The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and the National Hockey League (NHL) are entering into a partnership that’s designating OLG’s PROLINE+ sportsbook product as an Official Sports Betting Partner of the NHL. That’s a very big deal in a country that both loves hockey, and is entering the regulated sports betting market for the first time.
The PROLINE+/NHL partnership will get off to a roaring start with PROLINE+ sponsoring the PROLINE+ NHL PreGame at the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, the official fan festival of the March 13, 2022 outdoor game between the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario. That’s another very big deal in a country that loves hockey the way Canada does.
After the game, PROLINE+’s partnership with the NHL will continue with a standard menu of logo placements, game day promotions, and unique NHL content on the Proline.ca website.
Kyle McMann, NHL Senior Vice President, North American Business Development talked about the new partnership in a press release posted on NHL.com saying, “As we prepare to stage our sixth NHL Heritage Classic this weekend in Hamilton, we’re thrilled to announce PROLINE+ by OLG as the NHL’s first official sports betting partner in Canada. As a leading gaming entertainment operator for more than four decades with an excellent track record in Ontario, OLG is an ideal partner for the NHL to begin our transformative entry into this space in Canada and to further engage our avid Canadian fan base.”
Dave Pridmore, OLG’s Chief Digital and Strategy Officer was similarly enthusiastic about the deal saying, “The OLG-NHL deal is a big win for our valued sports bettors. A partnership with a world-class organization like the NHL will help complement the ultimate sports betting experience for hockey fans on PROLINE+ and PROLINE at retail, where our players can execute legal single-event wagers and other unique bets on a sport they love.”
Regulated sports betting in Ontario is set to launch next month, just in time for the NHL’s playoff season.