.com, among other publications. He is the author of "Options Volatility Trading: Strategies for Profiting from Market Swings" and former financial writer for Schaeffers Research, Minyanville.com and StreetInsight.com.

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