Sportsbooks at PGA Tour venues?
Perfect Tournament to Test This
Sportsbooks at PGA Tour venues? That is the master plan for the PGA and their gambling partners. The glitzy new DraftKings Sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale opened in October, but the restaurant and gaming center is enjoying its debut as part of the WM Phoenix Open festivities this week.
The venue is quite impressive, covering an area of 13,000 square feet, and is located just a short distance from the TPC Scottsdale clubhouse.
Apart from featuring 40 betting kiosks, seven ticket windows, and large video walls displaying the day’s sports events, there is also a dining area and a massive sports bar that opens up to a patio, equipped with cabanas and firepits.
Considering the impressive attendance figures that the “People’s Open” consistently draws, and the PGA Tour’s soon-to-be for-profit status, they are likely to explore more extensive and innovative ways to increase revenue in the future. Hence, this concept seems like a natural fit for additional locations, doesn’t it?
Johnny Avello of DraftKings talks with media members at the new site at TPC Scottsdale (Photo: Tim Schmitt/Golfweek)
Maybe not every venue
Not according to Johnny Avello, who acts as the face of DraftKings sportsbooks in the role of race and sports director.
Golfweek got some time with Avello before the tournament started, and while he thinks the Scottsdale venue will be a rousing success, he insisted he doesn’t think the idea will spread to other Tour events.
“I’ve been in the sportsbook business for 37 years and at one point, golf was just another event to throw up. Sure, it handled some money in the majors. They handled the most money. The other tournaments, nobody really cared about.
“Since we’re in the space now and we keep growing, we’ve taken that menu where you just bet the start of golf and that’s it into a part where you can bet on in-game wagers. What’s going on now during the tournament? Will there be a birdie next hole, or will there be a bogey? Who will do better on this particular hole, Golfer A or Golfer B? Just the odds on the entire tournament while it’s going on: the top five, top 10, top 20, that’s what taking golf to new heights.”
Scottsdale is the right fit
For now, it certainly appears Scottsdale will be the only venue hosting a sportsbook. The area is full of affluent patrons, as well as partygoers. Both subsets of visitors to the tournament seem like prime candidates to place wagers in real-time, right at the course.
Venues like The Masters, however, with their old-time traditions and strict rules don’t seem to gel with the gambling aspect of sports and especially golf. Of course, money talks and is a great motivator for event coordinators.
Time will tell if this becomes the norm. If you’re in the Scottsdale area and going to the tournament, it might be worth a visit, regardless.