ESPN Bet is making sports betting history this week after being named as the Official Betting Partner of the upcoming PGA Championship. The 2024 PGA Championship, which is set to take place at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky from May 16-19, marks the first time the vaunted PGA Tour has partnered with a sports betting operator as a sponsor.
As part of the deal, an ESPN BET Members Lounge will be featured prominently just off the green on the par-4 13th hole. This type of lounge, which is becoming a mainstay at big sporting events, features food and beverages, along with premium views of the action on the 14th hole. While the lounge is only open to active ESPN Bet account holders, it will certainly offer non-members a chance to sign up. Not surprisingly, the lounge also includes opportunities to place bets on the action on the greens via ESPN Bet.
For anyone not fortunate enough to be in Kentucky this weekend, ESPN will feature plenty of ESPN Bet-branded content in its broadcasts, while ESPN Bet will be featuring “specially curated PGA Championship betting offers prior to and during all four rounds of competition.”
Jeff Price, PGA of America Chief Commercial Officer, gushed about the deal in a message to investors saying, “We are incredibly proud to partner with PENN Entertainment and immerse ESPN BET into the spectator experience throughout the PGA Championship,” said . “The added onsite presence of ESPN BET as well as broadcast and content offerings will provide spectators with exciting new ways to enjoy and engage with all of the action during the PGA Championship.”
The partnership also represents a nice shot in the arm for ESPN Bet, which had lower than expected revenue in Q1 2024.