Author: Casino Connection Staff

VSiN didn’t wait for the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning a ban on sports betting to establish a foothold in Las Vegas with a new kind of network. The company launched in January 2017, when only Nevada and a few other states offered sports betting.

“We’re visionaries in the sports betting space,” said Derek Van Nostran, chief marketing officer at VSiN.

Indeed. Brian Musburger and his co-founders saw a need for credible and actionable news, data and analysis to help inform the sports bettor, at the time an unserved audience even in Las Vegas, the clear epicenter of s such activity. This idea spurred the first sports network of its kind, with a broadcast studio in the middle of one of the biggest sportsbooks in the resort at the South Point Casino.

“I was the equivalent of broadcasting a financial network from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange,” Van Nostran said.

Since then, VSiN has brought growing audience insights from authoritative sources in the world of sports betting and sports, beginning with Hall of Fame broadcaster Brent Musburger. The team also includes analytics expert, Gill Alexander, former NFL executive, Michael Lombardi and long-time Las Vegas radio personalities, Pauly Howard and Mitch Moss.

But make no mistake, Van Nostran said. VSiN’s rapid growth—beyond Las Vegas and across the country—is a clear barometer of the interest in, and growth of, regulated sports betting in the U.S.

“VSiN was ahead of the curve, anticipating the trend prior to legalization, but it’s important to know that we’re still in the early days,” he said.

In September, ESPN unveiled a state-of-the-art studio in partnership with Caesars, which became ESPN’s exclusive odds provider. “Las Vegas provides a great backdrop for ESPN’s expanding sports betting content and the studio gives us a fixed presence in a significant sports market,” said Mike Morrison, vice president, business development, ESPN.

The studio serves as the focal point of ESPN’s sports betting-themed content, including shows like “Daily Wager” and “Bet,” the latter a new sports betting digital show available on the ESPN app, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

“That has quickly become one of our most popular live shows on digital and social platforms,” Morrison said.

What helps drive these developments is clearly sports betting’s role in sport these days. “Sports betting has become endemic to the overall experience of the sports fan. We have, for some time now,  recognized fans’ interest in sports betting as growing, and our coverage over the years has evolved to serve that audience,” Morrison said.

That growth has accelerated with the growth and legalization of sports betting across the country, all of which has created new opportunities to expand ESPN’s brand and audience and increase fan engagement.

“To look at that relationship between sports betting and sport, you have to look beyond those two studios to the ever growing relationship between sports betting and the media,” said Josh Swissman, founding partner for Las Vegas-based The Strategy Organization.

Even before sports betting, broadcasters would make indirect references to odds. “There was an unspoken relationship,” Swissman said.

Now of course, all bets are off. Online sports betting companies sponsor games. Partnerships have evolved with media and sports betting such as BetMGM and Yahoo, Penn National and Barstool, Caesars and William Hill and ESPN, Fox and FOX Bet.

Heck, two of the four major pro leagues have teams in Las Vegas: The NFL Raiders and the NHL Golden Knights. The Raiders play in the new Allegiant Stadium. The city is bidding for the 2024 Super Bowl and will be the site of the 2022 NFL draft.

“It’s only logical that media companies would establish relationships in casinos,” Swissman said.

Having a studio allows us to cover those events year-round, Morrison said.

The potential of sports betting—and by extension, dissemination of sports betting content—is staggering. Research shows that sports betting can have a huge impact, increasing both the number of games watched and the length of time engaged. Sports betting as a revenue stream can potentially exceed ticket sales for sporting events, Van Nostran said.

“VSiN takes seriously its role in educating consumers on everything from basic strategy to advanced betting concepts, as well as providing all the news and insights they need to make the smartest wagering decisions possible,” he said.

VSiN launched its broadcast during the 2017 Super Bowl, and from the getgo, a handful of broadcasters’ streamed live coverage five hours a day. Today the network broadcasts 24 hours each day, delivering more than 100 live hours each week from studios across the country, including three in Las Vegas (South Point, Circa, Mandalay Bay), and one each in Atlantic City (Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa), Chicago (Des Plaines Rivers Casino), Detroit (MGM Grand) and Denver (Empower Field at Mile High).

VSiN broadcasts The Lombardi Line with the former NFL executive live every weekend from Borgata. Danny Burke hosts Rush Hour every weeknight from Rivers Casino, while analyst James Salinas is live on Betting Across America each week from Empower Field at Mile High.

