The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has signed a five-year deal to become the first official sportsbook partner of the NFL in Ontario and in Canada, it announced Monday afternoon in an email release.
The announcement comes just days before Super Bowl LVI, and nearly a week after the corporation unveiled a new PROLINE retail sports betting platform in Ontario. PROLINE (retail) and PROLINE +(online) are currently the only legal sports betting options in the province until Ontario’s regulated iGaming market launches on April 4. At that time, dozens of private operators are expected to flood the market, putting an end to OLG’s monopoly in the province. OLG is run by the Ontario government and all of its proceeds are invested back into the province.
The OLG/PROLINE and NFL partnership includes unique events and promotions across retail and online platforms, new football content delivered across OLG.ca and NFL digital platforms, and exclusive player opportunities. A new weekly online sports video series titled “Game Plan” will debut on Feb. 9 with special guest Joe Montana. The show will be co-hosted by former CFL receiver and The Bachelor Canada star Brad Smith.
Ontario sports fans, it's game time! Catch the brand new show #OLGGamePlan, hosted by @bradcsmith and @SmrtAsh! 🙌 They'll share their ❤️ of sports and 🔥 tips to help you with your @OLGproline picks. Coming soon! pic.twitter.com/v7m9gdURNq
— OLG (@OLG_CA) February 2, 2022
PROLINE + launched a pair of Super Bowl promotions within the last week, including matching first deposits for new users up to $500 and offering up a $100 sports bonus on wagers placed specifically on the Super Bowl.
“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 release. “This exciting collaboration with a world-class organization like the NFL creates new sports entertainment experiences that give sports fans all across the province an incredible opportunity to get closer to the sport they love through exclusive, one-of-a-kind gameplay.”
The NFL has a long list of official U.S. partners including Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. BetMGM, FOX Bet, PointsBet, and WynnBET are also approved sportsbooks of the NFL.
“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. “OLG will bring NFL fans in the province a whole new experience in sports gaming entertainment. We look forward to working together to create new responsible and innovative ways for football fans to share in the action of the NFL.”
Recent adoption of props
PROLINE + began offering pre-match NFL player props a few weeks ago at the start of postseason play, and those offerings will be expanded to include novelty bets for the Super Bowl. PROLINE and PROLINE + will debut new markets including MVP odds, coin toss odds, and longest touchdown, among others. As of Monday afternoon, PROLINE + was accepting bets on up to 80 offerings for Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The divisional-round playoff matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs was the largest single event wagered on since the launch of PROLINE + last August, according to OLG. The Super Bowl has the potential to set a new record for the sportsbook. In December, PROLINE + reported the most betting action in the history of the brand on the Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League’s championship game. Single-event wagers accounted for 82% of the bets on that contest.
Bettors must be 18 years of age or older to play the new PROLINE at retail locations and 19 years of age or older to register and play PROLINE +.
