You can bet on baseball, football, golf, soccer, even table tennis. Now you can bet on fish. We’re not talking about the Miami Marlins; this is real fish. Bally’s Corp. became Major League Fishing’s exclusive partner in sports betting, according to the Oklahoma City Journal Record.
Bally’s online sportsbook, Bally Bet, will become the title sponsor of MLF’s Angler of the Year award for the Bass Pro Tour, the sport’s most visible and competitive tournament circuit. The prize for the 2022 Bally Bet AOY winner will be $100,000.
The partnership also includes rights for Bally’s to stream Bass Pro Tour events via its own apps.
Major League Fishing creates more than 250 events annually, televised on CBS, the Discovery Channel, the Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, the World Fishing Network, and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV. The roster includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries.
“As we ready for the start of our 2022 season, our partnership with Bally’s will offer our loyal fans and anglers another unique avenue to engage with professional fishing and the Bass Pro Tour,” MLF President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Wilburn said. “This partnership marks an important moment for Major League Fishing in the growing U.S. gaming and sports betting sectors.”
As part of the deal, Bally’s technology will power two free-to-play fantasy fishing games for the 2022 season. The MLF Predictor Game will offer the chance to make predictions at Bass Pro Tour events for prizes. Free-to-play MLF Fantasy Fishing will allow fans to select teams of anglers for tournaments, create private leagues with family and friends, also with cash and prizes.
“This integrated partnership is a perfect showcase for Bally’s, allowing us to leverage our sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and free-to-play games to enhance the fishing fan experience across MLF media and live events,” said Adi Dhandhania, chief operating officer of North America for Bally Interactive, the company’s digital division.
