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SailGP collaborates with DraftKings, Bet365 on betting offerings ahead of New York Grand Prix

| By Matt Rybaltowski
For the first time, ticketed US spectators will be able to wager on the international sailing league on the grounds of the event.
SailGP New York

Despite tricky conditions that driver Peter Burling likened to navigating a game of Snakes and Ladders, New Zealand prevailed at last June’s SailGP event in New York Harbor.

Had SailGP offered legalised sports wagering at the time, the Kiwis would have been among the betting favourites. With three victories over the previous six SailGP rounds, New Zealand arrived in the Big Apple on a hot streak. Burling’s win gave the Kiwis five victories on the season, amounting to nearly half of the overall slate at the time.

Now, as the international sailing competition returns to the harbour for this weekend’s Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix, ticketed fans will be able to bet on the event for the first time on the legal market. On Monday, the league announced partnerships with several leading sportsbooks ahead of the event. New Zealand enters as the +300 second choice at DraftKings.

“We are delighted to create additional ways to attract and engage new SailGP fans by entering the sports betting marketplace and also give our existing fans new opportunities to enjoy the racing,” said Andrew Thompson, who serves as SailGP managing director.

An expansive wagering menu

Founded in 2018 by Oracle co-CEO Larry Ellison and yachtsman Russell Coutts, the Rolex SailGP Championship contains teams from 12 nations spanning four continents. Against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty, a bevy of 50-foot catamarans will race at speeds approaching 100 kph or 60 mph. Overall, the series will award $12.8 million in total prize money for the 2024-25 season.

For this weekend’s event, a litany of betting markets will be available in the US on DraftKings. SailGP has also secured a betting partnership with Bet365 for the international market.

In addition, the league has developed a strategic integration with London-based Abelson Sports, an odds and data solutions provider. The partnership will help ensure comprehensive and accurate odds coverage, according to SailGP.

The New York Grand Prix will be the sixth stop of this season’s campaign. While SailGP has offered betting odds in Los Angeles and San Francisco, both events took place in California, where sports betting is not legal.

As a result, New York will be the first site where bettors can wager on the grounds of the event. SailGP has developed bet types on race winners, head-to-head matchups, event champions and event finalists, which features teams from three nations.

In 2024, both Australia and New Zealand qualified for the event finals at a high clip. Still, eight separate countries reached an event finals last season, providing value for bettors on occasion.

No in-race wagering at DraftKings – for now

As a data-rich sports property, SailGP produces a proprietary algorithm by leveraging the 270,000 data points it captures each second. At some point, in-race wagering could be added as an expanded offering. But for now DraftKings is not offering live betting for the New York Grand Prix, a spokesman for the company said.

When in-race betting arrives, it will be accompanied by a litany of challenges for trading teams. The sport is rife with unpredictable occurrences, some that will present obstacles for even the most astute traders. Shifts in wind patterns force teams to adjust on the fly, altering race strategies in high-pressure moments.

To whet Ellison’s appetite for speed, the teams compete aboard cutting-edge F50 catamarans with hydrofoils located underneath the hull. When a catamaran gains speed, the hydrofoils lift the hull out of the water, creating reduced drag.

The teams that perfect foiling techniques in light winds have a strong chance of performing well. In high winds, teams are forced to push with more vigour while still maintaining control of the catamaran.

Seconds before the seventh fleet race in San Francisco, the wingsail on Australia’s boat collapsed. While the main wing buckled into San Francisco Bay, no one on board suffered injury. The collapse, though, prevented Australia from entering the event finals.

At this weekend’s New York Grand Prix, DraftKings lists Australia as the favourite with odds of +250. The US, the host of the event, enters as a longshot at +6000. On the futures market, Australia is also the favourite to win the season-long 2025 SailGP championship at +250.

The Aussies are just ahead of Great Britain and New Zealand, at +300 and +350, respectively. Spain, the defending champion, is the fourth choice at +400.

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