PGA Tour’s new sports betting spot causes differing opinions

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FOX Carolina) – For the first time in the 20 years of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, golf fans have a place to not only root for the winner, but also wager on them.

Just off the 13th hole green is the ESPN Bet Members Lounge.

“I normally do a few bets a day, nothing crazy, no crazy amounts,” Asheville native Jordan Dunn said. “But I do a few bets a day, a few live bets.”

Inside the ESPN Bet lounge, fans can live bet. It has QR codes, which you scan to bring up bets on the lucky 13th hole you’re watching in person.

Now while watching the players score, you can hope your bank account does the same.

“I was over there (ESPN Bet lounge) yesterday. I’ll probably make my way back there sometime this week,” Dunn said. “It’s really cool. You’re able to bet hole-by-hole, which is really awesome. You can do day-by-day or which group is going to do what, so I think that’s really cool.”

But not all golf fans think the new spot is really cool. Paris Loesch, who lives right across the street from the course, signed up for a couple betting sites when North Carolina legalized sports gambling a couple months ago. She said she’s intrigued but cautious.

“I frankly think it downgrades the sport a bit. Not to be stereotypical, but it’s a gentleman’s sport,” Loesch said. “It’s a very traditional sport and allowing in these type of aspects simply for commercial means and monetary means, to me, is disingenuous to what the original vision of golf is. But, I need to be open minded.”

Golf fans presented differing opinions as the intersection of sports, technology and laws continues to evolve.

The ESPN Bet lounge is a first swing at legal and live sports betting at Quail Hollow where you can now not only spectate, but also participate in the action.

The Wells Fargo Championship starts Thursday and finishes Sunday in Charlotte. A bunch of its former winners are playing in the field including Greenville native and Clemson graduate Lucas Glover. FOX Carolina will keep you updated on the nearby tournament on-air and online.

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