“We See The Legal Sports Betting Technology Boom As A Natural Next Generation For Golf”
October 9, 2020
Over the summer, DraftKings became the first official betting operator of the PGA Tour, as an expansion of their original deal after becoming the Tour’s daily fantasy operator in July 2019.
DraftKings has also recently added Michael Jordan as a Special Advisor to the board as the company continues to bolster its sportsbook.
We see the legal sports betting technology boom as a natural next generation for golf.
iSPORTCONNECT spoke to Ezra Kucharz, Chief Business Officer at DraftKings, to find out about the potential the organisation sees for golf betting.
How does DraftKings see sports betting, which doesn’t necessarily have the same reputation of sophistication that the sport of golf typically has, fitting into golf’s culture?
The PGA TOUR has embraced regulated sports betting, particularly in naming DraftKings as its first “Official Betting Operator” and this validation speaks to both a culture shift and new level of openness. Golf is steeped in tradition with a dedicated fanbase, and sports betting is a great way to broaden appeal and drive engagement.
Sports and fans are dynamic, and we see the legal sports betting technology boom as a natural next generation for golf and other sports while still maintaining those traditional pillars.
Do you expect sports betting to grow golf’s audience reach?
Yes, without question. Golf has already risen among our most popular sports offerings, and betting not only exposes golf to new audiences but also gives existing fans opportunities to engage like never before.
We are excited to break new ground for the sports betting space alongside the PGA TOUR as well as fuel mainstream awareness and adoption.
As younger, tech-savvy golf fans begin following the game and adopting mobile sports betting, the PGA TOUR will be well prepared to deliver a modern experience and win over potentially lifelong fans.
Has the pandemic, and a lack of fans watching golf in-person, contributed to the timing of rolling out this feature? If not, then more generally, why now?
This feature debuted only a few weeks removed from DraftKings and the PGA TOUR finalizing our official betting partnership. We felt the Wyndham Championship shortly after teaming up together would be an ideal pilot tournament to showcase the initial collaboration.
DraftKings previously activated a live odds integration during a non-TOUR event “The Match II: Champions for Charity” however Wyndham was the first ever PGA TOUR broadcast to incorporate such content.
What sort of odds integrations would DraftKings like to see over the rest of the year to fully integrate the betting experience?
While the Wyndham Championship initiated our odds integrations with the PGA TOUR, this content will be fluid and tailored based on the given tournament.
I cannot go into specifics looking ahead, but we are excited to break new ground for the sports betting space alongside the PGA TOUR as well as fuel mainstream awareness and adoption.