“In addition to this cross country build out of our studio presence, VSiN has significantly expanded its distribution footprint over the past couple of years,” Van Nostran said.

VSiN content is now available across multiple channels including NESN, MSG Networks, Marquee Sports Network, Comcast Xfinity, Rogers’ Sportsnet, Sling TV, fuboTV, SiriusXM, TuneIn and more than 100 terrestrial radio stations around the country, along with live streaming.

“We expect to continue this rapid expansion to deliver VSiN’s unique view of the sports betting markets to more sports betting in more markets across the country.”

Recognizing that in-game betting will change the way fans watch sports, VSiN has inaugurated what it says is s groundbreaking product to capitalize on the expected growth of wagering after the start of a game or match, Van Nostran said. “BetCasts delivers real-time reporting of live odds on air as they happen, analyzing the events behind those changing lines,” he said.

VSiN has produced BetCasts for the XFL and English Premier League through its partnership with iHeart Media, but perhaps the most ground-breaking example of the in-game trend can be seen in VSiN’s Prime Time Action, powered by DraftKings. Hosted by Gill Alexander and in-game betting experts, this show airs Monday through Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. on MSG+ in New York.

This show gives viewers an advantage by combing expert analysis with actionable data to inform wagering decisions in real-time.

“We expect to continue expanding our footprint to bring information to the growing number of sports bettors around the country,” Nostran said. We think these markets are all different and should be covered as such.”

For ESPN, the focus at the moment is to serve fans in legalized sports betting states is the rollout of link integrations across ESPN digital platforms, connecting fans to sportsbooks from Caesars’ sports betting partner, William Hill, and DraftKings, Morrison said. “At the same time, we’ll continue to serve fans interested in sports betting with our growing slate of content that is available to them across our platforms.”

VSiN and ESPN have a lock on the market in Las Vegas. But what of networks like Fox Sports creating a studio environment in Las Vegas or elsewhere? Could be, Swissman said.

“But FOX Bet would have to establish a relationship in Las Vegas first,” he said. “It makes all the sense in the world. But I am not sure now is an ideal time until volumes return and bettors travel to Las Vegas.”

Atlantic City may be a wise choice for other broadcast studios. “Any sort of big population, dense market destination with sports teams around it, makes sense for a potential location,” Swissman said. “But I am not sure you want a bevy of studios across the country.”

The National Hockey League and the American Gaming Association (AGA) announced a partnership to promote responsible gaming activity through the “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly” public service campaign.

Through the partnership, the NHL will use league-owned, in-arena, and digital marketing inventory for co-branded video board images, public address announcements, and animations of hockey-specific marketing materials that encourage responsible sports betting. The league will provide unique assets for each club in legal sports betting markets, including arena, desktop and mobile, and email applications.

“The National Hockey League is proud to partner with the American Gaming Association on this vital initiative to educate NHL fans about the importance of responsible betting,” said Keith Wachtel, NHL chief business officer.

“The fan experience remains one of our highest priorities as more hockey fans than ever have the opportunity to legally and responsibly bet in their home states. Ensuring that our passionate fans know how to participate in this exciting new opportunity is important, and we’re thrilled to be working with the AGA to share the responsibility in this worthy education.”

The AGA’s Have a Game Plan campaign focuses on the core principles of responsible sports betting: setting a budget and sticking to it, keeping betting social, knowing the odds, and playing with trusted, regulated operators. The NHL is only the second professional league to adopt the campaign. NASCAR announced a partnership with the AGA effort in mid-September.

“Teams and leagues are increasingly embracing sports betting as they explore new fan engagement opportunities during Covid-19,” said Bill Miller, AGA president and CEO. “Educating patrons about how to engage in this activity responsibly is critical to the success of the sports betting opportunity as it continues to expand throughout the country.

“We’re thankful for the NHL’s continued leadership on responsible sports betting. Their partnership on this initiative will be important for hockey fans everywhere as they cheer on their teams in coming seasons.”

HaveAGamePlan.org equips bettors with myriad resources for wagering responsibly, including locations for legal, regulated sportsbooks and how to get help if sports betting is no longer a fun, affordable form of entertainment.

Home field advantage may be worth something after all. Seems the empty stadiums where games are played have led to a decline in profits by producing unpredictable results, according to bookmaker William Hill.

