Las Vegas Aces owner MGM Resorts won’t take wagers on WNBA team
As owner of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, MGM Resorts won’t accept any wagers on their games or futures next season, which starts in May.
MGM Resorts sports book director Jay Rood said Saturday that it hasn’t been decided whether wagers will be taken on other WNBA games. He said the betting handle on the league from the public is pretty light.
“When I say pretty light, I mean almost nonexistent. The WNBA is the playground for the wiseguys and the sharps,” Rood said. “We might just absolutely eliminate it from our offering at this point. In the big scope of things, it’s really very, very small from a handle and win-loss perspective.
“The handle for the entire year in the WNBA is probably less than what we do on a really good NFL game.”
MGM Resorts purchased the team in October and moved it to Las Vegas from San Antonio, where they were known as the Stars. The Aces will play their home games at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Mandalay Bay is home to one of MGM Resorts’ 10 sports books on the Strip. The others are located at the MGM Grand, Bellagio, Aria, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus.
Several other Las Vegas hotel-casinos with ties to professional sports teams have taken their games off the betting board.
The Golden Nugget accepts NBA bets at its sports book, but not on Houston Rockets games or futures because owner Tilman Fertitta purchased the team in September.
Likewise, Caesars Entertainment properties accept NBA wagers at their sports books, but not on Boston Celtics games or futures because Caesars Entertainment Corp. Chairman Gary Loveman owns a minority stake in the team.
Despite having a CG Technology sports book, the Silverton doesn’t accept any wagers on the Los Angeles Lakers, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks or the NHL because owner Ed Roski is co-owner of the Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and Staples Center.
When the Maloof brothers owned the Sacramento Kings and the Palms and Fiesta, their casinos didn’t accept wagers on Kings games.
More betting: Follow all of our sports betting coverage online at reviewjournal.com/betting and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
