The Columbus Crew has joined forces with Tipico, making the operator the exclusive sports betting partner of the Ohio-based Major League Soccer team.
Tipico becomes a founding-level partner of the Columbus Crew as part of the deal. The deal also grants Tipico access to “marquee Crew assets” and various brand integrations at Lower.com field.
In addition, the partnership also includes various forms of digital content and programming for fans and bettors.
Pending receipt of licenses and approvals, Tipico intends to launch its sports betting platform in Ohio once the state legalizes and regulates the vertical. Ohio legalised sports betting after the two houses of the state legislature agreed on a version of a bill to do so last month.
“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with a highly respected global brand and passionate soccer enthusiast in Tipico,” said David Jenkins, chief operating officer of Haslam Sports Group, which owns the Crew. “As they make their foray into Ohio, our long-term agreement with Tipico represents an exciting development for Crew supporters and sports fans in Central Ohio and throughout the state.
“Providing a world-class experience for supporters is at the core of what we do and so we look forward to increasing fan engagement opportunities in Columbus and throughout Ohio through this partnership.”
Once approvals and regulatory sign-off is settled, Tipico will give bettors opportunities to engage with the Columbus Crew through special promotions, giveaways, and other activations.
“We are incredibly excited to team up with The Columbus Crew, a premium brand with championship DNA, to introduce our Tipico sports betting experience to players in the Buckeye state,” said Adrian Vella, CEO of Tipico US. “The midwest will play an important role as we continue our multi-state expansion in 2022, and we could not have asked for a better partner to help us introduce the Tipico brand and our proprietary technology to sports bettors in Ohio and beyond.”
Ohio is expected to go live with online and mobile sports betting prior to January 1, 2023, after Governor Mike DeWine set that date as a deadline to launch.