PointsBet continues its push into Canada sports betting with a key partnership in the country.
PointsBet Sportsbook is now the “Official Sports Betting Partner” of Curling Canada. In the country of approximately 38 million people, more than 13 million viewers watch Curling Canada events each season, according to a release.
Company executives believe the partnership could be key to attracting bettors in the new Canada sports betting landscape.
“It was important for PointsBet Canada to partner with organizations deeply rooted in our nation’s identity,” PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vanderwel said in a statement. “Our partnership with Curling Canada will not only support community-based sports but bring curling fans, who we know are passionate bettors, an unprecedented sports betting experience.”
PointsBet gets exclusive with curling
The PointsBet deal with Curling Canada gives the company exclusivity as the governing body’s official sportsbook and online casino.
Curling Canada represents more than 300 broadcast hours and 350 repeat hours each year. The sportsbook also secured title rights to the Curling Canada Season of Champions event.
“With the passing of legalized sports betting by the federal government this past summer, we knew that there would be many opportunities available for our sport to be part of a new, legal and regulated way for fans to enjoy our events,” Curling Canada CEO Katherine Henderson said. “PointsBet’s track record speaks for itself, as the company has existing partnerships with a variety of highly regarded partners around the world, and we couldn’t be happier to enter into this new venture with an industry leader.”
Canadian dominance of curling
While Americans largely get their fix of curling during the Winter Olympics, the sport is a big deal in Canada. In fact, more than 90% of the world’s curlers come from Canada, according to Curling Canada.
Team Canada is ranked No. 1 internationally in men’s, women’s and wheelchair curling. The nation has won 34 gold medals at the Men’s World Championships and 15 gold medals at the Women’s World Championships.
Nearly 5% of the population curls, according to a 2015 University of Waterloo study.
Aiming for success in Ontario sports betting and beyond
PointsBet is positioning itself for a shot at Canadian sports betting market share, particularly Ontario sports betting.
In Canada, the company has built out an executive team led by Vanderwel, a former Rogers executive, and Nic Sulsky, former president at the daily fantasy sports company Monkey Knife Fight.
Last month, PointsBet targeted the hockey market by partnering with DailyFaceoff.com and The Nation Network, a group of Canadian sports media sites.
“As PointsBet looks to establish a genuine connection with sports fans in Canada, there was no better place for us to start than the Daily Faceoff and the Nation Network’s loyal and dedicated following,” Sulsky, PointsBet Canada chief commercial officer, said in a statement. “We are excited about what we can do to integrate our vision, product, and consumer-first mentality into their authentic mix of content.”
PointsBet far from alone in Canada
While commercial operators are not up and running legally in Canada, at least Ontario sports betting could launch an open and regulated market later this year. This summer, the Canadian government granted provinces the ability to regulate single-event wagering and several provincial lotteries launched expanded offerings Aug. 27.
Hockey is a focus for some operators, like BetMGM, which signed deals with The Hockey News and Wayne Gretzky. Toronto-based theScore targets adult recreational hockey with a deal with Canlan Sports, which owns hockey arenas across North America.
So far in Ontario, bettors have migrated toward NFL betting. DraftKings’ initial push into Canada was by expanding its DFS deal with the shield.
