Rebranded restaurant, new off-track betting open at Lake Lorraine

Starting today, bets can be placed on horse, harness and dog races at a newly opened off-track betting location at Lake Lorraine.

The location is adjacent to the former SandBar & Grill, which has been renamed Railbirds Sports Bar at 2310 S. Marion Road. The off-track betting area is called Railbirds OTB.

Railbirds is owned by Tim Stupka and Rick McKinney, who previously operated an off-track betting location in North Sioux City for 17 years, along with Eric Ward and Eric Schofield. All four also are partners in Session Ale Works.

“The response has been really positive,” Stupka said. “It’s something I think the city has needed for a while. Having owned the one in North Sioux City, 40 to 50 percent of the customers were already from here, and they came from much farther than Sioux Falls in both directions.”

Railbirds is also licensed for South Dakotans to place wagers by phone after initially visiting the location to set up an account.

“They have to come in the first time to fund it, and after that, they can set up an ACH and call in wagers for any track we carry,” Stupka said.

The location will feature 17 to 20 tracks each month, depending on the season.

There are 23 large televisions that will broadcast both racing and sports, including football and basketball. The facility offers individual seating with electrical outlets and table seating.

“We wanted a place with food and beverages,” Stupka said. “There’s never been a place in South Dakota where you can order food, have a beer and place a bet — all in one spot.”

The off-track betting area is served by the restaurant’s kitchen and has its own bar.

A revamp to the restaurant menu has “been very well received,” Stupka said. “We had so many items before, so now it’s focused on the best ones, and we’ve added a bunch of new options.” See the menu here. 

To introduce customers to the racing side, there will be seminars at 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.

“We’ll have packets, and it’s a 45-minute session with a Q&A. They’ll walk out with a basic understanding of the terminology and how to read a racing form,” Stupka said. “We’re trying to bring in new bettors … and like anything, the more educated you are, the better you’ll be.”

For the grand opening, any customer who visits this week can enter to win six tickets to watch the Minnesota Vikings take on the Detroit Lions this fall, sitting on the 10-yard line.

While the education sessions are this week, the off-track betting location will be staffed to assist customers.

“It’s a sport you can introduce people to, like putting together a puzzle or learning to play craps,” Stupka said. “You don’t just walk in and know it overnight. Our focus is on providing staff to help guide them.”

Hiring for the off-track betting side “is very good,” Stupka added, but the restaurant could always use more staff.

Railbirds OTB is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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