Playing games without crowds and their psychological impact on fans has taken a toll when it comes to setting appropriate odds. Take the Premier League. Last season’s champions, Liverpool, were whipped 7-2 by Aston Villa.

“We continue to see volatile gross win margins, and we would expect this situation to continue,” William Hill said.

The bookmaker, in the midst of a £2.9 billion (US$3.8 billion) purchase by Caesars, said betting income was returning to pre-Covid levels, but third-quarter revenues fell 9 percent lower than the same period last year. The first six months of 2020 saw a 32 percent decline in handle, the result of sports cancellation and closure of betting shops, according to The Guardian.

William Hill began the year with 1,533 shops as the company moved more to online action, but reduced that to 1,414 during the third quarter.

A new four-week lockdown of 100 shops would wipe £2 million off operating profits, the bookmaker said.

In related acquisition news, William Hill has published the terms of the buyout, which will take effect after shareholder approval on November 19.

• Directors voted unanimously to support the sale; they hold 0.2 percent of the shares.
• Caesars offer speaks to the progress William Hill has made during the last 18 months and the significant investment needed to take full advantage of U.S. opportunities.
• All William Hill non-executive directors will resign upon completion of the acquisition.
• Golden Entertainment will be entitled to an undetermined compensation from the acquisition as part of the change of control as William Hill serves as the race and sportsbook operator for Golden’s casinos in Nevada. The payment will be capped at $75 million.
• Caesars does not expect to change the number of William Hill employees retained. But that could change given further Covid-19 impacts.
• Apollo Global, which has also indicated interest in buying William Hill, must decide whether it will make a cash offer by November 12 or give consent to Caesars offer.

Caesars shareholders will vote on the acquisition on November 17. It will require at least 75 percent approval.

Will esports betting become more lucrative then sports betting? Quentin Martin, CEO of the esports betting company Luckbox, insists it will and is ready to put his money where his mouth is to back up his claim.

“The Covid-19 lockdown definitely accelerated esports a couple of years into the future for sure,” Martin told Gambling Insider. “Most countries left lockdown months ago and we saw a drop-off to some degree but nothing substantial. We have retained 75 percent of players that we gained during the lockdown.”

Martin said esports is more popular with the 18-25 age group. If that demographic holds true for the next half-century, esports has a profitable future.

Fast forward 50 years and this age group is approaching 75, perhaps in retirement homes playing each other at computer games. “This is why I believe companies that are only paying esports lip service are damaging their brand and longevity going forward,” Martin said.

In related news, Esports Entertainment Group agreed to purchase ggCircuit LLC and Helix eSports LLC for about $43 million. The Helix acquisition included LANDuel, described as a proprietary player vs. player platform that permits skill based wagering on third-party video games both in both gaming centers and at some point, online.

LANduel is working with the New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement on a pilot program, according to GO Gaming. The upshot of this activity speaks to Esports potential in the legalized gambling sphere.

WTOP News presented a series that assessed the state of gambling in Virginia. Among the highlights:

• Applications for mobile sportsbook licenses have poured into the Virginia Lottery ahead of the October 31 deadline, according to WTOP.

“We understand that the black market has existed for centuries, right?” said Prince William County state Senator Jeremy McPike, who sponsored the legislation that ultimately became law earlier this year. “Billions of dollars are exported overseas right now because people are still going to place bets, or use bookies in different cities and neighborhoods.”

• The District of Columbia will allow license holders to offer mobile apps that only work in the vicinity of their establishment, such as the Capital One Arena, where William Hill operates sports betting. The limitation is designed to minimize competition with DC Lottery’s Gambet app.
• In Virginia, lawmakers approved the mobile-only sports betting option.
• A clause allows for future casinos in Richmond, Danville, Portsmouth, Norfolk and Bristol to offer sports betting.
• Another clause permits a physical sports book if owned by a major league professional sports team that plays its games in Virginia.
• The law established a 15 percent tax on gross betting revenue, and gamblers will not be allowed to bet on college athletic events involving schools located in Virginia.
• When the application period ends, the Lottery will have a 90-day window to review applicants. As many as 12 companies could be granted a license by mid-January.

“I don’t see why Virginia wouldn’t work out to be similar on a per-capita basis to a Pennsylvania, to an Indiana,” said Chris Grove, with Eilers and Krejcik Gaming, a research and consulting firm. “Since July, Pennsylvania has generated nearly $12 million in tax revenue from sports betting, and most of it has been through mobile apps. There’s no good reason why Virginia isn’t in a similar range on a per-capita basis.”

