Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the principal city of the Altoona Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The population was 47,176 at the 2006 census estimate, making it the tenth most populous city in Pennsylvania. The Altoona MSA includes all of Blair County and had an estimated population of 125,527 in 2007 (according to the U.S. Census), around 105,000 of which live within a 5-mile (8.0 km) radius of the Altoona city center, according to U.S. Census zip code population data.
Having grown around the railroad industry, the city is currently working to recover from industrial decline and urban decentralization experienced in recent decades. The city is home to the Altoona Curve baseball team of the Double A Eastern League, which is the Double A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. It also houses the 75+ year-old Altoona Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Teresa Cheung. Prominent landmarks include the Horseshoe Curve, the Railroaders Memorial Museum, the Juniata Shops of the Altoona Works, the Mishler Theatre, the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, and the Jaffa Shrine Center.
Altoona is also the home of the Sheetz headquarters. Sheetz is one of the largest convenience store and gas station chains in the country, with stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Because of this, approximately 20 Sheetz stores are located in and around Altoona. Sheetz is one of the featured companies in the Morgan Spurlock documentary, Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. To promote itself, as well as the film, the City of Altoona agreed to change its name temporarily to the title of the film and be known as Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, PA for 60 days for a fee of $25,000. The city held a ceremony on April 27 to salute the documentary, followed by a screening.

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Pennsylvania is a state chock-full of options for the horse bettor, both live and off-track betting parlors (OTBs). There are six facilities within the state that offer live racing and horse betting most of the year.

All those tracks also offer simulcast racing from tracks around the country. In addition, several of the state’s casino interests operate standalone OTB facilities in various locations around the Keystone State.

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Pennsylvania horse racing facilities – Live and OTB

First and foremost, there are six properties in Pennsylvania that host live horseracing for wager. The tracks are designated for either thoroughbred or harness racing. They are (location in parenthesis):

Thoroughbred

• Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course (Grantville)
• Parx Casino and Racing (Bensalem)
• Presque Isle Downs & Casino (Erie)

Harness

• Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack (Chester)
• The Meadows Racetrack and Casino (Washington)
• Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs (Wilkes-Barre)

Each of these properties also offers simulcast wagering from tracks around the country. However, four of these operators also own standalone facilities throughout the state.

Parx Turf Clubs

Parx Racing has opened five facilities around the Philadelphia area throughout the years of Pennsylvania off-track betting. There is now just one location that remains open. They are collectively known as “turf clubs.”

South Philadelphia Race and Sportsbook

South Philadelphia Race and Sportsbook is in the heart of Philadelphia’s sports district. The club is located at the southeast corner of Packer Avenue and South Darien Street. It is one of two OTBs that also functions as a PA sportsbook.

In fact, visitors to Citizens Bank Park could conceivably park at the facility. South Philadelphia Turf Club is across the street from Lot Q at the home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Just to the south are Lincoln Financial Field and the Wells Fargo Center. These two venues host the Philadelphia Eagles and the Philadelphia 76ers/Philadelphia Flyers. In short, the turf club basically overlooks all the major Philadelphia sports arenas.

To capitalize on this location, the club features a glass-enclosed dining area that offers views of the stadiums and the Philadelphia skyline. The facility also offers 27,000 square feet of space and numerous television screens for patrons.

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The Oaks Race and Sportsbook (Permanently Closeed)

The Oaks Race and Sportsbook, formerly known as Valley Forge Turf Club, was located just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike, just south of Egypt Road. It was a combination racebook and retail sports betting facility.

After closing in mid-March, 2020 due to state-mandated coronavirus closures, it never re-opened.

Northeast Turf Club (Permanently Closed)

Northeast Turf Club was located in the Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, at the northern corner of the intersection between Cottman and Bustleton Avenues.

It is no longer in operation.

Penn National off-track wagering

Casino company Penn National used to own and operate two off-track wagering facilities in the central part of Pennsylvania. Both are since shuttered.

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Penn National Lancaster (Permanently Closed)

The Lancaster location for Penn National was at the intersection of the Lincoln Highway East and South Oakview Road, in East Towne Centre, southwest of the intersection. It is no longer in operation.

Penn National York (Permanently Closed)

The Penn National off-track facility in York was on the north side of Loucks Road (Highway 30), just to the west of I-83. It appears to be no longer in operation.

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs is the owner/operator of two off-track facilities in Pennsylvania. The Wilkes-Barre casino chose to brand both facilities as “The Downs.”

There was also a third facility in Carbondale. However, it no longer appears on the Mohegan Sun website, and Google lists the venue as permanently closed.

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The Downs at East Stroudsburg

The Downs at East Stroudsberg is located in the Eagles Glen Mall parking lot off Route 80. As the facility tells it, this location is in the heart of the Poconos.

The venue features several large televisions and a themed sports bar. The Downs broadcasts and accepts wagers on both harness and thoroughbred racing. On the first Saturday of each month, customers can enter handicapping contests for big prizes.

The Downs at Lehigh Valley

The Downs at Lehigh Valley is located at the western corner of Airport Road and Airport Center Road in Allentown. Unlike some of the other facilities, this is a proper venue for off-track betting.

In fact, it is the largest OTB location in Pennsylvania, clocking in at 28,000 square feet of gaming space. The facility features both a large central bar and a full-service dining room. It is convenient for customers in Allentown, Easton, and Bethlehem.

Soon it will offer retail sports betting in addition to horse racing too.

Meadows off-track betting

The Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Washington has a somewhat rocky history with operating OTB venues. The property has opened three of them over the years. However, only one of them remains at this time.

Meadows Harmar

Its lone location is in Harmar, just northeast of Pittsburgh. The property is located on Anchor Drive, just east of the intersection between the Allegheny Valley Expressway and PA-910.

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Meadows Harmar offers a full-service restaurant and bar that can seat over 100 patrons. The property itself features 250 television screens and an outdoor viewing deck.

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Meadows Harmar is also less than 3 miles from the famous Oakmont Country Club. The club has hosted numerous well-known golf tournaments, including the 2016 US Open.