Circa opening first sportsbook in Northern Nevada

Circa Sports wants to continue bringing its sportsbook philosophy to other states, but expanding its reach inside Nevada is also important.

That’s why Circa owner Derek Stevens said he’s excited to open his first sportsbook in Northern Nevada at the new Legends Bay Casino in Sparks. The casino’s grand opening is scheduled for Aug. 30.

Circa had previously been announced as the operator of the sportsbook, but this week Stevens shared details about the new property and Circa’s plans for further expansion.

“We’d like to have Circa Sports grow in Nevada as well as other states,” Stevens said Monday.

“I’ve wanted to get to Northern Nevada for a while now,” he added. “I just had to find the right fit. I knew right away that this was the right spot.”

‘Something different for the consumer’

Legends Bay will be Circa’s sixth location in Nevada, joining five in Las Vegas — the Circa flagship downtown, the D Las Vegas, Golden Gate, Tuscany and The Pass. Circa also operates in Colorado and Iowa and will enter Illinois later this year.

DeCourcy Graham, chief operating officer of Olympia Gaming, which owns Legends Bay, said in April that he was drawn to Circa’s approach to sportsbooks.

“It was about a year ago that we started talking with them and I toured the (Circa) property and met with Derek and we were just so impressed with the project and specifically how front and central the sportsbook experience was,” Graham said. “We thought, ‘Wow, that would be something really engaging to have in Northern Nevada.’ ”

“To have something different for the consumer in that market we thought was an important amenity versus having a typical leased-out sportsbook.”

Circa has made a splash in the sports betting world by welcoming the professional sports bettors that most major sportsbooks shun. Stevens and Circa sportsbook director Matt Metcalf have previously said that those “sharp” bettors help the sportsbook gain more information to shape its betting lines.

Circa prides itself on being a place where bettors, whether pro or amateur, can bet big, Stevens said.

“We have wanted to continue to grow by embracing the pro sports bettor and also the larger-wager novice bettor,” he said. “Overall, I’m pretty happy with the way things have rolled out.”

‘Continuing to look at other jurisdictions’

Sports betting has grown rapidly across the U.S. since a 2018 Supreme Court ruling allowed states beyond Nevada to legalize the practice, with 35 states and Washington, D.C., now offering some form of wagering.

Some states are not attractive to Circa because of their tax policy, Stevens said, but he expects the sportsbook to continue to bring its approach to other states.

“It’s fair to say we’re continuing to look at other jurisdictions, but there’s nothing that’s worthy of comment right now,” he said.

Legends Bay will be the first from-the-ground-up casino in the Reno-Sparks area in more than 20 years. The Circa sportsbook has room for about 140 people, with multiple 60-inch TVs and a variety of seating options.

Legends Bay patrons will also be able to enter Circa’s NFL handicapping contests this season. The Circa Million IV and Circa Survivor each have guaranteed $6 million prize pools.

Contact Jim Barnes at jbarnes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV on Twitter.