BEAVER TOWNSHIP — When sports betting officially became legal in Ohio on Jan. 1, Austintown’s Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course was ready to accommodate the needs of bettors gathered at their annual New Year’s Eve party.

The emotional swing from happy to sheer shock for those making their first bet is something Kevin Brogan, who is in his third year as director of marketing, will never forget.

“We took our first batch of bets shortly after midnight and for us, New Year’s Eve is already a pretty wild night,” Brogan told the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s luncheon at Avion Banquet Center. “We also had the College Football Playoff on our televisions and we were sitting there watching the game — the band is playing and Ohio State is up late on Georgia in the CFP semifinal.

“Everyone was excited, it was a great game then right before midnight the game-winning field goal attempt was missed by OSU. We were set to take our first bet in 30 seconds, so we went from this big party to ‘Oh my gosh,’ the Buckeyes just lost. How did that happen and by the way, Happy New Year. No one wanted to place a bet.

“I will say it was quite an experience. With betting we found out a couple things. It is a new amenity so what we definitely know is gamblers like to gamble and some of our VLT players, who we didn’t know were going to be sports bettors, have taken an interest to it. Also, many of the folks who weren’t into it were looking for something else.

“What is fun about this at the property or on our app, which is Barstool Sportsbook — it is not the sports betting you might have done five years or even several months ago. The line and game’s over-under is what it used to be but now, there is an unbelievable variety of bets that can be placed on these games. You can wait until the game gets underway because the window is still open. Within two minutes of the finish, you can still make a bet. There are endless possibilities with betting. It is unbelievable what you are able to package together.”

Horse racing season at the facility, which begins in October and runs through April, still carries the drama of a race for fans drawn to the facility.

“We have had a good season so far, unlike the challenges of a year ago,” Brogan said. “If you remember, last year we had some challenging weather and had to cancel a lot of races. There were a lot of sub-zero days, then it would warm up and the track would be sloppy but as an industry, it has been great in the Mahoning Valley because the weather this year has cooperated. Racing here is a winter sport with the temperature between 30-40 degrees when we are running.

“We’ve had good field sizes and with the way our sportsbook is set up, it actually overlooks the racetrack. We are probably one of the few gaming destinations where you can come and bet on a sport, watch a game on television, eat and by the way, there’s a horse race going on.”

Since last summer, the facility has added a smoking patio and nearly 100 new games while enhancing its dining area.

“We broke ground in late summer of ’22, expanded our smoking patio so it is an outdoor experience but is pretty well covered,” Brogan stated. “We added just under 100 games to that space, had it recarpeted and improved the HVAC. As you know, everything indoors in Ohio is non-smoking but smoking and gambling kind of go together with a ton of folks so that is an area that has really helped.

“A couple other things over the past several months was the opening of a Wahlburgers Favorites in our food court. That occurred during Thanksgiving week and a lot of people have come in to check that out. Also, we opened our sportsbook so the full experience with a new restaurant, complete with redesign and the Barstool Sports brand throughout, opened the weekend of the Super Bowl.”

Next Monday, former YSU assistant football coach Ken Conatser will serve as guest speaker while the organization honors all winter high school state champions.