- The popular bar/backyard game cornhole could be heading to the betting board very soon.
- The American Cornhole League has signed a promotional deal with DraftKings.
- DraftKings is now the ‘Official Sports Betting Partner’ of the American Cornhole League
I love to see new sports hit the betting board though I don’t think I’m ready to handicap this one. The American Cornhole League has signed a deal with DraftKings naming them the ‘Official Sports Betting Partner’ of the organization. DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG) has launched a free to play pool on this weekend’s 2021 ACL Cornhole Mania national tournament at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. In addition, cornhole enthusiasts in Illinois, New Hampshire and Colorado will be able to place actual real money wagers on the event.
The popularity of cornhole is huge–there are dozens of bars around my town that advertise cornhole and any number of local craftsmen that create bespoke equipment for the sport. Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings, clearly understands that a niche sport like cornhole can become a popular betting topic:
“As we’ve learned in the past year, fandom is not limited solely to mainstream sports, and the tremendous growth of the ACL underscores these new engagement possibilities. The popularity of cornhole has skyrocketed in general, and there is a real draw for fans to see the best in the world compete, so we’re adding yet another dimension to the enjoyment of cornhole through odds and pools.”
Other terms of the deal as outlined in a DraftKings press release:
The partnership also includes certain marketing rights including the use of ACL trademarks and logos, footage and photography and on-site branding at events (including center court signage for all broadcasts). DraftKings will also receive exclusive access to select ACL content which will be streamed on DraftKings’ owned and operated channels on YouTube, Twitch, and Gamecenter, among others, with plans to offer pre-competition analysis, in-broadcast wagering and more. The deal also provides DraftKings the ability to utilize ACL talent in promotions, custom content and events, which will further highlight top players in the league.
Every year, thousands of players take part in the competitions and tournaments that ACL hosts across the amateur, collegiate, and pro ranks. For the ACL event on March 19th, fans in Colorado, Illinois and New Hampshire will be able to place wagers via DraftKings, while nationally others can enter a free to play pool. DraftKings continues to broaden its sportsbook product suite to capture more niche categories, including other recent additions like Major League Eating and Drone Racing League.
Stacey Moore, Commissioner and Founder of the American Cornhole League, thinks cornhole betting will help increase fan engagement and expose his sport to a wider audience:
“First and foremost this is another way for our fans to experience and access the game and we’re very much looking forward to how our partnership with DraftKings will help enhance their enjoyment of the sport. Not only do we expect this to help expand our audience through additional exposure on DraftKings channels, but we look at this is as positive in terms of engagement with our broadcast partners and fans as a whole.”
Moore told the financial news for millennials website Cheddar that he’s always dreamed of seeing cornhole on the betting board:
“It’s been a dream of mine ever since I started my mission of making cornhole a professional sport. I said I have to figure out how to get gambling odds regulated legally on our sport, and fortunately we’ve been able to partner with DraftKings to make that a reality. So, we’re super excited about it and hope that that just increases our fan base.”
Moore could have just called my SportsInsider colleague and oddsmaker extraordinaire James Murphy and he would have had cornhole numbers made for him within the hour.
I checked the sports betting catalog for the great state of Colorado and sure enough, cornhole is listed. In fact, it was added to the sports betting catalog in January. Not sure if this was the doing of DraftKings or if another book has designs on taking action on cornhole. In any case, there’s a myriad of bet types available:
