A rendering outside of the new DraftKings Sportsbook, which is located directly across from the TPC Scottsdale clubhouse. (Allen + Philp Partners)
(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents PGA TOUR.)
By Cronkite News
The PGA Tour is taking the plunge into the world of sports gambling as they near completion of a one-of-a-kind DraftKings Sportsbook, located across the street from TPC Scottsdale, home of the WM Phoenix Open.
DraftKings joins FanDuel, Caesars and BetMGM as sportsbook operations with brick-and-mortar venues in the Valley. The others are located at Footprint Center where the Suns play, State Farm Stadium which is home to the Cardinals and Chase Field where the Diamondbacks play.
Construction is currently ongoing and the grand opening is tentatively planned for October of this year. The DraftKings Sportsbook will be the first ever physical sportsbook located on site at a PGA Tour event.
The goal of the partnership between the Tour and DraftKings is to help use the growing popularity of sports betting to bring new fans to golf. In Arizona more than $618 million was wagered on sports bets in December of 2022 alone, a figure that has steadily risen since legislation passed in 2021 to legalize online and retail sports wagering in the state.
“Part of the overall strategy is to reach more new fans and to create more engagement with existing fans through the lens of sports betting,” said Norb Gambuzza, senior vice president of media and gaming for the PGA Tour.
“When we talk about our strategy, that’s really at the top. So there’s a number of different things that we’re doing as a part of that strategy in this market access deal in Arizona, and building the sportsbook is one kind of vertical in that strategy.”
TPC Scottsdale sportsbook has 40 betting kiosks
With the rapid rise of sports betting in Arizona, it comes as no surprise that many spectators at the recent WM Phoenix Open were eagerly anticipating the sportsbook’s opening.
“Yeah, a sports book entices people to gamble no matter what,” said Patrick Fortuna, a Phoenix resident who was attending the tournament. “And I think when people like me – I’m not a massive golf fan – I enjoy golf, but I think a sports book would really push people in the direction of gambling on the sport and really being more enticed to come here and enjoy the sport.”
The sportsbook will include 40 betting kiosks and seven ticketing windows along with almost 400 seats across the interior and an exterior patio for people to sit and enjoy the high-end dining and cocktail options.
DraftKings was previously the daily fantasy partner of the PGA Tour, but the company didn’t have exclusive rights to the latest sportsbook to hit Arizona. Once sports betting was legalized in Arizona, the Tour brought the proposal to multiple betting operators. In the end, it was DraftKings that was able to strike a deal.
The sportsbook is being built on the corner of Bell Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop, directly across the street from TPC Scottsdale’s clubhouse and the Stadium Course’s 18th hole.
