At 12:01 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose will place the first bet at the new Hard Rock Sportsbook located inside Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati.
Ohio sports betting will launch at the stroke of midnight, and the Hit King is scheduled to appear along with nearly a dozen Cincinnati sports celebrities at the New Year’s Eve celebration.
Pete Rose to place first legal bet at Hard Rock Sportsbook
Pete is set to be first in line to place a bet on New Year’s Eve, but queue behind him will include a who’s who of Cincinnati sports legends.
The following former athletes and broadcasters are also set to appear at Hard Rock with Rose:
- Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman
- Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom “Mr. Perfect” Browning
- Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo
- Olympic gold medalist Mary Wineberg
- Cincinnati Bengals Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz
- Cincinnati Bengals runningback Ickey Woods
- Cincinnati Bengals kicker Jim Breech
- Cincinnati Bengals safety David Fulcher
Rose, of course, was infamously banned from baseball and Hall of Fame eligibility in 1989 for betting on games he managed. MLB’s all-time hits leader has remained a voice in the game, however, appearing at events and even broadcasting for Fox Sports in 2015. Rose was honored with a roast at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati hosted by Marty Brennaman this summer.
Joe Mixon to host New Year’s Eve party at Hard Rock Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon will also be there to host a New Year’s Eve party in the Hard Rock Casino event center featuring entertainment by DJ Zayne and DJ Etrayn.
Tickets for the party are $125 for two tickets and include two drink tickets and appetizers. Tickets are available at HardRockCasinoCincinnati.com.
[Related: Ohio Sports Betting Pre-Launch Offers: Hard Rock, Caesars, Others Release Offers]
Hard Rock Sportsbook Ohio details
The new Hard Rock retail sportsbook space will be located adjacent to the Hard Rock Cafe inside the casino and feature a new lounge area, 33 betting kiosks and betting windows.
Hard Rock is among 26 businesses that have applied for retail sportsbook licenses in Ohio. Hard Rock has not yet been granted a license, but that could change as soon as the Ohio Casino Control Commission meeting on Nov. 2.
The OCCC has so far licensed 17 retail sportsbooks and seven sportsbook apps. The Hard Rock Sportsbook Ohio app is also awaiting a sportsbook license, along with 17 other applicants.
