Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the US, with its own Pickleball Network, national exposure on ESPN, and a growing player base of 35.8 million in the United States and over 100 million worldwide.
In addition to Illinois, FanDuel will offer Pickleball in Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Wyoming.
Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour Founder and CEO Connor Pardoe is excited about the new FanDuel Pickleball catalog;
“This is a monumental moment for the PPA Tour and the game of pickleball as a whole,” We are excited to be paving the way in the pickleball sports betting space, and we couldn’t be prouder to lead the sport’s leap into such an innovative industry. The immense growth of pickleball over the past few years has driven widespread interest in all aspects of the game, including playing as amateurs and watching the professionals in person at events and from home. Our venture into sports betting will bring a whole new level of engagement from current and new fans, and we continue to be excited for what the future holds for our sport.”
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a paddle sport combining the best parts of badminton, tennis, and table tennis into a sport that Illinois residents can play in their driveways. It is played on a badminton-sized court with a modified tennis net and uses solid paddles made of wood or similar materials. The game uses a perforated plastic ball, much like a wiffle ball featuring singles or doubles with two or four players.
Pickleball is a relatively new sport, but its growth exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sport has experienced 158.6% growth over the past three years and is currently played in over 100 countries, with over 10,000 pickleball courts in the United States alone.
The sport now boasts three professional Pickleball Leagues: Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), and Major League Pickleball (MLP), and for those not ready for prime time, there’s Minor League Pickleball.
FanDuels Pickleball Catalog
Similar to the FanDuel Illinois tennis betting catalog, the New York City-based bookmaker will offer various pickleball betting options, including moneyline wagers, total points, and spreads. Bettors can also place prop bets, such as which player will win the first serve or who might hit the most aces during a professional pickleball match.
Pickleball has exploded like no other sport, and there is no sign of it slowing down. The 18-34 crowd is Pickleball’s most significant demographic and is the primary age group FanDuel wants to attract. It won’t be long until the rest of the states’ bookmakers add Pickleball to their betting catalogs.
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