Major League Fishing and Bally’s agree sports betting partnership

New York-listed gaming operator Bally’s has agreed a deal to serve as the exclusive sports betting partner of Major League Fishing (MLF).

This deal represents Bally’s fifth sports betting agreement with a professional sports league, following previously announced deals with the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball.

As part of the partnership, Bally’s online sportsbook Bally Bet will serve as title sponsor of MLF’s Angler of the Year (AOY) Award for the Bass Pro Tour, with Bally's gaining streaming rights for the Bass Pro Tour events.

"As we ready for the start of our 2022 season, our partnership with Bally's will offer our loyal fans and anglers another unique avenue to engage with professional fishing and the Bass Pro Tour,” said MLF president and chief executive officer Jim Wilburn. 

"This partnership marks an important moment for Major League Fishing in the growing U.S. gaming and sports betting sectors. Integrating Bally’s industry-best online sports betting and unique gaming offerings with MLF’s Scoretracker Live and fan-friendly platforms position us to drive viewership, participation, and large-scale adoption among sports fans.”

To promote the partnership, Bally’s will power two new free-to-play fantasy fishing games for the 2022 season, the MLF Predictor Game and MLF Fantasy Fishing.

Bally Interactive North America chief operating officer Adi Dhandhania said: "We know how passionate the millions of recreational anglers are about the professional ranks of their sport. This integrated partnership is a perfect showcase for Bally’s, allowing us to leverage our sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and free-to-play games to enhance the fishing fan experience across MLF media and live events.”