Although Ohio sports betting isn’t up and running, another online sportsbook has teamed with an Ohio sports institution to get a foot in the door for a launch in the Buckeye State.
The green in “tee to green” will have a new meaning as betPARX has partnered with Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament and the Muirfield Village Golf Club for sports betting access in Ohio, according to a news release. BetPARX will also become an Official Betting Operator of the PGA Tour and offer an enhanced fan experience at the Memorial, in a deal similar to DraftKings’ relationship with the Waste Management PGA tournament in Phoenix.
Under the Ohio sports wagering law, the Memorial Tournament and betPARX will apply for a Type A license, which would allow betPARX to offer its mobile sports wagering platform throughout the state. Ohio will grant licenses starting in a few months and launch sports wagering by Jan. 1, 2023. But is there any chance Ohio would turn down a license for favorite son Jack Nicklaus? No.
“First and foremost, we would like to express our appreciation to the State Legislators in the House and Senate that worked for many years to develop the well thought out legislation,” Dan Sullivan, executive director of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, said in the release. “The Memorial Tournament joins Ohio’s other professional sports franchises in recognizing the time and energy put into legalizing sports gaming. Further, we are excited to partner with betPARX to help bring its platform to Ohio.”
‘A Significant Moment’
BetPARX is equally as thrilled to partner with the Memorial Tournament and the PGA Tour.
“This is a significant moment as we expand the betPARX business into new states such as Ohio with a new brand and a faster, easier betting experience with the all-new betPARX app,” Matthew Cullen, senior vice president of sports for betPARX, said in the release. “BetPARX will have the most comprehensive live golf betting capabilities in the market through our partnership with the PGA Tour. We see golf as critical to our business at a time in which there is a resurgence in participation and viewership.
”The Midwest is a focal point for our business as we expand and Ohio’s central position to these adjacent states makes this a highly important market to us.”
As an Official Betting Operator, betPARX will have rights to use PGA Tour marks, video highlights and other intellectual property on its sports wagering platform, among other benefits, the release said.
The 2022 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday will be held the week of May 30 - June 5 and will be broadcast on CBS, Golf Channel and PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+.
Ohio Sports Betting Partnerships
There have been other partnerships announced in Ohio. Here are some of them
- In February 2022, Caesars became an “Official Casino Partner” of the Cleveland Cavaliers and announced plans to open a year-round sportsbook in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
- In February 2022, Rush Street Interactive entered into a partnership with Penn National Gaming, owner of Ohio’s Hollywood casinos in Dayton, Columbus, Toledo and Austintown.
- In February 2022, Fubo Gaming secured a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers to make Fubo Sportsbook an Official Mobile Sports Betting Partner of the NBA franchise.
- In January 2022, global sportsbook operator Tipico Ohio announced a long-term partnership agreement with the Columbus Crew, making Tipico the official and exclusive sports betting partner of the MLS franchise.
- In March 2021, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Betway, a United Kingdom sports betting and online gaming company, announced a new multi-year partnership. It includes a marketing campaign to promote Betway through signs and commercials, as well as a presence on team digital and social channels, according to a news release from the NBA team.
- In September 2020, Unibet entered into the agreement with Penn National Gaming to operate online sports betting and online casino gaming through Penn National's Hollywood Casinos in Ohio.
