Penn Entertainment has taken the Windy City by storm.
The company announced Wednesday it joined forces with the Chicago Bears, signing a multi-year partnership that makes PENN’s Chicagoland retail properties, Hollywood Casino Aurora and the new Hollywood Casino Joliet, official casino partners, and ESPN BET Sportsbook an official sports betting partner of the NFL club.
Key Takeaways
- PENN Entertainment and the Chicago Bears partner up for multiple years.
- ESPN BET becomes an official sports betting partner of the Bears.
- Hollywood Casino Aurora and the new Hollywood Casino Joliet are official casino partners of the team.
The Bears, who are coming off a 5-12 record in 2024, open their regular season at home against the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 8 at 8:15 p.m. ET.
PENN receives IP rights, in-stadium signage, an in-game Hollywood Casino feature, digital media and marketing integrations, and customer team-related experiences.
“We’re thrilled to announce this partnership in connection with the opening of our new state-of-the-art Joliet property and on the precipice of football season,” PENN executive vice president of operations Todd George said in a statement. “Teaming up with one of the premier franchises in the NFL creates exciting new omnichannel marketing opportunities for our ESPN BET and Hollywood Casino brands. Through the partnership, we look forward to engaging a large and passionate audience at Soldier Field as well as across our online products and at the new property in the Chicagoland area.”
PENN making moves
Hollywood Casino Joliet celebrated its grand opening last week, replacing the former riverboat location. The new casino is part of RockRun Collection, a super-regional commercial and residential development. The property features approximately 1,000 slots and 43 live table games, an ESPN BET sportsbook, several restaurants and bars, and an event center and meeting space.
Hollywood Casino Aurora is expected to open in the first half of 2026, adding to the list of Illinois sports betting and casino properties.
ESPN BET is live in 20 U.S. jurisdictions, including Illinois.
This season, ESPN BET will launch FanCenter, a personalized in-app hub that allows customers to easily find wagering markets based on their favorite teams, players, and ESPN fantasy football rosters.
Illinois residents can take advantage of an ESPN BET Sportsbook sign-up bonus offer where you can bet $10 to get $100.
