The upcoming event is set for April 17 and is one of the most popular amateur-and-professional-athletes races. It’s open to everyone who wishes to participate and excites a lot of interest in fans, and maybe soon – sports bettors.
Massachusetts to Decide on Boston Marathon Betting Today
Now, DraftKings believes that it can turn the iconic Bay State race attended by all and sundry into a viable betting market, taking a step away from conventional betting market wisdom and offering more entertaining options that may be more relatable.
The company submitted a formal request to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on March 31 and is expecting a decision. One should be coming today, as the commission will be meeting to decide whether the sportsbook may continue with its plans.
DraftKings is aware that it will have to focus on well-established athletes, which is why it will focus on professional participants. This includes some 70 people, with the company only covering the top 20 men and women athletes.
The markets available will be totals (over/under) and outright winners, DraftKings says. The idea to offer wagering on the Boston Marathon is not exactly original or groundbreaking in itself. Other states have already given the go-ahead to operate that want to feature it as a viable betting market.
Introducing New and Engaging Markets
Among those states are Wyoming, Kansas, and Oregon, all of which are fairly new on the legislative map. Massachusetts only legalized sports betting recently, and it has been dealing with some operational breaches, issuing fines against various sportsbooks.
Commenting on the prospect of having the Boston Marathon featured as a licensed betting event, DraftKings simply stated: “DraftKings is continuously looking to offer our customers a safe and robust menu of betting markets across the biggest events in sports and we are actively working with regulators to bring the Boston Marathon to our sportsbook.”
The results of the vote should be announced later today with more clarity on whether the Boston Marathon will indeed feature on the list of available events.