The former William Hill Sportsbook in Illinois has been rebranded as Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. This long-awaited change was made in time for the start of football season.
Users of the Illinois sportsbook who have a William Hill account received an email on Monday morning with the subject line, “Emperor, You Deserve an Upgrade.” The email contained the following message:
We are excited to announce that your current William Hill app will be transitioning to the Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill. This means that starting tomorrow, we will be known as Caesars. The updated Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill app will provide you with an incredible experience, giving you the power to control every sports moment from the palm of your hand.
Once your William Hill app is updated to display the new Caesars Sportsbook app logo – the goblet – you can be confident that your adventure as a Caesar has begun. Our sportsbook app is the sole one offering Caesars Rewards®, allowing you to earn Caesars Rewards® Tier Credits and Rewards Credits on every bet, no matter the result.
You do not need to worry about your current William Hill user information. Your login details, account information, account balance, and any open bets will remain the same.
Get ready to switch from your existing William Hill app to the new Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill app tomorrow. If you have automatic updates turned on, you don’t need to do anything. Just sit back, enjoy the games, and embrace the luxury of Caesars.
Your Majesty, your app is almost complete.
The app will go by the name Caesars Sportsbook in most states, but in states such as Illinois that mandate in-person registration, it will be referred to as Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill.
Why is William Hill becoming Caesars?
Caesars Entertainment has been open about their intentions to rebrand William Hill properties since completing the acquisition in April.
On Monday, Tom Reeg, the CEO of Caesars, announced in a press release:
We are excited to introduce our newly enhanced marketing campaign for Caesars Sportsbook. The rebranding of our services will include personalized offers, flexible limits, a wide selection of betting options, and a user-friendly interface. Caesars Sportsbook invites players to enjoy a world of gaming where every bet, win or lose, earns rewards through our renowned Caesars Rewards program.
Caesars is fully embracing the idea that every bet, regardless of the outcome, earns rewards thanks to the integration of the sportsbook with the rewards program.
William Hill didn’t have a great beginning in the Illinois sports betting market.
Perhaps the rebranding efforts could boost its user base. However, Caesars is confronted with a challenge in Illinois due to the requirement of in-person registration, a hurdle that is not present in the majority of other states.
How has William Hill performed in Illinois?
There are currently six online sportsbooks operating in Illinois. Among them, William Hill consistently ranks at the bottom in terms of monthly income and turnover.
William Hill reported a net revenue loss of $128,245 in May, marking a rare occurrence for the company. Despite this, it currently holds the lowest ranking among the six mobile sportsbooks in Illinois.
Furthermore, in May, William Hill’s handle was just $9.1 million, representing a mere 1.8% market share of Illinois’ total sports betting handle of $507.3 million for that month. This percentage is consistent with their market share in previous months.
Although the rebranding and product improvements may attract some users, it is worth mentioning that Illinois already requires in-person registration for sports betting. Consequently, it is unlikely to immediately attract a significant number of new customers in Illinois.
However, it is important to note that in-person registration will not be a permanent fixture. Looking ahead, Caesars’ extensive investment in sports betting is expected to generate significant returns in Illinois.
Nevertheless, progress will be slower in comparison to other markets as a result of state policy.
