There hasn't been much fanfare yet, but single-game sports betting is now available through lottery retailers in Western Canada and the northern territories.
A new version of Western Canada Lottery Corp.’s SPORT SELECT game was launched on November 1 that allows bettors to make single-event wagers, a spokesperson confirmed to Covers.
WCLC is a non-profit that’s authorized to operate games in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, as well as Canada’s three northern territories.
Previously, SPORT SELECT only allowed parlays, in keeping with Canada’s since-overturned ban on businesses offering single-game betting. The company’s recent update to the game now allows for a simpler wager, albeit one that still requires players to go to an authorized retailer to finalize their bets.
“This is part of a suite of enhancements designed to modernize the product and improve the player experience, and it is now available throughout our region, comprising Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut,” WCLC’s Kevin van Egdom said in an email. "As we mentioned previously, WCLC has been working towards this SPORT SELECT rejuvenation for some time, and when single-event wagers were legalized in Canada, we moved to include this option within the scope of the changes."
The update to SPORT SELECT indeed means there is one more single-game betting option in Canada after such wagering was finally allowed in August.
So far those options are relatively limited, with provincial lottery and gaming corporations the only entities that are legally offering singles. Some parts of Canada haven’t even had access to those options, such as Nova Scotia.
Still, it’s only been a few months since a rather big shake-up of federal gambling laws, and provinces are considering casino-based sportsbooks and other retail options. Ontario is also developing a competitive market for internet gambling and online sports betting, but the earliest that’s now expected to launch is the first quarter of 2022.
With WCLC’s update, SPORT SELECT appears to be the only legal single-game betting option in Saskatchewan and the territories. Although the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority is setting up a new online gaming site that will include sports betting, it’s not expected to launch in the province until 2022.
The futures are now
To make a single-game bet using SPORT SELECT, a player can head to a lottery retailer to fill out a selection slip. They can also punch in their bets online, generate a QR code, and then take that to a retailer to get it scanned and receive a ticket.
As part of its update, WCLC has put several betting options — such as point spread, props, and totals — under the one umbrella of SPORT SELECT. There is a $100 limit on wagers as well.
“Predictions from all these wager types can be made together on a single ticket, provided all the picks are from different events,” van Egdom said. "Single-event wagers are made on SPORT SELECT, and eligible events are indicated on game lists."
WCLC has kept its sports pools separate, though, in which bettors put down $5 to compete against other players in trying to predict the outcome of every game on a card. The company has also introduced futures betting, such as wagering on who will win this year's Grey Cup.
Another tweak is the offer of real-time betting odds that will be up-to-date when a player goes to buy their ticket.
“Odds at the time of purchase are honoured, even if they later change after the ticket purchase,” van Egdom added.
