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Parx to open its Bensalem sportsbook Tuesday

The satellite location in South Philly, near the stadium complex, is still a few weeks from accepting sports bets.

Folks at Parx casino have plenty of reasons to hope Nick Foles (left) and Nelson Agholor can help the Eagles upset the Bears on Sunday. Two days later, Parx will be opening its sports book.
Folks at Parx casino have plenty of reasons to hope Nick Foles (left) and Nelson Agholor can help the Eagles upset the Bears on Sunday. Two days later, Parx will be opening its sports book.Read moreYONG KIM
    by Ed Barkowitz
    Updated 
    Published 

Parx casino in Bensalem will open its sportsbook Tuesday, becoming the second retail operation in the Philadelphia area.

Sports betting will open to the public at 2 p.m. Tuesday as Pennsylvania gaming regulators closely monitor operations at Parx for two days.

“I cannot believe we are going to start taking bets,” said Matthew Cullen, senior vice president of interactive gaming and sports, a veteran of the gaming world who joined Parx in July.

The Parx location in South Philadelphia won’t be opening next week, but should be up and running soon, Cullen said. He also said work is continuing on Parx’s online/mobile betting operation.

The sportsbook in Bensalem will open with seven teller windows and 26 self-serve kiosks placed around the casino. Parx revamped a lounge area to accommodate sports betting and will move into a permanent area in the spring.

It has partnered with Kambi gaming, which also runs the sports-betting operation at SugarHouse casino in Fishtown, the only parlor within the city.

One thing Parx could use now is an Eagles win Sunday. If the Birds get by Chicago, Parx will be able to take bets on the Eagles-Saints divisional-round game scheduled for Jan. 13.

The Eagles are a 6-point underdog to the Bears.

“The market is insane for [the Eagles], as we’ve seen at the SugarHouse and at Rivers [in Pittsburgh] and in New Jersey,” Cullen said. “But even if they’re out, people are still gonna want to bet [football]. But it would be great if they were playing.”