INDIANAPOLIS — Wings. Beer. Sports.
Sports betting?
In one of the more unique partnerships, BetMGM has teamed with Buffalo Wild Wings in legal jurisdictions to give patrons in the restaurant access to the sportsbook to wager on plays made that could give them rewards at the restaurant.
“Our partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings is incredibly innovative and allows BetMGM to redefine how fans enjoy sports. The introduction of geolocation technology to offer bettors a customized experience in a Buffalo Wild Wings location is a great example of what we’re able to activate through this groundbreaking relationship,” said BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost when the partnership was announced last week.
With the first round of March Madness tipping off Friday morning in a legal sports betting state, it seemed as good a time as any to figure out how exactly the new feature works while noshing on a six-pack of wings doused in garlic parmesan sauce. After arriving at the Buffalo Wild Wings on the northern outskirts of the city, it was time to try and add more fun to March Madness.
The process
I first had to download the BWW app onto my smartphone, enter all the standard information , and confirm I’m old enough to wager. The landing page provides three options — trivia, picks and props, and BetMGM.
I clicked to see what I’d get. The BetMGM option gives is a promotional wager exclusively available through Buffalo Wild Wings. In this instance, the offer was +155 on the Dallas Mavericks-Portland Trail Blazers game going over 234.5 points. As you can see in the photo, it explains that “A $10 bet on these odds will return you $25.50” while providing a link to follow through to make the wager.
If you have not made a wager through BetMGM previously, the app allows for remote registration and you can access your bank account to make an initial deposit. It then allows you access to the entire sportsbook in terms of wagers. Offering a plus-money wager is an interesting option to attract new patrons, but experienced bettors who line shop will likely not be impressed, considering BetMGM’s current standard line for the game is an over/under of 227.5 points at -110 in either direction.
Picks and props to go with your wings and beer
The picks and props option is more geared to NCAA tournament action, presenting three options. In this case, the first was whether North Carolina would cover as a 2.5-point favorite vs. Wisconsin; the second was picking the over/under of San Diego State-Syracuse at 138.5 points; and the last was whether Villanova would cover as a 7.5-point favorite vs. Winthrop.
You could take any individual play or parlay any combination of two or three picks. For the app itself, a winning set of picks would provide points that go towards free food and other rewards from the app. But there is also a link to turn the play into an actual wager at BetMGM as seen here:
An interesting takeaway was the app offering a “degree of difficulty” in assessing the prop play and its chances of hitting. In comparing the payout to the current odds listed for all three options, it was roughly the same, though the lines had changed for all three picks in the play. The picks on the app offered +105 for UNC, -110 for the Syracuse-San Diego State over/under, and -120 to take Winthrop +7.5.
In conclusion
If you are a fan of Buffalo Wild Wings and its wings while eating in-person, the picks and props option is a fun diversion considering you can make risk-free wagers to add rewards points. Since it is still a new feature, there is a likelihood BetMGM’s exclusive promotional wagering offers will be refined to better attract new bettors.
In a state like Indiana, which is among the more mature mobile sports wagering markets in the country, it would not be surprising to see some state-specific offers in relation to the Pacers should they make the NBA playoffs. It is hard to gauge if this will take off as venues continue to deal with social-distancing rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is an intriguing start.