Simplebet and Hard Rock Bet add LIV Golf Betting

Micro betting odds provider Simplebet has entered into a partnership with Hard Rock Bet to introduce microbetting markets at the LIV Golf Chicago event.

This collaboration marks Simplebet’s first venture into offering LIV Golf markets will exclusively begin with Hard Rock Bet on September 22, when the LIV event tees off.

It will allow players betting on golf via the Hard Rock Bet app to put down microwagers on live, in-game markets.

That means new betting opportunities for Hard Rock Bet customers, such as the specific scores a player will have on a hole, whether a player will hit the fairway off the tee on Par fours and Par fives, or whether a player will hit the green on a Par three.

“The LIV Golf Chicago event marks a massive accomplishment for the entire Simplebet team,” said Chris Bevilacqua, Simplebet CEO, in a press release from LIV Golf.

“We couldn’t be more excited to launch our partnership with a league as forward-thinking as LIV Golf and provide engaging opportunities for its fans to engage with the sport.”

LIV Golf’s Big Hitters

LIV Golf is the controversial pro golf tour backed by the Saudi Arabian government’s Public Investment Fund. Betting on the tour is not offered by all sportsbooks in all U.S. markets, as some consider its Saudi-owned status controversial because of the state’s human rights record.

In July 2023, regulators in charge of Massachusetts online sports betting market rejected sportsbook operator DraftKings’ petition to add LIV Golf betting to its markets in the state. 

Nevertheless, the league has attracted a stellar field of top golfers, on big contracts. That includes the controversial legend Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, 2022 open winner Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, and Bubba Watson.

Despite initial contention with the PGA Tour, LIV Golf announced a merger with the established U.S. golf tour earlier this year. However it has yet to pass regulatory approval.

Micro Betting Trend Continues

The upcoming LIV Golf Chicago event, hosted at Rich Harvest Farms, will feature 48 of the world’s top golfers. It will be the first to showcase Simplebet’s microbetting markets for a LIV Golf tournament. These markets will roll out exclusively with Hard Rock Bet across the U.S., starting with this event.

Hard Rock Bet recently relaunched with an upgraded app and is available in six state markets right now. Customers sports betting in Arizona, Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia will all be able to access the new live micro bets.

That could include such wagers as, “Will Brooks Koepka hit the fairway on this hole,” and “Will Cameron Smith make a birdie or better on this hole”.

The concept is nothing new for golf betting in 2023. Earlier this year, FanDuel introduced enhanced live micro betting on the PGA Tour. DraftKings followed suit with a similar offering not long after.

However, Hard Rock Bet and Simplebet can say they’re the first operators to provide these kind of bets on LIV Golf.

Live golf betting is not without its controversy on its own either. Earlier in 2023, PGA pro tour golfer Max Homa was heckled by a bettor in the crowd during the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields in Illinois. The bettor attempted to put Homa off during a five-foot putt attempt on the 17th hole (which he still hit) over a $3 live bet.