FanDuel Unveils Star-Laden Commercial Targeting Golf Bettors

Posted on: June 14, 2022, 12:40h. 

Last updated on: June 14, 2022, 03:11h.

Todd Shriber @etfgodfather Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

FanDuel is employing some serious star power in a new commercial aimed at boosting interest in golf wagering.

FanDuel PGA
PGA Tour star Jordan Speith in a FanDuel ad. He’ll be joined by Abraham Ancer, Harold Varner III, and Will Zalatoris in a new commercial for the sportsbook operator. (Image: Twitter)

The sportsbook operator, a unit of Flutter Entertainment, said today it is rolling out a new commercial featuring current FanDuel PGA Tour partner and three-time major winner Jordan Speith, along with rising Tour stars Abraham Ancer, Harold Varner III, and Will Zalatoris.

In addition to appearing in FanDuel’s new commercial, Spieth, Ancer, Zalatoris and Varner will partner with FanDuel on social media support, which will include odds boosts and content surrounding FanDuel Free-to-Play initiatives,” according to a statement issued by the gaming company.

The sportsbook operator also gains access to the golfers’ names and likenesses. The new spot is slated to debut this week to coincide with the US Open, which is being held at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., and will run through February 2023.

To celebrate the US Open — the third major of the 2022 season –, FanDuel is offering new customers $200 in free bets with just $5 wagered. That promotion runs through June 21.

Golf Rising Among Bettors

As has been the case for decades, football and basketball dominate the US sports betting landscape in terms of handle generated.

Golf is in the “other” category, with the likes of auto racing, soccer, and tennis. But as regulated sports wagering proliferates in the US, more bettors are paying attention to golf. For its part, the PGA Tour is embracing sports betting.

“Golf continues to be one of the fastest-growing sports on our platform, and as we greatly value our partnership with the PGA TOUR, we are excited to grow our PGA TOUR program,” said Mike Raffensperger CMO of FanDuel Group, in the statement.

Speith signed on with FanDuel last August. A year before that, the operator was named the official sports betting partner of the PGA Tour. That’s a multi-year content and marketing arrangement whereby FanDuel Sportsbook gains US rights to use the PGA Tour logos and avenues to advertise within Tour media and partner platforms. The sportsbook operator can also use PGA video content to create pre-and post-match programming for bettors.

The Tour also has relationships with FanDuel rivals DraftKings and PointsBet.

Golf Betting Ripe with Long-Term Potential

Some market observers believe golf wagering will continue ascending as in-game or live betting becomes more popular in the US. Currently, about half of all sports bets are placed live or in-game.

That wagering style is popular in markets outside the US, namely Europe, where slower-paced sports are popular with bettors. In the US, sports such as basketball, hockey, and to a lesser extent, football aren’t conducive to in-game betting. However, baseball and golf, among others, are suited for it.

Critical to golf’s fortunes garnering a larger slice of the US sports wagering pie is generating interest beyond the four majors. Increased marketing and in-game betting could be avenues for accomplishing that objective.