Analyst Carlo Santarelli of Deutsche Bank authored another report tempering the expectations of investors who think sports betting in the U.S. is a $15 billion to $20 billion market. He points out that assessments overestimate spending per customer by focusing on gross revenues instead of net, and making flawed comparisons to other markets.

For example, promotional activity accounted for 34 percent of Pennsylvania sports betting revenues, Santarelli said.

Another sticking point involves comparisons to the U.K. Soccer In the U.K. has a revenue margin of 9.2 percent while U.S. football comes in at 5.5 percent. Nevada, with decades of sports betting history, has a 5.6 percent overall revenue margin, he said.

Then there’s New Jersey with $51 per capita win, lower if you include promotional spending. Over the past 12 months, New Jersey really produced $37 per capita of net win, and that falls to $28 factoring out New Yorkers coming into the state to wager, Santarelli said.

To reach the vaunted $15 billion market, the per capita revenue would need to be $63, and $83 to surpass $20 billion.

So assume each state legalizes sports betting and promotions account for 22 percent of revenues, EBITDA for DraftKings is $366 million, for the MGM JV with GVC $209 million, and for Penn National $177 million, Santarelli said.

Don’t look for sports betting in Arizona by year’s end. And 2021 could be a problem, as support from the state Senate and House of Representatives have stalled on two fronts. Tribal operators have not approved any of the proposals and lawmakers have their own concerns.

The first bill floated out there sought to legalize land-based betting, which would permit commercial and tribal casinos to establish retail sportsbooks, according to Gambling News. Tribal objections stemmed from a loss of sovereignty in seeking approval from the state. Tribes assume they could launch betting products through the compacts negotiated with the state.

The Arizona Indian Gaming Association opposed the bill as well. Furthermore, the bill does not permit mobile and online betting, a convenience factor.

Meanwhile, the co-sponsors of the bills, Senator Sonny Borrelli and Rep. Stephen Pierce, have championed a revised version of a 2019 proposal that failed to pick up support. Under the legislation, every tribal casino in Arizona could offer sports betting but without mobile or online components, and a referendum would be required.

If all the tribes can’t agree, the law goes nowhere because every tribes in a compact should sign off to any expansion to the compact.

A referendum could be in place for 2021’s election, but some say a law won’t be approved until 2022.

As Arizona faces pandemic-related budget issues, legalization of sports betting offers a plausible way to make up some ground.

In related Western sports betting news, the Northern Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming is banking on its authorization from the U.S. Department of the Interior to offer sports betting without benefit of enabling legislation from the state. Class III gaming—the kind offered by the Northern Arapaho—permits sports betting.

If not challenged, sports betting could be coming to three casinos. Still, it’s not entirely clear whether tribes need state approval to launch sports betting. Sports betting in New Mexico began under similar assumptions and no one has stopped it.

Yet in Oklahoma, Governor Kevin Stitt tried to add sports betting to new tribal compacts but the state Supreme Court said otherwise, according to Legal Sports Report.

No tribes have tried to launch mobile sports betting without state legislation. Federal legislation last year that would have let tribes offer mobile betting as long as the servers were located on their reservations, but it never became law.

North Dakota didn’t pass legislation either, but the compact for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians allows sports betting. The tribe will utilize IGT‘s PlaySports platform, self-service kiosks and trading services.

Caesars Entertainment and William Hill US have launched their first joint venture announcing a sponsorship deal with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.

Caesars acquired William Hill’s UK-based parent company for $3.7 billion last month. William Hill operates Caesars US sports betting systems.

According to the companies – and subject to regulatory approval – the Caesars Indiana mobile sports betting app, “Caesars Sports Book by William Hill,” will be integrated into the Colts’ media and marketing and offer exclusive offers and promotions directly to fans.

Caesars currently operates five casinos in Indiana, but is being required to sell three of the properties by state gaming regulators following the completion in July of the company’s $17.3 billion merger with Eldorado Resorts.

The company, however, said the sponsorship deal will strengthen Caesars presence in the state.

“This expanded partnership with William Hill and our long relationship with the Indianapolis Colts deepens our strong ties within the community,” Chris Holdren, Caesars co-president of sports and online gaming said in a press statement. “Combined, both will provide an exciting entertainment experience on gamedays and beyond.”

