Home » Las Vegas Sportsbooks And Hotels 2024 » Cosmopolitan Sportsbook Review
The independent owners of the Cosmopolitan knew they had a major problem. Their tiny sportsbook was stuck in the nosebleeds on the second floor. Most gamblers didn’t even know where to place a bet in the casino nor in the Cosmopolitan sportsbook. Many more didn’t even bother trying.
Then, in 2016, the Cosmopolitan Race & sportsbook was moved to the front row. It’s now located right in the middle of all the action on the main casino floor.
Talk about hitting a home run. The bright room is now the easiest sportsbook to find on the entire Strip. While many resorts almost hide their betting parlors, the Cosmopolitan takes center stage in Las Vegas betting at one of the newest properties on South Las Vegas Boulevard.
You’ll want to keep on reading to get our up-to-date review of the Cosmo’s sportsbook (locals call it the Cosmo, for your information). Is it worth your money, especially compared to other sportsbooks on the Strip? You’ll find out if you keep on reading!
Great location
Sports bar with good pub food
Long opening hours
No complimentary drinks if you bet small
The Cosmopolitan Race & Sportsbook is certainly not one of the bigger betting rooms, but it is located on prime real estate and it is just steps from all the action on the Strip.
Located at 3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and its two towers stand at the heart of America’s Playground at the northwest corner of Harmon Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard.
The stylish open-concept room encourages a party atmosphere with the Race & Sports bar and its unimpeded views of the main LED walls anchoring the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas sportsbook.
The Cosmopolitan sportsbook hours vary depending on the day of the week. The Cosmopolitan sportsbook, which is located in the southeast corner of the resort near the Boulevard Tower, is open Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Those hours are extended an extra hour on Friday through Sunday as the book closes at 11:00 p.m. These are some of the longest hours at one of the best sportsbooks in Las Vegas so no complaints from us.
It goes without saying, but players must be 21 years of age or older to wager anywhere in Nevada, including on Cosmopolitan entertainment esports or any other gaming platform in Las Vegas.
Horse races are shown on about a dozen screens on the right side of the venue, while sporting events provide the action on bigger screens on the left side. As visitors walk into the sportsbook, they will see the betting stations and Cosmopolitan sportsbook odds, that is if they can avoid the commotion of the sports bar.
On display are the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas sportsbook odds on the major sports that are in season at the time. A nice glass-covered platform by the sports bar houses hard copy printouts of Cosmopolitan sports line future bets on all the major championships.
The betting stations provide a hard copy ticket of your wager, just like you would get at other major venues on the Strip like the Aria, Bellagio or Wynn. But, in today’s world, it seems online is taking over the betting action.
The Cosmo is not owned by MGM, however, it is operated by the casino conglomerate. That means the sportsbook is serviced by the BetMGM platform. BetMGM is one of the leaders in the space so Cosmo is in good hands with them.
The Cosmopolitan online sports betting app offers all the betting options you’re probably looking for — NFL, NBA, MLB, fighting, props, and so on. The app, however, is only available for play in states where BetMGM is licensed. The app stops working in, say, California where betting is banned.
A better option would be to join the top-ranked online site Bovada, which can be accessed whether you are home or on the road. There are dozens of betting options on this easy-to-use platform, which has been getting rave reviews for years.
Most of the betting windows are closed at the Cosmopolitan sportsbook if it’s a weekday in Las Vegas. There will be one or two open for whatever sport is in season to take your bets.
It’s the same story for horse racing. There’s only one betting station open on a typical weeknight for horse players that want to wager win, place or show or all the exotic bets offered at their racetrack of choice — like the Meadowlands in New Jersey or Del Mar in California.
Here are some of the bets you can place on all the regular daily sporting events:
Here are some of the sports you can place your bets on:
The Cosmopolitan offers the common sports lines on all of the major championships, but it is lacking in prop bets.
So are other resorts on the Strip, like the Venetian, Caesars Palace, Mirage and Mandalay Bay. It’s another reason why a membership with Bovada is your best bet.
