Hard Rock Bet to Debut Microbetting Lines With LIV Golf Chicago

Posted on: September 20, 2023, 08:47h. 

Last updated on: September 22, 2023, 12:01h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Hard Rock Bet will debut golf microbetting lines this week when the LIV Golf Chicago tournament tees it up at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.

Hard Rock Bet Simplebet microbetting LIV Golf
Cameron Smith competes at LIV Golf Chicago in 2022. Hard Rock Bet is rolling out microbetting lines beginning with this weekend’s LIV Golf Chicago tournament. Simplebet is powering the micro lines. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)

Hard Rock Bet, the digital online gaming platform owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, is operational in Arizona, Iowa, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. The company hopes to soon launch in the tribe’s home state of Florida.

Hard Rock Bet is betting that its customers want more wagering opportunities during golf events. To expand its board and venture into in-round betting, Hard Rock Bet has teamed with Simplebet, a leading third-party provider of microbetting lines.

Beginning with LIV Golf Chicago, which begins this Friday, September 22, the Hard Rock Bet platform will allow bettors to wager on in-round outcomes. Examples of such offerings include a player’s score on the next hole, whether a player’s drive will hit or miss the fairway, and if a player will hit the green in regulation.

LIV Golf Chicago is the final regular season stop in the U.S. in 2023. The breakaway circuit then travels to Saudi Arabia for the tour’s season finale on October 13-15.

LIV then returns to the U.S. for the Golf Team Championship at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami on October 20-22. The team championship combines stroke and match play to determine the LIV Golf team champion.

Increased Engagement, Betting

Microbetting, Simplebet executives say, benefits both the sport and the book. They say more betting increases fan engagement — something that’s beneficial to a league like LIV Golf, as it elevates television ratings and streaming viewership. More betting also results in higher revenue for sportsbooks.

But live, in-game microbetting poses its challenges. The real-time nature of establishing odds and accepting bets all in a matter of seconds or minutes required Simplebet to invest heavily to develop a proprietary automated betting platform.

The LIV Golf Chicago event marks a massive accomplishment for the entire Simplebet team,” said Simplebet CEO Chris Bevilacqua. “We couldn’t be more excited to launch our partnership with a league as forward-thinking as LIV Golf and provide engaging opportunities for its fans to engage with the sport.”

“Our team has spent countless hours working to create the optimal product for LIV Golf’s fans across the country and throughout the world,” Bevilacqua added.

Cameron Smith is the betting front-runner to win LIV Golf Chicago at 8/1. He’s followed by Bryson DeChambeau (10/1) and Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed at 14/1. Brooks Koepka, Talor Gooch, Mito Pereira, and Joaquin Niemann are at 16/1.

Microbetting Growth

Simplebet and Betr, an upstart seeking to challenge Simplebet in the microbetting space, have been successful in partnering with leading online sportsbook operators to expand their betting boards.

Simplebet this year is offering microbetting on nearly every college and NFL football game through DraftKings. DraftKings also offered micro odds on more than 2,500 college basketball games last year.

Responsible gaming advocates, however, say microbetting might increase addiction rates.

“Microbetting shortens the lag between bet and reward, increasing the speed and frequency of gambling, which increases the risk of problematic behavior and negative consequences,” said Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.