Greg Olsen took a long shot with his first ever wager inside the Tar Heel State, which launched online sports betting on Monday at noon.
While at a DraftKings launch party at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the NFL on FOX commentator and Carolina Panthers legend Greg Olsen fittingly placed a $100 wager on NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace at +4000 to win the Cup Series championship just four races into the 2024 schedule.
The odds of North Carolina sports betting being a huge hit have a much better chance.
“I know first hand living here in North Carolina, between our professional teams, NASCAR, the Hornets, the Panthers, the Hurricanes in the Raleigh area and of course all the colleges, it is a 12-month a year sports calendar,” Olsen, an official DraftKings partner, said. “I think that’s what really makes this fun. As a former athlete, the more interest in our game, the more interest in our league is great. It’s good for everyone when there’s more interest.”
North Carolina became the 38th U.S. state to launch sports betting and is one of the top 10 most populous in the country.
Banking on Bubba
Olsen is banking on another DraftKings partner to cash his first bet. Wallace, who also has a deal with DraftKings through the NASCAR partnership, is currently 14th in the Cup standings heading to Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday.
“I like Bubba. I like his story,” Olsen said. “If we can pull this thing off and he wins it, hopefully I get invited to his party. I feel good about it. It’s money well placed. There’s a long way to go in the season. We’ll see what happens when we get there.”
NASCAR’s popularity in N.C. is one of the big draws to sportsbooks.
N.C. governor is in
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who was instrumental in pushing for the legalization of sports betting in the Tar Heel State, also placed his first wager on the Hurricanes to win the Stanley Cup.
Sports betting is now legal in North Carolina, and I’m taking the @Canes to win the Stanley Cup. - RC pic.twitter.com/tPHn7IGDtM
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) March 11, 2024
Cooper didn't say where he intended to place the wager, but the Canes carry +800 odds to win the Stanley Cup at DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetMGM. If he price shops, he can get Carolina at +900 at ESPN BET or +950 at bet365.
Once he signed North Carolina sports betting into law last June, Cooper made getting online wagering live by March Madness, which begins with the ACC Tournament on Tuesday, a top priority.
First bets at other books
The first official sports bet made at FanDuel in North Carolina was a four-leg same-game parlay on Monday's NBA game between the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons.
The first ever bet placed on FanDuel Sportsbook in North Carolina was a 4-leg parlay 👀
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) March 11, 2024
🏀 Miles Bridges 30+ points
🏀 Miles Bridges 3+ threes
🏀 Cade Cunningham 30+ points
🏀 Cade Cunningham 3+ threes
Is it hitting? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/gWCmvul1Md
Such a parlay currently carries +2885 odds.
