Tribe unveils sports book at Traverse City-area casinos

Tribe unveils sports book at Traverse City-area casinos
Former Detroit Piston Rick Mahorn places the ceremonial first bet at Grand Traverse Resort and Casinos' new sports book.

Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos has unveiled its new sports book, which will operate out of Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel near Traverse City and also feature a satellite location at Leelanau Sands Casino.

The new sports book, dubbed the Onyx Sports Book, stems from a partnership between the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and William Hill US, one of the country’s leading sport betting companies. William Hill will also serve as the tribe’s exclusive partner for mobile sports betting and iCasino gaming, pending regulatory approvals.

The Onyx Sports Book’s presence at Turtle Creek Casino features two ticket windows and two kiosks in addition to 20 high-definition televisions for game viewing. The sports book’s satellite location at Leelanau Sands Casino across the Grand Traverse Bay consists of two kiosks.

The two parties staged a grand opening Wednesday complete with a ceremonial first bet placed by former Detroit Piston and NBA all-star Rick Mahorn. The Onyx Sports Book and its satellite location will now be open seven days a week.

“We are excited to align with William Hill, the leading sports betting company in the U.S.,” Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos CEO Michael Schrader said in a statement. “They are the best in the business, and that’s always what we strive to give our guests. We have an excellent, trained staff to assist customers with getting their bets down. We want to provide the best destination for sports betting in the state, and with William Hill as our partner, that’s a bet we’re happy to take.”