Despite all the chatter at the statehouse regarding Texas sports betting, making the industry legal and regulated is far from a reality in the Lone Star State.
However, a pro-am golf tournament at the Dallas-area Las Colinas Country Club is providing a platform for golf fans, both at the event itself and from across the country, to at least have an opportunity to win some goodies in a free-to-play contest with a Dallas-area sports event this weekend.
The golf tournament — the $2 million Invited Celebrity Classic featuring 78 PGA TOUR Champions (age 50 and over) plus 40 celebrities being held April 21-23 — is getting an energy boost from the Choctaw Casinos & Resorts.
The Native American casino enterprise with eight locations throughout Oklahoma has put some spice into the 54-hole tournament that starts Friday with a free-to-play celebrity pick’em contest.
Contest Offering More Than $25,000 in Prizes
Fans playing the Choctaw Casinos & Resorts Celebrity Pick ‘Em game “will have a chance to win a share of over $25,000 in prizes, including VIP Stay & Play Packages, free play and Choctaw Club tickets for 2024,” according to a tournament news release.
The release reported that the Celebrity Pick ‘Em contest includes categories such as daily play, tournament recap, and an 18th Hole bonus play.
The closest Choctaw casino to Dallas (there are eight Choctaw casinos in Oklahoma) is about 90 miles north of the city.
Celebrities Playing In Pro-Am Golf Event
The free-to-play golf contest — not to be confused with real money Texas sportsbook apps that would become legal if legislation is put in place — focuses on the celebrity portion of the event. The field contains mostly former pro athletes. Stars such as ex-Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, tennis standout Mardy Fish, former baseball pitchers John Smoltz and Mark Mulder, ex-hockey player Jeremy Roenick, and women’s golf superstar Annika Sörenstam will be the favorites in the celebrity field.
The tournament will be televised on the Golf Channel.
Choctaw oddmakers have listed Romo as a 2-1 favorite to win the tournament in his own backyard one year after losing to Fish in a sudden death playoff. Fish is 4-1. Smoltz is 5-1. Mulder and Roenick are 12-1. And Sorenstam is 13-1.
The tournament raises money for three regional youth-focused charities.
For more developments on the push to legalize sports wagering in Texas — which would include major operators offering Texas sportsbook promo codes for new customers signing up — stay with BetTexas.com.
Odds To Win Celebrity Portion of Tournament
Be sure to check out our review of the BetMGM Texas bonus code once everything is live in The Lone Star State.
