Page 14 - Jackpot Magazine South ~ September, 2026

Huddle up for football specials this season
MISSISSIPPI — No matter which
store this football season.
team you’re backing this season — last
Hard Rock
year’s winner or the team you hoped
would win — casinos are ideal places to
catch all the football action. With food
and drink specials, themed giveaways,
and plenty of ways to win, there is fast
excitement at every turn. While games
can be seen throughout the casino, the
real thrill can be found in the sportsbook,
where big screens, game-day specials, and
second-chance prizes make every play
count.
Here is a look at just some of what’s in
Hard Rock Biloxi
has Gridiron Madness
starting Sunday,
Sept. 13. Players club
members who wager
$25 or more on any pro football game
will receive an entry to pick the winners
of Sunday and Monday games as well
as predict the total points scored during
the Monday game. The top five entries
with the most correct picks will win
Free Bet vouchers. If a
tie-breaker is needed, the
total points scored on a
Monday night game will
determine the winner.
The promotion runs
throughout the season,
ending on Sunday, Jan.
10, 2027.
Additionally, every Saturday through
Dec. 13, players can place their non-
winning football sportsbook tickets into
the drawing drum at the sportsbook for
a chance to win a $25 Free Bet voucher.
Sportsbooks hold appeal for betting enthusiasts
MISSISSIPPI — In a state where
or lounge keep that environment
wagers efficiently.
pro and college football is a religion and
accessible without forcing every wager
Casinos often sweeten the experience
sports betting remains tied to casino
through a teller line.
with promotions available only or more
floors, the traditional sportsbooks hold
Instant cash, kiosks and the
easily in person. These can include
a lot of appeal for sports fans who
tangible process
odds boosts, free-bet vouchers, loyalty
prefer the in-person experience over
One practical edge is immediate
points tied to sports play or exclusive
placing wagers solely through a phone
access to money. Win a bet, present
contests.
app.
the ticket and receive cash on the
Some properties also run second-
Mississippi allows sports wagering
spot. There are no withdrawal waits,
chance drawings in which losing tickets
only at licensed casinos, with mobile
processing delays or banking hurdles
can be dropped into a drum for a shot
apps restricted to on-property use.
common with app accounts.
at prizes, free wagers or other perks
That framework keeps the physical
Self-service kiosks expand those
— a tangible consolation that turns
sportsbooks central for local bettors.
options. Patrons can place bets quickly,
a losing slip into another chance at
Even as apps grow more sophisticated
print tickets and often cash out without
winning.
elsewhere, several advantages keep
waiting for a writer. The machines
Trust and the full casino outing
people walking up to the counter,
sit inside the casino, preserving the
Retail sportsbooks operate inside
using self-service kiosks or settling into
on-property requirement while
regulated casinos. Many patrons find
a sportsbook lounge.
reducing lines during busy games.
that physical presence reassuring. The
The social and sensory draw
Many still prefer the deliberate feel
sportsbook also serves as a gateway
A casino sportsbook delivers an
of filling out a slip or interacting with a
to the rest of the property — dining,
atmosphere mobile screens cannot
teller, but kiosks give a middle ground
tables, slots or simply the experience
replicate. Large televisions display
between the full counter experience
of being out. Kiosks extend the betting
multiple games at once. Crowds react
and a phone.
footprint across the casino floor,
in real time. Odds boards update
Human help and on-site promotions
making it easier to wager while moving
visibly. The shared energy of cheering,
Cash transactions at the window or
between other activities.
groaning and talking strategy with
kiosk leave less of a digital footprint.
For many Mississippi casino visitors,
strangers creates a communal setting
Staff members also provide face-to-
the sportsbook remains more than a
that many describe as part of the
face assistance when needed. They
transaction point. Whether at a teller
entertainment.
can clarify complex bets, correct errors
window, a kiosk or a lounge seat —
For regulars, it becomes a social
quickly or discuss higher limits in ways
and with the added chance that a losing
ritual. Bettors recognize familiar faces,
automated apps and kiosks do not.
ticket might still pay off in a drawing
exchange tips and experience the event
That human element proves useful
— it is the place where the bettor feels
together rather than alone on a couch.
for newcomers and high-stakes players
connected to the larger experience of
Kiosks placed throughout the floor
alike, while kiosks handle routine
the casino floor.
14 JACKPOT! MAGAZINE • September 2026 THE SOUTH’S LARGEST GUIDE TO GAMING & FUN • www.jackpotmagazine.com