SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic Sarno made history at 10 o’clock Tuesday morning when he put $50 on the Philadelphia Eagles as they square off Feb. 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 in Glendale, Arizona.

The Springfield mayor’s wager at the BetMGM Sportsbook & Lounge at MGM Springfield was the first legal in-person retail sports bet placed in the state.

“Big win for Springfield. Big win for MGM Springfield. Big win for the commonwealth of Massachusetts,” said Sarno as he hoisted his ticket during a launch event at the Springfield casino.

In the moments leading up to the historic moment, a large crowd assembled and counted down alongside a timer to 10 a.m. on the 45-foot LED viewing wall. The lounge also includes four betting windows, with 18 sports betting kiosks throughout MGM Springfield.

There are dozens of sports allowed for in-person betting, including football, baseball, hockey, sailing, boxing and bowling. Betting on Massachusetts colleges or universities is banned unless the team is participating in a tournament with at least three other participants.

Sarno called the date a “hat trick” in reference to the launch of legalized sports betting at the state’s three casinos. Aside from MGM Springfield, launch events were also held at Barstool Sportsbook at Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville and WynnBET at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett.

The launch of sports betting in the state comes just six months after former Gov. Charlie Baker signed the sports wagering bill into law in August, making Massachusetts the 33rd state to legalize sports betting, said Cathy Judd-Stein, chairwoman of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

“We had our eyes on this targeted deadline and we made it,” Judd-Stein said.

Sarno was joined at the celebratory launch by state Sen. Adam Gomez, D-Springfield, Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield, and Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, who won the Norris Trophy five times with the Boston Bruins and the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.

Bourque, who placed the second bet in the state, put $100 down on the Bruins, who are currently ranked third in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins will face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

“I’ll bet everyone knows who I’m betting on?” said Bourque.

If he wins, Bourque will be taking home $450, which he plans to donate to the Bourque Family Foundation. The nonprofit was founded by Bourque, wife Christiane, daughter Melissa, and sons Christopher and Ryan, in 2017. Every year, the foundation hosts a number of fundraising events, including a 7.7k — in homage to his retired Bruins number — with funds going to a number of different charities.

Gomez, who had filed a bill to authorize and regulate sports betting, said he was betting on the Chiefs. He also noted that if he wins, he plans to donate to charity.

“To see that newly passed law in action today in my very own city is a humbling experience. BetMGM will bolster our economy locally and statewide,” he said. “It’s a momentous occasion to have some of the first wagers on sports betting take place in Springfield today.”

Like Mayor Sarno, Gonzalez said he was betting on the Eagles. Aside from his sports wager, Gonzalez he was betting on the Springfield casino to bring in revenue to the state.

He noted that in New York’s first year of legalized sports betting, the state took in $720 million in taxes.

“We know that Springfield is a smaller metropolis that is not going to have that amount, but I can guarantee that we will … not only bring revenue to MGM, but also more jobs and more opportunities,” Gonzalez said.

Lawmakers have estimated that sports betting could generate around $60 million in annual state revenue once both in-person and mobile betting are fully operational. They’ve also projected to take in about $70 million in licensing fees, which must be renewed every five years.

The state’s tax rate on sports betting is 15% for in-person betting.

Integration with MGM Rewards allows BetMGM users to redeem their gameplay at more than 20 MGM Resorts destinations, including MGM Springfield, Borgata in Atlantic City, and Bellagio, ARIA and MGM Grand in Las Vegas, according to Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM.

“Wherever our players are, they’re able to take the BetMGM sportsbook experience with them,” said Greenblatt. “And soon enough, they’ll be able to carry BetMGM anywhere in Massachusetts, too, from any mobile device. It’s a launch that we’re very much looking forward to.”

The state’s tax rate for online sports betting is 20% The launch for mobile/online sports betting is slated for March, but an exact date has not been announced.

Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.]]>