With golf on everyone’s minds, as a successful RBC Canadian Open wrapped up Sunday with an exciting finish at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto, Monday’s partnership announcement between PointsBet Canada and ClubLink was well-timed.
After all, PointsBet Canada chief commercial officer Nic Sulsky said this last week at the SiGMA Americas Summit in Toronto that focused on Ontario online betting:
“In terms of partnerships, who could we build a bridge with that would allow us to connect with their audience?” he said as part of a panel discussion. “Try to find others to help us authenticate and create a level of integrity and trust so we could create a community of fans, not just a community of people sitting on their couches being bombarded by ads. You’ve got to think about where you will get your best bang for a buck.”
Licensed Ontario sports betting app operators have been busy working to secure unique, authentic partnerships. They are looking for sports organizations that are more in the deep grass, that go far beyond all the higher level, more expensive advertising campaigns that have dominated broadcast television and outdoor advertising billboards of late, for example.
Last week we wrote on BetRegal’s new deal with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats. PointsBet Canada already has partnership deals with Curling Canada, Alpine Canada, the Ottawa Redblacks, MLSE (Leafs, Marlies, Raptors, Argos and Toronto FC), NHL Alumni Association and the Trailer Park Boys.
Golfers coming off the course, on any of the 38 ClubLink private member premium courses around Ontario, Quebec and Florida, for a “19th hole” experience, is a pretty authentic target for sports betting. ClubLink is the largest owner and operator of golf courses in Canada.
While paying for one membership (Prestige, Platinum, Gold and Silver levels, according to quality of course and scope of amenities and services), golfers can access all the courses. The company hosts more than 1 million rounds of golf annually at its clubs in Ontario.
Said Sulsky in a statement Monday: “A friendly wager is a regular occurrence among golfers enjoying a round which makes the ClubLink audience a natural fit for us. Golfers are some of the most passionate sports fans and we cannot wait to show them why PointsBet is the two-time winner of EGR North America’s Best Sports Betting Operator.”
Keeping it Canadian
It’s a multi-year partnership where PointsBet Canada becomes the Official Sports Betting Partner of ClubLink.
Sulsky has talked with OntarioBets in the recent past about the company’s local roots and its commitment to the Canadian market and Canadian sports bettors, partnerships with brands that embody Canada’s sports landscape. It is headquartered in Toronto.
“Newly launched in Ontario, PointsBet has already shown a great deal of dedication to offering unique experiences to its customers," ClubLink vice president of marketing and business development Brent Miller said Monday in a statement. "We’re thrilled to partner with one of the pre-eminent sports wagering operators in the world and to add value to the ClubLink Member experience through PointsBet’s support of our network-wide championships.”
Ontario Sports Betting Odds for NBA Finals
Game 5 of the NBA Finals is Monday night in San Francisco, with the series between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors tied 2-2. On the betting front, FanDuel Sportsbook has the spread toggling back and forth between Warriors by 3.5 and 4. Currently it’s -4 (-108) with a total of 212.5. Steph Curry is +520 to score 40+ points tonight off his 43 points in Game 4.
The Toronto Blue Jays are massive favorites Monday night at =295 with Alek Manoah on the mound against the Baltimore Orioles.
And on the golf front, the top Canadian player lines for the U.S. Open after Sunday’s Canadian Open: Corey Conners +110/Adam Hadwin +380/Mackenzie Hughes +470/ Nick Taylor +600/ Roger Sloan +1200/ Ben Silverman +1600.
According to Johnny Avello, DraftKings’ director of race and sportsbook operations, they’ve been seeing “tremendous action” on the NBA Finals.
“You’ve got two teams that generate tremendous action on their own, in the Top 5, for sure,” he said. “Bettors are all over it.”
Most bet player props for tonight are Curry Over 30.5 points at -125 odds, Jayson Tatum Over 26.5 points at -130, and Klay Thompson Over 19.5 points at -110.
DraftKings Sportsbook has been bridging different sports with some of their offerings, tied to the NBA. For example, they have Tatum of the Celtics getting five 3-pointers and Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies getting two or more RBIs, combined, at 18/1. A combo of Tatum getting 35 points and the Phillies’ Bryce Harper hitting a home run is 17/1 combined.
