The National Football League has named Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. and its PROLINE wagering platform as the organization’s first official sportsbook partner in Canada — and only days before Super Bowl LVI kicks off in Los Angeles.
OLG announced the exclusive five-year deal on Monday. In addition to the Canada-wide partnership, the government-owned company and PROLINE are now an official retail lottery and sportsbook partner of the NFL in Ontario.
“As the sports betting landscape continues to evolve, we are excited to partner with OLG in Ontario with the opening of the sports betting market in Canada,” said Gavin Kemp, NFL director of corporate partnerships, in a press release. “OLG will bring NFL fans in the province a whole new experience in sports gaming entertainment.”
Timing is everything
The new partnership is supposed to include football-related content, special events and promotions, and “exclusive player opportunities” at some point in the future. OLG says it will abide by the NFL’s key integrity policies as well and use official league data in its operations.
Monday’s news is timely, as the Super Bowl is this coming weekend. It's also timely because of the competition that OLG is set to face in April, when a number of private-sector operators of online sportsbooks and internet-based casino gambling websites will be legally allowed to take bets in the province.
Ontario’s new iGaming market will be unique in Canada, where provincial lottery and gaming corporations currently have a monopoly on legal sports betting. Furthermore, the market's launch follows federal lawmakers passing a bill last summer that permits provinces to conduct and manage single-game sports betting.
OLG has responded to the coming challenge by bolstering its offerings, including the recent addition of Super Bowl-specific props (such as the outcome of the coin toss) to its online sportsbook, PROLINE+.
"We are so excited to announce this partnership given that PROLINE is the only platform for sports bettors in Ontario to place legal, single event wagers and other exciting bets on the Super Bowl at both retail outlets and online at PROLINE+," said Dave Pridmore, OLG’s chief digital and strategy officer, in the press release.
