Betting in Manchester

Published: 02/04/2013

As home to about 503,000 residents, Manchester lies within the United Kingdom’s third largest urban area, which has a population of 2.2 million. It has occupied a place in the south-central part of North West England, fringed by the Cheshire Plain to the south and the Pennines to the north and east, since the Roman fort of Mamucium was established in 79 AD on a sandstone bluff near the confluence of the rivers Medlock and Irwell.

During the Middle Ages, Manchester was a manorial township, but it grew at an astonishing rate as the 19th century began, owing to a boom in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. Indeed, many view Manchester as the world’s very first industrialised city. Manchester Town Hall was built in 1877 and the Manchester Ship Canal was opened in 1894, creating the Port of Manchester.

Today, the city is noted for its architecture, culture, music scene, media links, scientific and engineering output, social impact and sporting connections. Local sports clubs include two Premier League football teams, Manchester City and Manchester United. The night-time economy of Manchester has expanded significantly since 1993, with investment from breweries in bars, public houses and clubs, plus active support from the local authorities. More than 500 licensed premises can be found in the city centre, with a capacity to handle over 250,000 visitors.

Grosvenor Casinos have a strong presence in Manchester. They are part of the Rank Group of companies, headquartered in Maidenhead west of London. Close to the city centre within the Excalibur Building is the Grosvenor Casino – Whitworth Street, open from 6pm to 6am on Sunday through Friday and 6pm to 4am on Saturdays. Its gaming space offers six gaming machines and ten table games, and there are also two restaurants and a bar on the property.

A second Grosvenor Casino can be found on the north side in China Town on George Street, open from 2pm till 6am on Sunday through Friday and 2pm to 4am on Saturdays. The casino’s gaming space has six gaming machines and a dozen table games, along with a restaurant and a bar. The action includes 7-Card Stud Poker as well as Blackjack and Roulette.

Under the Grosvenor G Casino brand, the Rank Group also has two Manchester gambling establishments. On the south side inside the Parrswood Entertainment Centre on Wilmslow Road is the Didsbury branch, with a restaurant, bar, sports & entertainment lounge, Poker tables, gaming machines, a conference room and much more, open from noon till 6am daily. Then, on the north side off Bury New Road at Ramsgate Street is the Grosvenor G Casino – Manchester, open 24 hours a day for gambling action and dining at its on-site restaurant, The Gallery; it reportedly has the busiest poker room in the North.

Competing for customers with Grosvenor Casinos are two quite large gambling venues. The centrally located Genting Club Manchester on Portland Street has a gaming floor covering 8,500 square feet, featuring 20 gaming machines, 32 table and poker games and a restaurant, all open 24/7. Games include American Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, Mini Punto Banco, Progressive Poker, Sic Bo and Wheel-of-Fortune.

Then there is the Manchester 235, also downtown on Watson Street, offering 11,500 square feet of gaming space with 60 gaming machines and 40 table and poker games, plus two restaurants, Linen and Ocean Treasure. Open 24 hours a day, Manchester 235 is owned an operated by London Clubs International (LCI), a group managed by Caesars Entertainment.

In Manchester’s Gorton/Belle Vue area to the southeast are two gambling spots worthy of note. Rileys Sports Bar Belle Vue on Kirkmanshulme Lane has a small casino open Mondays from noon to 3am, Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 2am, and Sundays from noon till 1am. On the same lane is the Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium, Manchester’s only dog track, open for greyhound racing on Thursdays and Fridays from 7:25pm to 10:25pm and on Saturdays from 7:20pm to 10:35pm; the racino inside has eight gaming machines along with the Grandstand Restaurant.

Published on: 02/04/2013

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