The company will sponsor a free-to-play “Pick 6 Predictor” game on the Colts Mobile App. The Pick 6 Predictor generates a series of questions before games that fans will attempt to predict. Correct picks are rewarded with weekly prizes, and all participants are entered into a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas to stay at a Caesars Entertainment property, the release said.

As part of the sponsorship agreement, Caesars and William Hill US will become the team’s official sports betting partner.

The Spring League, a professional football development league that feeds players to the NFL, has partnered with Genius Sports Group to offer live betting markets for its games. The technology will power in-game markets during Fox Sports broadcasts.

Sportsbooks will receive the fastest, most accurate and secure football content from the league’s official data. Live betting markets will help drive fan engagement and extend the reach of the sport into international markets.

The opening kickoff October 27 marked the Spring League’s fourth season. Games will also be shown on Fox Sports FS1 for the first time.

Brian Woods, CEO of the Spring League, said: “We believe the partnership with Genius Sports will be a catalyst for fans. We have an exciting on-field product that will rival any pro football league, outside of the NFL.”

Sean Conroy, commercial director of Genius Sports Group, said they look forward to being the source of data for every game.

A referendum to legalize sports betting in Maryland has received a powerful endorsement from Governor Larry Hogan.

The betting referendum would allow sports gambling for the primary purpose of funding education.

“This initiative builds on the very successful ‘Hogan Lockbox,’ which puts casino revenues in a lockbox dedicated to education,” Hogan said in a press release. “We are already funding our K-12 schools at record levels, and this is another way to ensure that is the case for years to come.”

Hogan also told NBC Sports that with state revenue hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic, the measure could help offset some revenue losses.

“Question 2 provides a critical revenue source for public education without raising taxes on families and businesses,” Hogan said.

International Game Technology PLC announced that it has further differentiated its PlaySports sports betting solution through a multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Under the agreement, IGT’s sports betting customers in the U.S. will be authorized to use NBA intellectual property, such as official data, team and league logos, in their sportsbooks directly through an agreement with IGT.

“Partnering with the NBA to bring official league data to our PlaySports customers further validates IGT’s seriousness about delivering an unrivaled sports betting solution for the U.S. market and supports the ‘all-in-one’ proposition that we offer,” said Enrico Drago, IGT PlayDigital senior vice president.

“With the rise in popularity of in-play, prop and parlay bets, having access to official, real-time NBA data feeds and league marks and logos positions IGT to collaborate with our PlaySports customers in creating highly compelling betting menus for sports fans across the country.”

“This partnership with IGT marks the first time a platform provider can offer an ‘out-of-the box’ authentic NBA sports betting solution to a diverse set of operators across the U.S.,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, NBA senior vice president, head of fantasy & gaming. “This agreement will allow regional operators across the country to have direct access to NBA assets to create the best NBA gaming experience and further engage our fans.”

FanDuel and DraftKings have signed deals to become the exclusive sportsbook partners with TNT and TBS sports programming, as well as for Bleacher Report. Under the terms with Turner Sports, FanDuel is the sportsbook for NBA programming, while DraftKings assumes the same role with all other sports, including MLB playoffs. The parties declined to disclose financial terms.

The partnership makes sense for all involved, according to Casino.org. TV networks need more viewers to offset declining ratings and sportsbooks need new customers.

FanDuel will provide viewers with sports betting analysis, while the sportsbook gains access to NBA content, including TNT live telecasts, Bleacher Report digital channels and its app.

“We’ll be incorporating FanDuel Sportsbook odds and analysis into Turner Sport’s live broadcasts and Bleacher Report’s digital content, offering a new, enhanced, experience for NBA fans,” said Mike Raffensperger, FanDuel’s chief marketing officer.

This is not new ground for FanDuel. The company’s odds were already part of TNT’s Inside the NBA studio broadcast. The partnership between FanDuel and Turner Sports began during the recent 2020 NBA Playoffs.

Inside The NBA launched the FanDuel Sportsbook Odds Board, which featured discussion related to the odds and betting percentages for an NBA game. FanDuel was also the title sponsor for Bleacher Report’s betting show, Group Chat.

“Our collective goal is to grow NBA audience via engaging FanDuel interactive gaming experiences integrated across Turner Sports’ platforms,” said Will Funk, Turner Sports’ executive vice president for sports partnerships and branded content.

