Ocean Casino Banned From Taking Bets On Detroit Tigers’ Playoff Run

The Fanatics Sportsbook at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City cannot accept bets on the Detroit Tigers’ MLB postseason run. This is because the resort on the northern end of the Atlantic City Boardwalk is partially owned by Ilitch Holdings, Inc.

Ilitch Holdings owns the Detroit Tigers and holds a 50 percent stake in Ocean Casino Resort

Ilitch Holdings is the conglomerate of Marian Ilitch and her late husband, Mike Ilitch. The couple founded Little Caesars Pizza in 1959. The Ilitch family continues to privately own the pizza chain. Little Caesars made the Ilitchs billionaires. Their net worth is nearly $4 billion, according to Forbes.

The Detroit natives own the Tigers and NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. Since Ilitch owns control of the Tigers and Ilitch Holdings has a 50 percent stake in Ocean Casino Resort, the Fanatics Sportsbook at the property is barred from accepting bets on the baseball team’s games.

“The direct or indirect legal or beneficial owner of 10 percent or more of a sports governing body or any of its member teams shall not place or accept any wager on a sports event in which any member team of that sports governing body participates,” New Jersey’s sports betting regulations state.

Fanatics Sportsbook can only accept bets on the Tigers online

However, since Fanatics’ mobile book in New Jersey is licensed through a partnership with Bally’s, the sportsbook is allowed to accept online bets on the Tigers.

In October 2021, Ilitch Holdings bought its 50% stake in Ocean for $175 million. Of that investment, $70 million was supposed to fund the construction of 464 rooms and 100 suites. Nonetheless, the rooms were never completed when the property first opened as Revel in 2012.

In addition to Ocean, Ilitch owns Detroit’s MotorCity Casino Hotel. MotorCity’s FanDuel Sportsbook can take bets on the Tigers because Michigan’s sports betting law doesn’t prohibit sports team owners that own casinos from offering lines on their franchises.

The Tigers recently defeated the Houston Astros in a two-game sweep during the American League wild-card series. Detroit advances to play the Cleveland Guardians in a best-of-five AL division series.