And they're off: Sports betting begins in N.H. with governor's money on the Pats

Gov. Chris Sununu placed the Granite State's ceremonial first legal sports wager on the New England Patriots alongside DraftKings co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Matt Kalish, and former Patriots great Rob Ninkovich. (Courtesy photo)

CONCORD - More than 6,000 people registered to bet on sports in New Hampshire on Tuesday, with the first bet placed by New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who wagered $82 on a bet that the New England Patriots would win the Super Bowl. The governor placed the bet by phone at a Manchester sports bar on Monday.

"Sports betting is the right bet for New Hampshire," said Gov. Sununu. "We moved fast to get this done by partnering with a world-class company to provide a first-rate customer service experience and the state is poised to dominate the market. The launch of sports betting will also benefit our education system - a win for our kids."

DraftKings' contract with the New Hampshire Lottery was approved in late November by the Executive Council after being selected through a competitive bidding process. As part of the agreement, New Hampshire will receive 50-percent of sports betting revenue, which will support the New Hampshire Lottery's mission to drive funds in support of education in the Granite State.

The state lottery system is expected to name several instate retail sports betting establishments beginning next month.

DraftKings was not immediately available today to comment on where those establishments might be, or if any might be local.

It is also expected that sports betting will be available later this year at many stores where lottery tickets are sold.

According to the DraftKings website, anyone 18 and older can legally place a bet online or through the DraftKings app.

DraftKings, which is headquartered in Boston, is set to open an office location in New Hampshire in order to work in closer collaboration with the New Hampshire Lottery.

DraftKings Sportsbook users will see that the app looks the same in all states where sports betting is legal, allowing for a friendly customer-first experience.

New Hampshire state laws do not allow wagers to be placed on college teams from the state or college games taking place within state lines. Sports fans can place their bets on the DraftKings Sportsbook app via IOS and Android devices or online at Sportsbook.DraftKings.com.

For more information and to download the app, visit: https://nhlottery.com/Sports/Mobile-Internet-Sports-Betting.