DraftKings has reached an agreement in which the national sports betting and DFS brand will be the exclusive partner of NASCAR in North Carolina while its DFS branch is now the official NASCAR sponsor throughout the U.S. and Canada.
DraftKings Ready to Ride
DraftKings is preparing to launch in North Carolina as soon as the regulators give their approval. But before that occurred the Boston-based bookmaker had to find a partner blessed by the North Carolina State Lottery Commission. NASCAR falls under the commission’s umbrella and now DraftKings appears to have crossed all the T’s and dotted all the I’s after signing a partnership agreement with American auto racing’s most prolific organization.
“DraftKings and NASCAR have collaborated closely with each other over the years, sharing a likeminded commitment to enhancing the fan experience,” Matt Kalish, president, of DraftKings North America, said in a statement issued Friday. “We look forward to the next chapter in our journey together and offering our leading mobile sportsbook to fans in the state of North Carolina.”
“DraftKings has a proven track record of enhancing the fan experience across sports,” said Joe Solosky, NASCAR managing director, of sports betting, “We are thrilled to continue working with DraftKings to deliver NASCAR fans more engagement opportunities and bring its leading mobile sportsbook to North Carolina.”
No Green Light Yet
North Carolina has yet to launch mobile sports betting but that time is inching closer by the day, according to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.
“The goal is to get it out there before March Madness,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in a recent radio interview. “No guarantee that that’s the case, but I think that is the goal.”
Late last month a lottery spokesperson was asked about a potential launch date and said, “If progress continues at the pace it is now, an earlier start date than June 15 (the deadline) should be achievable, as the governor indicated.
“North Carolinians love basketball season and are looking forward [to] the chance to bet on their favorite teams and players. With all the progress that’s been made, the commission expects to be in a position soon to announce when sports betting can begin in North Carolina.”
More Partnerships Aligning
DraftKings isn’t the only sportsbook putting its ducks in a row as every platform provider needs an authorized dance partner in the Tar Heel State to get licensed. To wit, we see that ESPN BET has teamed up with the Quail Hollow Club (qualifies due to being a PGA Tour venue) while the ever-expanding Fanatics Sportsbook agreed to partner with the state’s NHL entry, the Carolina Hurricanes.
FanDuel has an agreement with the PGA nationwide so they have access to the North Carolina market while UK bookmaker, Bet365, has inked a deal with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. Moreover, in a recent announcement, we found out that BetMGM and the Charlotte Motor Speedway are now a pair which will grant the Las Vegas-based betting giant its ability to operate in the North Carolina market.
