It’s been almost a month since Canada punters could wager on individual sporting events.
During this time, Ontarians have placed single-event bets through Proline Plus, the only legal sportsbook in the province.
When single-event sports betting legislation came into effect, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation wasted no time launching Proline Sportsbook. In fact, the new gambling tool was among the first in the country to offer single bets.
But, before launching its new digital sportsbook, OLG surveyed players’ opinions of the new legislation.
Single event bets account for 77% of all wagers
Ontario sports fans have been making legal online bets on single events since Aug. 27. That was the day that Bill C-218, which legalized single-sports betting in the country, took effect
OLG launched Proline Plus the very same day. Using this platform, players could place pre-match bets or live bets during the matches with real-time odds.
The OLG conducted their survey ahead of the new sportsbook’s launch. And results show enthusiasm growing for single-sport wagering.
According to the survey, almost two-thirds of Ontario sports betting users are now more likely to make a single-event bet.
It also shows that single event bets account for 77% of all wagers since the app’s launch.
Hill and Knowlton Strategies compiled OLG’s survey between Aug. 16 and Aug. 23 and included 1,000 Ontarians. All participants were 19+ and had previously wagered on sports events online or at land-based locations.
Over $6 million in bets
“We’re excited to be first to market, bringing Ontarians what they told us they’ve been looking for – a trustworthy, best-in-class platform that complements their sports watching experience,” said David Pridmore, OLG chief digital and strategy officer.
“Since we launched our online sportsbook PROLINE+ in late August, we’ve already processed more than $6 million in bets, and we’re expecting even more interest in the platform as more sports and leagues start new seasons and as our player base continues to scale.”
The survey also found that 37% of bettors and 44% of frequent bettors were interested in betting on novelty markets.
“PROLINE+ is a competitive online platform that’s meeting the demands of Ontario’s sports bettors at every level,” said Rhea Jankowski, OLG’s director of digital sports marketing and operations.
“We are hyper-focused on the needs of our players and will continue to look for new opportunities, new sports and new markets to keep them engaged. We know our customers and want to give them what they want.”
Other key findings
The survey found one in three frequent Ontario gamblers said they had a bad experience using an offshore website.
Findings also show that under 50% of Ontario’s bettors place a wager at least once a month. One in four players wagers at least once a week.
Over a quarter of all sports bettors and half of the frequent bettors said they bet more since the COVID-19 pandemics started. That’s because they were not able to go to games.
Around 50% of players say they prefer using Proline Plus, knowing that their money funds the province’s economy.
In the first five days of legalized singles betting in Canada, PROLINE+ hit CA$1 million in placed bets. OLG also shared that more than 74% of that betting volume went to singles.
