The sport of professional bowling could be one of the next areas of interest for the sports betting sector as it looks forward to resuming business once the coronavirus pandemic finally subsides. Leading the move is the Professional Bowlers Association which, according to affiliate firm BonusSeeker.com, is already keeping a close eye on the business.
Said BonusSeeker: “The confluence of the sport’s expanding popularity and the rapid ascendance of legal sports betting across the United States could mean the timing is perfect for bowling to get involved. Since interest in most sports peak in the postseason and the PBA playoffs were originally scheduled to be going on right about now, perhaps there’s no better time to discuss how the league can continue growing the game.”
“The PBA has been tracking the movement towards legalizing betting in America with great interest,” PBA COO Lev Ekster told the affiliate site. “We have been speaking with experts on betting and educating our organization as to how to approach this coming opportunity effectively and responsibly.”
There is no exact timetable for the addition of tenpin bowling at online sportsbooks but if and when it does happen, it has the potential to provide a wide variety of options. The nature of the game allows for easy betting on the winner and loser of a match, whether it be individuals or teams competing.
There’s also an ability to break things down into more specific markets thanks to the explosion of online betting and all the additional betting options it brings such as props. There are already over 20 states with active legislation built around legal sports betting and 11 of those have some form of mobile wagering, which opens up a variety of new markets.
Scores and results from individual games, the total number of strikes or spares thrown in a game or match, and the result of a single ball are just a few of the potential PBA bowling betting options that are possible.
According to BonusSeeker, the visibility of the PBA due to its multi-year television deal with Fox Sports already puts it in a different stratosphere than most other ‘niche’ sports that bowling is often categorized with.
The league is also featured as part of the bowing coverage on another major cable channel in CBS Sports Network, which carries select PWBA Tour events and is under contract to air the PBA Tour Finals through 2022.
Fan engagement is also a big consideration, with the association suggesting that the addition of bowling to the betting board would allow a growing group of hardcore fans to interact with the sport in a way they couldn’t before.
“We are looking forward to how, over time, this can add to our fans’ engagement and enjoyment of this great sport,” Ekster explained. “We think, if done properly and with an emphasis on assuring the integrity of the sport, it has the potential to add a lot of value for our fans.”
