New Sportsbook Manager Named at Rivers Casino

SCHENECTADY – Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady announced today that their new Rivers Sportsbook lounge will be managed by Hal Wafer. “Harbor Hal” as he will be known throughout the Capital Region, joins the Rivers Casino team after serving as the Racing and Sportsbook Supervisor at Caesars Horseshoe in Robinsonville, Mississippi.

“We were immediately impressed by Hal’s depth of experience, professionalism, and understanding of what it takes to build and sustain a sportsbook that will provide our guests with a truly unique and unforgettable sports-betting experience,” said Rivers Casino acting general manager, Justin Moore. “We can’t wait to open our sportsbook and we are thrilled to introduce Harbor Hal to the Capital Region.”

Harbor Hal originally hails from Whitesboro, NY, and attended the University of Arizona where he wrote and published one of the first books on handicapping horses.

His gaming career began in 1998 as the Race & Sportsbook Operations Supervisor at Coast Resorts (The Orleans) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over the years Harbor Hal worked as the race & sports computer operator at the Las Vega Dissemination Company, as a race & sportsbook teller and keno operator at the famed Golden Nugget Casino & Resort in Las Vegas, and as an analyst at betamerica.com among other racing and wagering industry positions.

“It is truly an honor to come to Rivers Casino and join a team that has quickly earned one of the best reputations in the industry,” Hal commented. “Rivers Casino is focused on providing the best guest experience possible and that will be my primary focus as the new Rivers Sportsbook manager.”

As the Rivers Sportsbook lounge manager, Harbor Hal will have a wide variety of duties. He will manage all the activities related to the day-to-day operation of the sportsbook, be responsible for strategic initiatives and setting up unique guest experiences centered around various sporting events. Harbor Hal will ensure the sportsbook operation complies with all state and federal laws including New York State Gaming Commission rules and regulations.

In addition, Harbor Hal will be the resident personality of the Rivers Sportsbook sharing insightful betting tips and providing instructional opportunities to guests and the region based on his years of racing and wagering experience.

Pending New York State Gaming Commission approval, the new Rivers Sportsbook will offer betting on a wide array of sporting events including professional football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, college sports and more. Bets are expected to include, but not be limited to, straight bets, parlays, totals, and in-game betting.

When completed, the new Rivers Sportsbook will be adjacent to Van Slyck’s lounge, located directly off the casino’s main gaming floor. The sportsbook will occupy just over 5000 square feet and will be a luxury-styled sports lounge. Club chairs and table seating will accommodate approximately 80 guests and includes 5 private booths with TV monitors – each accommodating up to 6 people, 18 individual VIP seats, and 32 tabletop seats.

The luxury-styled sports lounge has an impressive state-of-the-art 53 feet long by 9 feet high LED video wall, which was just recently installed, that anchors the sportsbook viewing area, In addition, there are 22 TV monitors measuring 86” each to provide maximum viewing opportunities for guests. The sportsbook will also include 16 betting kiosks, and 6 staffed betting windows to accommodate all sports bettors and guests.