IMG ARENA Acquired Betting Rights of The PGA Championship

IMG ARENA, the specialist in bringing sports and the sports betting industry together, continued with its efforts in the field of golf after an announcement today it added The PGA Championship to The Golf Event Centre.

“Golf majors are among the most prestigious events across all sports, so we are very excited to secure this partnership with the PGA of America.”

Max Wright, SVP Commercial, IMG ARENA

Fan Engagement ‘In Ways Never Seen Before’

IMG ARENA acquired the sports betting distribution rights of The PGA Championship from its organizer, PGA of America, and in collaboration with PGA TOUR, to add its first golf major to its unparalleled sports betting solution The Golf Event Centre.

“This partnership will allow fans to engage with one of our flagship events — the PGA Championship — in ways they’ve never been able to before.”

Seth Waugh, CEO, PGA of America

The front-end sports betting solution created in association with leading golf tours is looking to offer sports fans interactive in-play betting on the sports, as well as sportsbooks the opportunity to engage with bettors in golf, and as part of its offering under the deal, IMG ARENA will distribute data and live streaming of two par-3 holes, subject to market availability.

“The PGA Championship has a reputation for producing dramatic and thrilling moments, making it a perfect addition to the Golf Event Centre for sports bettors to enjoy through our global operator partners.”

Max Wright, SVP Commercial, IMG ARENA

Real-Time Data, Live Streaming and Course Visualizations

The Golf Event Centre, which is the only provider of a comprehensive range of shot by shot data and markets in real-time and live streaming and interactive course visualizations, will utilize data supplied by the PGA TOUR’s proprietary scoring system, CDW, and collected by The PGA Championship’s network of walking scorers, lasers and cameras on the greenside, ShotLink.

“This is truly a new avenue to reach beyond dedicated golf fans and grow interest in the game from a more diverse fan base. We’re excited for what this opportunity will bring now and, in the future, especially when the PGA Championship is hosted in states where sports betting is permitted.”

Seth Waugh, CEO, PGA of America

The start of the collaboration between IMG ARENA, the PGA of America and the PGA TOUR began at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort near Charleston in South Carolina, running from May 17 till May 23.

The PGA Championship is ranked second among the golf’s four annual majors by the Official World Golf Ranking, and its Wanamaker Trophy has been lifted in the years by some of the most prominent names in the sports including Brooks Koepka, Tiger Woods, Gary Player, Rory McIlroy and Jack Nicklaus.