The site covers all these issues, as the online king is never closed and offers a lengthy list of props and teasers on just about every sporting event.
Identity rewards members receive exclusive offers for casino play, terrace suites, dining and drinks, concerts and poolside entertainment.
New members start at Velvet and work their way up through Sterling, Gold and the top tier Platinum level. The higher the level, the greater the rewards.
How do you join? It’s as easy as signing up online or getting in line at the Identity counter at the Cosmopolitan.
But there’s a catch, especially for sports bettors. Reward points for gaming can only be earned by gambling on slot machines or video poker. There are no benefits for those playing table games, betting on sports or wagering on horse racing.
Sure, the Identity program also offers some reward points for in-house shopping or dining, but nothing from the sportsbook? It’s just one more reason to join Bovada and enjoy the perks and bonuses from this trusted site.
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas property is located on the west side of South Las Vegas Boulevard with the Bellagio to the north and the Aria and CityCenter to the south across Harmon Avenue. Taxis, ride share vehicles and limousines arrive at the main entrance off Harmon.
Once one property on the Strip starts charging for something extra, all the other resorts seem to follow suit. Parking is no longer free at these iconic places, including the Cosmopolitan. That all changed in 2016.
Public transportation and ride sharing programs are the best bet for tourists in Las Vegas. Ride share programs like Uber and Lyft continue to grow in popularity over the more expensive taxi services. A ride is usually just minutes away. Limousine services are available with the going rate around $85-90 an hour.
Visitors will find a unique culinary collection at the Cosmopolitan. There’s more than two dozen restaurants aligned over the first three floors of the resort. The Cosmo was named one of seven must-visit hotels and resorts in the U.S., by the publication Food & Wine. A few restaurant highlights:
One feature that sets the Cosmopolitan and its two towers apart are the terraces. Nowhere else on the Las Vegas Strip can you sit outside and enjoy the view of the Bellagio fountains from your own room balcony. The two 51-floor towers — the Boulevard, which is closest to the Strip, and the Chelsea — opened to the public in December 2010.
The Cosmopolitan has done a nice job of spreading out the 1,300 slot machines throughout the 100,000-square-foot main casino floor. Games that vary from one penny to $500 a pull are found all around table games, bars, two high limit rooms, and the sportsbook.
The Cosmo keeps up with the trends and carries today’s popular slot and video games. It’s also one of the few properties with windows in the casino where players can catch a glimpse of all the action and traffic on the Strip. Enjoy the view from this classy playground.
There’s also a high limit room for slot players and another for table games. The slot room is outfitted with 65 machines, which is quite a few for a casino considered to be on the smaller side.
The free cookies are a nice touch is this secluded room. High rollers enjoy blackjack and baccarat in the high limit room near the cashier’s cage. Here, table minimums are $100.
The table games on the main floor include the standard favorites of blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and craps.
Other games, which often carry a $10 minimum or higher, include High Card Flush, Pai Gow Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’Em, Casino War and Three Card Poker. You will find these games at venues off the Strip, too — like the Station, Red Rock, and South Point casinos.
While the Cosmo casino doesn’t match the size of its competition on the Strip, it is still a very popular destination for tourists. It’s always standing-room-only on the weekend so, even though complimentary drinks are offered to those who are gambling, service can be slow at times because of the big crowds.
Chris Wassel is someone who has covered a little bit of everything: business, writing, sports, food, grilling, the Olympics, injuries, politics, and more. He has climbed mountains like Mount Washington and Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and for those who don’t know, he is also big into food challenges. With friends like Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has tackled eating feats like finishing a 16-pound turkey or a 32-inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, he has focused on fitness, fishing, and sports while managing to fit in running, hiking, rock climbing, and even the occasional mini-triathlon. He can lift more than his body weight with ease and is the person you turn to when you want to know if a NASCAR rain delay means a Monday race. Over his career, Chris has worked at places like Amazon, USA Today, and various rumors and fantasy sports sites. He has been nominated for awards such as the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hockey Writer of the Year and has a collection of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings on display at home. With all this, Chris sums it up best with his motto: "Shut up and play."