New Jersey Governor Posts First Legal Sports Wager

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy placed the first official legal sports wager in the state at Monmouth Park on Thursday.

Murphy put down two wagers, picking Germany to win the FIFA World Cup in Russia and the New Jersey Devils to win the Stanley Cup next year. Monmouth Park is the first spot in the state sanctioned to offer the wagers to punters, with the book being run by William Hill. The property has a 15 window betting shop, complete with a bar and 40 high definition televisions.

Monmouth was prepared to launch their sportsbook, even before the Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey to throw out the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which effectively served as a sportsbetting ban in the United States.

Commenting on the launch William Hill US CEO Joe Asher said, "We are excited to open for business at Monmouth Park. Obviously, it's a big day for us. A lot of people have worked really hard for a long time to make today possible and I am grateful for their efforts."

Former State Senator Ray Lesniak, who pushed heavily for online and sports wagering also commented, noting: "The racing industry is important to New Jersey. We have more acres of horse farms than any state in the nation. So it's very important to have this here at Monmouth Park and it's also very important to save our casinos."