NHL team the Florida Panthers has partnered with Hard Rock Bet as its official sports betting platform in a multi-year deal.

Currently, Hard Rock Bet is the only legal sportsbook operating in the state of Florida. This latest partnership sees it extend its arm into the state's NHL betting market and delving deeper into affiliation with the Big Four leagues in the US – which are comprised of the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB.  

The partnership officially kicked off yesterday as the Florida Panthers took on the Ottawa Senators in a 2-0 victory. The Hard Rock Bet app is available to all players in the state and offers a range of ways in which bettors can wager on hockey – including pre-game and live. New players can also receive sign-up bonuses and potential rewards.  

The Panthers’ stadium will display Hard Rock Bet-related marquee signage and digital branding, alongside on-site activations and digitally enhanced dasher boards.  

Speaking on the partnership, Florida Panthers CRO Shawn Thornton said: “Through this partnership, we will increase fan engagement and excitement around the game of hockey in South Florida and beyond by adding an entirely new element to the game.” 

This point was built upon by Nick Menas, Hard Rock Digital’s Managing Director, Corporate Strategy, who said: “We’re excited to join Panthers Territory and partner with the club to bring hockey fans closer to the action. With thousands of bets available on sports from around the world and live streaming of NHL games nightly on the Hard Rock Bet app, we’re thrilled to entertain hockey fans like no one else can.”  

In November of last year, Hard Rock Bet added NeoGames’ Pariplay to its range of slot options through a partnership in New Jersey.