An exciting new era of sports betting and poker play was ushered in this week with the grand openings of spectacular spaces at two Louisiana-based casinos.

Part of Caesars Entertainment, Harrah’s New Orleans and Horseshoe Bossier City Hotel & Casino each made history by opening state-of-the-art Caesars Sportsbook locations at their resorts. In addition, Harrah’s debuted the largest poker room in Louisiana with its grand opening of the new World Series of Poker Room.

“This was a special week for Caesars and our longstanding commitment to Louisiana,” said Dan Real, Regional President, Caesars Entertainment. “The opening of our world-class Caesars Sportsbook locations and the new World Series of Poker® Room add to the legacy that Harrah’s New Orleans and Horseshoe Bossier City have built in the Gulf Coast region. We’re ready to welcome sports fans into our sportsbooks, and we’re proud to open the largest poker room in Louisiana, true to the WSOP brand and what it represents.”

To commemorate these openings, Caesars held two ceremonial events inside Harrah’s and Horseshoe this week, each featuring a ribbon-cutting and ceremonial first bet.

In New Orleans, Archie and Cooper Manning joined Pro Football Hall of Famer and former New Orleans Saint Rickey Jackson, local dignitaries, and Saints Superfan Leroy Mitchell Jr., better known as “Whistle Monsta,” to open the new sportsbook and poker room. Jackson placed the ceremonial first bet with his $1,000 wager on the Saints to win the Super Bowl at 40/1 odds and any possible winnings benefitting the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). In Bossier City, Caesars Sportsbook opened in grand fashion with Mayor Tommy Chandler cutting the ribbon ahead of a massive ceremonial first bet of $200,000, placed by a VIP and well-known guest.