SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, along with Boston Bruins legend Ray Bourque and other representatives, each placed bets Tuesday on upcoming games, including the Super Bowl, to celebrate the first day of sports wagering in Massachusetts.

Sarno said having a sports book at MGM Springfield will go a long way towards making Western Massachusetts a destination. He said it was a long legislative process for betting to become legal in the state, but the timing couldn’t have been better.

"I'm happy it's finally come to fruition," Sarno said. "I know it took a while, but in a way, the Super Bowl is probably the biggest betting extravaganza in the nation if not the world, so it's a good way to kick it off."

Sarno, who placed a $50 bet on the Eagles winning the Super Bowl in two weeks, said the process is also very user-friendly.

"It was very, very easy," Sarno said. "You hand your money. You tell them who you want. 'Ok Mr. Mayor,' and they give you the ticket."

Sarno said the city has slowly been building towards becoming an entertainment destination since the casino's inception in 2018, so the addition of a sportsbook will go a long way towards their goal of bringing more people in.

"It's just another attraction that will draw more and more people to MGM Springfield," Sarno said. "The downtown Springfield and surrounding areas and there's spin-offs, people come down here, whether they stay at the hotels, stay at our other hotels here. They go to other venues we have here. They come to shows, so it's very, very exciting."

BetMGM said digital sports betting will be coming to Massachusetts within the next two months, so bettors can look forward to more ways to participate.​