Underdog Sports partners with McConnell Golf for North Carolina sports betting license application

New York-based fantasy sports company Underdog has partnered with McConnell Golf to support its application for a sports wagering license in North Carolina. The agreement is part of the licensing process for sports betting operations in the state, which requires operators seeking approval to partner with a sports team, league or venue within North Carolina.

Under the terms of the deal, Underdog will host, manage, operate and support online gambling services with McConnell Golf-operated Sedgefield Country Club, located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The venue hosts the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship.

North Carolina, which legalized online sports betting in June 2023, requires sports betting operators to partner with local entities. Underdog, currently offering fantasy sports products in 33 U.S. states and various regions of Canada, is one of nine companies seeking licenses to operate sports betting in the state.

“Underdog is thrilled to launch our betting games in North Carolina in partnership with McConnell Golf. We’ve spent the last four years building our own technology so that we can give sports fans in America all new and different ways to enjoy the sports they love. We’ll be the…

— Underdog Fantasy (@UnderdogFantasy) January 23, 2024

“Underdog is thrilled to launch our betting games in North Carolina in partnership with McConnell Golf,” said Jeremy Levine, founder and co-CEO of Underdog Sports. “We’ve spent the last four years building our own technology so we can give sports fans in America new and different ways to enjoy the sports they love.”

According to McConnell Golf COO Christian Anastasiadis, Underdog was chosen as a partner due to its "completely different" approach to sports competitions and tournaments. Underdog's entry into the North Carolina market would mark its first foray into sports betting.

“McConnell Golf is thrilled to welcome Underdog Sports as our official sports betting partner,” said Anastasiadis. “Underdog is the fastest growing fantasy sports company ever – that is impressive.”

The North Carolina State Lottery Commission, which oversees licensing, has not yet announced the launch date of the sports betting market. Ripley Rand, chairman of the Commission, indicated that the date depends on the duration of the application process, which began in December 2023.

In addition to Underdog, other companies such as BetMGM, DraftKings, and Fanatics Betting and Gaming are seeking licenses to operate in the state. BetMGM has established an agreement with Charlotte Motor Speedway, while DraftKings has formed a partnership with Nascar, becoming its exclusive partner for daily fantasy sports in the U.S. and Canada. Fanatics Betting and Gaming, in turn, has secured a deal with the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes.

The deadline for operators to submit their internal controls to the Commission is set for January 26th. This indicates that all interested entities must finalize and submit their plans to the regulatory body by this Friday.

The start of sports betting in the state was previously rumored to take place by the end of February, in time for March Madness, with support from the state governor. “The goal is to get it out there before March Madness,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said in a recent Ovies and Giglio radio interview. “No guarantee that that’s the case, but I think that is the goal.”