Underdog Sports Announces North Carolina Partnership with McConnell Golf Course

The Tar Heel State saw a seventh online sports betting operator enter its soon-to-launch sports betting market. Underdog Sports has announced a partnership with North Carolina’s McConnell Golf Course, which will allow it to complete its application for an operating license.

 “Underdog is thrilled to launch our betting games in North Carolina in partnership with McConnell Golf,” Underdog Sports founder Jeremy Levine said of the deal. “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. We’re excited to be able to offer that to North Carolinians and look forward to evolving the experience with them.”

North Carolina requires all third-party operators to partner with a local pro sports organization. McConnell meets that requirement thanks to being associated with the PGA Tour. 

Underdog joins bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, ESPN Bet, Fanatics, and FanDuel as online operators that have established partnerships with pro sports organizations. It is the final step for approval for one of the state’s sports betting operating licenses.

In addition to the seven operators, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Catawba Nation also have applied for operating licenses. North Carolina’s sports betting law allows federally recognized tribes to launch online sportsbooks without having to partner with a sports organization in the state.

North Carolina Sets March 11 as Sports Betting Launch Date

After months of debate and changes, the North Carolina Lottery Commission has finally set a launch date for sports betting in the Tar Heel State. The original hope was to have the industry go live ahead of the Super Bowl, but the state revealed last month that would likely not happen. Governor Roy Cooper had been pushing for a launch before March Madness, which they have accomplished.