ESPN Bet will be the official sportsbook of the Wells Fargo Championship scheduled for MayPictures
Penn Entertainment will gain market access for its recently rebranded ESPN Bet sports betting platform in North Carolina through a deal with Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, which will also make ESPN Bet the official sportsbook of the Wells Fargo Championship PGA event Tour planned for May.
The exclusive agreement, which is likely to last at least 10 years and is based on similar agreements including market access, allows ESPN Bet to promote registrations for its sportsbook during a high-profile event in the state’s most populous city, probably soon after. slightly ahead of the launch of legal online sports betting.
The tie with the Quail event also aligns well for ESPN+, which will broadcast 18-hole coverage of multiple feature groups on its PGA Tour Live stream throughout the tournament. The PGA Tour views ESPN+ streaming broadcasts, which allow viewers to watch every shot from a handful of groups, as a way for fans who bet on individual shots and holes to track the progress of their bets over a round . The Tour also has a real-time streaming feed available through select sports betting apps.
Penn, ESPN and Quail Hollow all declined interview requests, citing sensitivity to the licensing process. The North Carolina Lottery Commission has begun accepting applications for 11 online licenses that it will issue late last week. State law calls for a launch by June 14.
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North Carolina’s framework requires applicants to obtain access to a sports betting license through one of five professional teams, two speedways, two PGA Tour event venues, the PGA Tour or NASCAR. These agreements do not guarantee a license, but operators cannot apply without obtaining one.
Bet365 announced a exclusive agreement with the Hornets last month.
Penn has successfully promoted golf events through its sports betting site theScore Bet in Ontario, where it gained creative attention by sponsoring the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto. Last year, he gave PGA Tour event patrons the chance to play a 150-yard Par 3 hole built near the tournament’s admission gate. In 2022, it hosted small groups of guests seated in a “skybox” suspended 100 feet above the 18th hole.
