One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic, Atlantic City is Ready for the Return of the National College Basketball Championship Tournament

Atlantic City casinos are excited to safely welcome back guests to cheer on their favorite college basketball team, one year after the tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic

Atlantic City, NJ – One year after the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed our lives, the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) announced that Atlantic City’s casinos are ready to celebrate the National College Basketball Championship throughout the month of March and safely welcome back more guests to the seaside resort destination. Atlantic City casinos have exciting offerings to enhance fans’ experience watching the unpredictable college basketball tournament.

“Atlantic City casinos are excited to safely welcome back fans to enjoy one of the biggest sporting events of the year,” said Steve Callender, President of the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ). “Leading up to the basketball tournament last year, Atlantic City seemed to be unstoppable. We were on a 21-month winning streak of revenue growth, our sportsbooks topped Nevada’s, and our diverse offerings were attracting new visitors. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the National College Basketball Championship was cancelled, stay at home orders were issued, and our casinos were closed for almost 4 months.”

“What a difference a year makes,” continued Callender. “We implemented wide-ranging safety protocols to safely welcome back guests and employees, our indoor dining capacity has increased, and curfew restrictions were lifted. We look forward to providing a sense of normalcy for our guests during this difficult time, while continuing to prioritize their health and safety through continued enforcement of mask and social distancing requirements. As the spring and summer seasons approach and the vaccine is distributed, we are optimistic about the future as we work to bring more people back to work and continue revitalizing Atlantic City’s economy.”

Governor Murphy recently announced that starting March 19, indoor dining will increase from 35 percent to 50 percent capacity, and Executive Order 230 will permit 50 percent capacity on the casino floor as well. He also signed Executive Order 219, lifting the 10:00 p.m. closing restriction. The casino floor remains open 24-hours a day, and food and beverages services can be available throughout the evening and overnight hours. Atlantic City casinos continue to implement comprehensive protocols developed in consultation with AtlantiCare to keep employees and guests safe.

As fans finalize their brackets, Atlantic City casinos will be hosting various events, drink and food specials, as well as featuring their premier sports books to create the ultimate experience for fans:

Borgata Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

Borgata is the ultimate destination to watch the College Basketball Championship Tournament.  Fans can reserve a socially-distant seat for the early session, the late session, or all day viewing at one of Borgata’s prime viewing locations from Friday, March 19 through Monday, March 22, 2021.

• Borgata is offering 3 different locations to wager on the College Basketball Championship Tournament.  Guests can experience the excitement of watching and wagering in the BetMGM Sportsbook and Bar, the Race and Sportsbook or the Borgata Event Center. Call (609) 317-8006 to reserve your space now.
• BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar and Level One Cocktail Bar & Lounge will be open daily starting at 9AM. Full game day food and beverage menu service will be available. Click here to view menu.
• Additional reserved seating is available in the Event Center for viewing, featuring 3 betting windows and 2 full-service bars.
• Limited seating and advance reservations suggested. Please call 609.317.8006 to book. First come first served viewing is also available at Borgata’s B Bar, Lobby Bar, and Long Bar.

Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City Resorts

Experience Hoops at The Shore all month long at Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City Resorts. Reserve your seat or fan cave today by visiting caesars.com. Rooms midweek start at $39.

• Tropicana Atlantic City

Make an entire weekend out of celebrating the return of Hoops At The Shore at Tropicana. With rooms starting at $57, guests can enjoy an overnight stay, one of the premier sportsbooks in Atlantic City, and buckets of beer to sip on during the games- $30 for domestic and $35 for imported, as well as $28 pitchers of beer. The William Hill Sportsbook at Tropicana is located on the Casino Floor, adjacent to Chickie’s and Pete’s Crab House & Sports Bar and 10 North.

• Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City

Relax in comfort while watching the Hoops at The Shore at the William Hill Sportsbook at Harrah’s Resort. The sportsbook is equipped with 3,800-sq-feet of space, including high-quality LED TVs spanning across the walls, extra plush seating, and drink specials ranging from $24 Mix N’Match, Pitcher it Up! For $40, to Tailgaters (12 for $75) and Mini Tailgaters (6 for $36). Additionally, guests can reserve their stadium seating, starting at $60, and Fan Caves for $500 which includes a $350 reservation fee and $150 F&B pre-select and two buckets of beer/seltzer.

• Caesars

It’s time to get off the sidelines and score your winning record. During Hoops At The Shore, the William Hill Sportsbook at The Wild Wild West lets you wager on your favorites and turn a couple of bucks into a couple of hundred dollars throughout their 15,228-sq-feet of sports betting space. Get in on the action in-person and enjoy a variety of drink specials ranging from themed cocktails such as the Coco Palmer, Alley Oop! And Time Out, $24 Mix N’ Match, and $75 buckets of beer.

Golden Nugget Atlantic City

Wager, watch and win at Golden Nugget during the National College Basketball Championship! Catch all the madness live at The Sportsbook on more than 50 televisions and place your wagers on our self-service betting kiosks. Or visit Rush Lounge, just steps away from The Sportsbook, and get into the game with a private table. Plus, we’re not calling any fouls on our $20 bucket and $5 shot specials during all games. Golden Nugget is a slam dunk spot to feel like you’re sitting courtside.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Hard Rock Casino iGaming Lounge will show every basketball game Friday, March 19 through Sunday, March 21 in the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena tunnel. This pop-up space will capture all the madness with big screen televisions and iGaming activations. In total the resort will show games on 140 screens throughout the property. The Sportsbook is also available for customers to make wagers on their favorite teams.

Ocean Casino Resort

Take in the action of the National College Basketball Championship at Ocean Casino Resort on Friday, March 19, through Monday, March 22. The resort’s Madness Zone is offering three unique venues to watch, bet, eat, and drink all weekend long. Full-day and half-day ticketed reservations are available across William Hill Sportsbook at Ocean, The Den at Ocean, and Topgolf Swing Suite. Please visit theoceanac.com for more information.

Resorts Casino Hotel

Watch all of the games at Resorts Casino Hotel. Guests can place bets at DraftKings Sportsbook which features ultra-high definition LED video walls, 18 Betting Kiosks and 5 betting windows. The games will be showing throughout the casino floor and in every bar and restaurant. Resorts is offering prizes and drink specials including Spin the Prize Wheel for your chance to score DraftKings prizes, slot cash or comps from 3PM – 9PM on Friday, March 19.

Resorts is offering a March Mania Room Package March 15 through March 18 for $129 which includes:

• Overnight Stay
• $40 Dining Credit
• $25 Table Game Free Bet
• Free DraftKings T-Shirt
• 2pm Late check out

Book online or call 609-340-6300 and mention code SMARMDN.

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About the Casino Association of New Jersey

The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) is a trade organization that provides a collective voice for the Atlantic City casino industry by facilitating the exchange of information and ideas between our industry, small businesses, Atlantic City stakeholders and the general public. The CANJ consistently advocates for legislation and initiatives that support the ongoing revitalization of Atlantic City into a world-class destination resort. A thriving casino industry drives economic growth, job creation, increased tax revenue for state and local budgets, and prosperity for city residents, hardworking families and businesses which rely on the casinos for their livelihood.  Our goals are simple: protect and grow the tens of thousands of jobs the casino industry supports across New Jersey and continue Atlantic City’s transformation into a world-class destination resort. To learn more please visit: https://casinosnj.org/.