PrizePicks Hopes to Find Magic in Jai Alai Partnership with Miami Casino

Posted on: September 27, 2020, 10:53h. 

Last updated on: September 28, 2020, 09:54h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

There’s a new way to bet on jai alai, as daily fantasy sports operator PrizePicks has become an official partner of Magic City Jai Alai.

PrizePicks jai alai
A player braces himself against the wall as he plays a jai alai match at Magic City Jai Alai, which recently entered into a partnership with daily fantasy sports operator PrizePicks. (Image: MagicCityHustle.com)

Under terms of the agreement, according to a PrizePicks release, the fantasy sports site will be featured at the Magic City Casino in Miami and the Bonita Springs Poker Room, which is set to open this week. Customers can register for PrizePicks at both venues and become eligible for exclusive prizes.

In addition, PrizePicks offers jai alai now as part of its daily fantasy lineup. As a single-player daily fantasy site, PrizePicks allows its customers to pick between two to four athletes across 23 sporting leagues, including eSports.

Not only do we believe in the resurgence of Jai Alai, but this partnership fits naturally with our ambitions to be a major brand in the South,” said Adam Wexler, CEO of Atlanta-based PrizePicks. “With Magic City Casino as the biggest commercial casino in the state of Florida, we love the opportunity to bring a layer of fan engagement to the sport and their Southern-rooted audience.”

PrizePicks establishes a projected fantasy point value for athletes. Customers choose whether the athlete will go over or stay under that total. If a customer goes 4-for-4 on an entry, they could get up to $1,000 for a $100 entry fee.

The daily fantasy game is currently operational in 28 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada for players aged 18 or older.

Jai Alai Re-emerging in Florida

Jai alai has regained some of its popularity in the South Florida area as greyhound racing has waned in the state. Racing will officially end in the state at the end of the year, as Florida voters two years ago approved the ban.

A federal judge upheld the referendum earlier this year.

Magic City closed the Flagler Dog Track two years ago to focus on jai alai, and the casino has gone to great strides to find high-caliber athletes. There’s even a documentary about the casino’s efforts to land athletes from the University of Miami and other nearby schools to revive the game.

“When it comes to jai alai, we are well on our way to being the top domestic operation,” said Magic City Casino COO Scott Savin. “Unlike many other rosters, our players are under contract year-round, many are former professional and collegiate athletes, and they all wear their emotions on their sleeve, so it’s a great opportunity to add the fans with a rooting interest.”

Even Calder Casino is looking to the sport as a replacement for thoroughbred racing. The state constitution allows pari-mutuel facilities, such as race tracks, to offer slots. But they must maintain some type of pari-mutuel offering in order to maintain their slot license.

Traditionally, jai alai is a pari-mutuel sport. But with PrizePicks, jai alai athletes earn points for each time they win, place, or show. They lose a point if they finish out of the top three.

Big Year for PrizePicks

The partnership with Magic City is the latest development for PrizePicks. Earlier this year, PrizePicks landed partnerships with MLB’s Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company even secured partnerships with the American Cornhole League and The Outlaw Golf Tour.

The company also raised $850,000 in capital earlier this year, bringing on board such investors as poker champion Phil Hellmuth. Another shareholder is former Braves slugger Andruw Jones.