PGA Championship First Major to Score Sports Betting Partnership Via ESPN Bet

Posted on: May 8, 2024, 09:42h. 

Last updated on: May 8, 2024, 09:51h.

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

The PGA Championship is the first of golf’s four majors to announce a sports betting partnership with a sportsbook operator.

PGA Championship ESPN Bet sports betting golf
The Wanamaker Trophy at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. ESPN Bet will serve as the “Official Sports Betting Sponsor” of the PGA Championship through at least 2026. (Image: Casino.org)

The PGA of America and Penn Entertainment, the latter being the parent company to Penn Interactive and ESPN Bet, on Tuesday announced a sports betting partnership for the second golf major of the year. The PGA Championship is set for May 16-19 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.

ESPN Bet will serve the PGA of America as its “Official Sports Betting Sponsor” for its marquee event. ESPN Bet will have a significant presence at the esteemed Kentucky course next week, as well as during ESPN’s television coverage of the major championship.

ESPN Bet customers who are attending the PGA in person will gain access to the ESPN Bet Members Lounge located adjacent to the 13th hole. The exclusive area will offer a premium hospitality experience with covered seating featuring views of the newly renovated par-4 13th green, beverage service, special ESPN Bet offers, and a VR simulator of the 13th hole.

Three-Year Deal 

ESPN Bet will retain the “Official Sports Betting Sponsor” title to the PGA Championship through the 2026 tournament.

The championship is to be played at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte next year and at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia in 2026. North Carolina and Pennsylvania are both legal sports betting states. ESPN Bet is licensed in both.

ESPN is licensed in Kentucky through its retail partnership with Ellis Park. The book is licensed in North Carolina through a partnership with the PGA Tour and Quail Hollow. ESPN Bet is licensed in Pennsylvania where Penn operates several Hollywood-branded brick-and-mortar casinos.

With the PGA Championship set to take place in states where ESPN BET operates through 2026, this partnership provides us with a great opportunity to interact with and engage golf fans,” said Jason Birney, vice president of operations at Penn Interactive. “We look forward to accessing highly engaging touchpoints to bring ESPN Bet onto the course and into the PGA Championship broadcast on ESPN.”

CBS has the broadcast rights to Saturday and Sunday’s afternoon and evening coverage, but ESPN will air Thursday and Friday’s morning broadcast and pre-CBS coverage on the weekends until 1 pm ET.

Terms of the PGA of America deal weren’t disclosed but Penn Entertainment continues to spend heavily on its ESPN Bet marketing initiatives. ESPN Bet is the Pennsylvania-based casino operator’s revamped sports betting product that it secured last year through a $1.5 billion deal with Walt Disney’s ESPN to leverage the sports programming brand.

Penn pivoted to ESPN Bet after folding on its Barstool Sports ownership, a bad business deal that cost the company more than $500 million.

PGA Odds

When the PGA Championship tees off next week, all eyes will be on world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the most dominant player in the sport today. Scheffler, who remains on baby watch with his wife Meredith, is skipping this week’s Wells Fargo at Quail Hollow.

If he plays, Scheffler will no doubt be the PGA betting favorite. The 2024 Masters winner is currently at +350 to win the Wanamaker Trophy.

Rory McIlroy is next at +1200. Jon Rahm is at +1400. Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, and Ludvig Aberg are next at +1600.