British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has announced that its bettors have wagered over $25m in single-event sports betting in the two months since its legalisation.
Single event sports wagering has become increasingly popular in Canada since August. Playnow.com, the website for BCLC’s sports betting offerings, has taken in the milestone amount before the lottery’s expectations.
“This is a significant milestone for BCLC that demonstrates further how PlayNow.com is well-positioned to provide highly entertaining and engaging sports betting in a safe and secure environment,” says Lynda Cavanaugh, BCLC’s interim President and CEO.
“It’s important for players to know that playing with BCLC supports the success of British Columbia, as PlayNow.com is the only legal gambling website from which revenue supports important provincial initiatives, including healthcare and education.”
Following the single-event wagers legalisation, NFL wagers are the most popular amongst the lottery’s players. NFL bets have increased by 97% through the first seven weeks of the NFL season compared to the same period last year when bettors could only make parlayed bets under previous Canadian law.
The NFL week 4 contest between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots was the top betting event on PlayNow.com since the launch, with 69% of total bets and 80% of the money wagered coming from single event bets.
Furthermore, NHL fixtures have seen a 71% increase in betting activity in the first 19 days of the season when compared to this time last year.
The Candian lottery firm is continuing to monitor methods to increase single-event sports betting for its customers whilst maintaining its responsible gambling measures.