DraftKings will be part of content segments for other sports, providing betting odds and daily fantasy statistics, and editorial across Bleacher Report channels, including alerts. As an example, a baseball game on TNT tied in the 9^th inning might lead to a text alert to tune into the game, and while you’re at it, place a bet.

In addition to the NBA, Turner Sports airs the American League baseball playoffs and NCAA men’s basketball tournament games. But for now, March Madness is not included, Funk told CNBC.

Washington D.C.’s first sports bar and sportsbook combination, Handle 19, will open near the capitol before Thanksgiving.

Owner Shane August will be taking advantage of the legalization of sports betting by the D.C. Council in 2018. He anticipates being issued a license by the D.C. Lottery by Halloween. His will be the second brick and mortar sportsbook retailer to open in the city.

The first was William Hill sportsbook at Capital One Arena. The D.C. Lottery takes sports wagers on its GamBetDC mobile app.

August’s neighbors are digging in their hills at the sports betting sports bar, arguing that it will generate crime in the area. They have taken their concerns to the virtual Advisory Neighborhood Commission. They tried to block August’s liquor license and sparked a discussion where some of them worried about “social ills” and “security risks” from a sportsbook lounge.

August says he plans to school his neighbors on the reality of sports betting before his November 12 hearing before the Alcohol Beverage Control Board. He told Sports Handle, “We’re going to educate the public. What we’ve been doing … we’ve been taking individual calls from members of the public who have attended these meetings.”

The three level facility will include 6,000 square feet of food, drink and entertainment. The sportsbook will be on the third floor, with cage, kiosks and teller s in the basement.

August commented, “I’m on the record since 2019, that we’re coming to market with a Vegas-style sportsbook. We do have some small remodeling to complete, and hope to open before Thanksgiving. If we have to open without alcohol in the beginning, we will. We’re doing it because there is a public appetite that is unprecedented.”

It will be operated by USBookmaking, whose owner Vic Salerno, said, “We’d love to go in there, as far as D.C. goes, that should be a great market for us.” He added, “I think it should be a winner from the start. We’re the service provider and we’re the oddsmaker and we’re making sure they’re not making mistakes. That’s our expertise.”

Handle 19’s Class B license allows “physical and mobile sports wagering at businesses located within the District. All wagering, including mobile, offered by a Class B Operator must be conducted within the physical confines of the licensed location.”

D.C. operators will soon have competition from Virginia, which is allowing online sports betting beginning early next year and may be joined by Maryland, which will vote on sports betting this November.

August says the public will “dictate what we have inside. This is for the real bettors, we’re not a corporate group.”

From being as welcome as a plague carrier in a medieval village, sports betting has, since the 2018 Supreme Court lifted the federal ban, become an integral part of the PGA.

At the recent CJ Cup of the PGA Tour, the event, for the first time, listed live betting odds. They were promoted and discussed widely during the televised event.

The PGA has so widely embraced sports betting because it now sees it as lucrative revenue source, but more importantly, a way to generate more fan interest. Like other sports, the PGA Tour has begun forming partnerships with gaming companies, including Draft Kings, Fan Duel, PointsBet and BetMGM while ESPN has introduced a line of shows devoted to sports wagering.

BetMGM provided betting odds for all four rounds of the CJ Cup, which occurred October 15-18 on the Golf Channel. They included odds for “open” and “current” odds to win, head-to-head matchups, top finishes, winning margin, wire-to-wire winner, holes-in-one and playoffs.

In announcing the partnership, Norb Gambuzza, PGA TOUR Senior Vice President, Media and Gaming, declared, “The focus of our sports betting partnerships is to engage fans in new and creative ways. As an element of that strategy, we began integrating live odds onto TOUR digital platforms in August and now we look forward to learning from this first-time test in a live telecast.”

Matt Prevost, BetMGM chief marketing officer, added, “The PGA TOUR has been a great partner for BetMGM. Being the first sports betting platform to integrate betting odds into a live PGA TOUR telecast speaks to the innovative nature of our partnership. We look forward to continuing to move the needle and work closely with the TOUR to produce great content.”

BEtMGM in August became the Official Betting Operator (OBO) of the PGA Tour. It takes bets on moneyline and point spread bets to parlays and futures.

This first time occurrence happened at a tournament that took place in Las Vegas on a golf course built by a casino owner, Steve Wynn.