PointsBet Forms Partnership with Trailer Park Boys in Preparing for Canadian Sports Betting
Revving up for the launch of Canadian sports betting, online bookmaker PointsBet has inked a partnership with the Trailer Park Boys, well-known scruffy characters in a popular mockumentary series.
Nic Sulsky, chief commercial officer of PointsBet Canada, said “nothing says Canadian more than the Trailer Park Boys.”
On its website, the Trailer Park Boys, known in television and movie productions as Bubbles, Ricky, and Julian, sell an array of apparel, including “jail merch,” featuring their mugshots and a Sunnyvale Correctional Facility logo. The series is set at a fictional trailer park.
"Our mission from Day 1 has been to build a sportsbook as authentically Canadian as poutine," Sulsky said. “We are thrilled to have Bubbles, Ricky, and Julian join Canada's Sportsbook to bring fans a new, innovative experience.”
Trailer Park Boys Proud of PointsBet Affiliation
The actors portraying the Trailer Parks Boys usually remain in character during public appearances. In a video announcing the arrangement with PointsBet Sportsbook, the characters discuss whether they are getting paid for their work with the online bookmaker. “Of course, we’re paid for this,” says Julian, played by actor John Paul Tremblay.
In a news release announcing the arrangement, Tremblay, as Julian, said, "It's great to finally have a legit job with such a cool company. I'm proud of myself.”
Bubbles, a thick-glass-wearing character played by Mike Smith, said he is “very excited to be teaming up with PointsBet Canada.”
”I get to meet all kinds of cool Canadian athletes, and everything will be totally legal, which is a new thing for Ricky and Julian,” he said. “I think it's fantastic!”
Ricky, the character who asked on the promotional video whether the boys were getting paid for their efforts, said it is “real flattering being asked to be part of this.”
"This celebrates Canadian sports, and I can't wait to meet a bunch of our bestest (sic) in the world athletes,” said the character portrayed by Robb Wells.
Canadian Sports-Betting Launch Expected This Year
Last year, Canadian provinces were authorized to offer single-event sports betting. The launch of commercial online sports wagering was expected to occur in late 2021 but is now projected to begin this year.
PointsBet, which originated in Australia and is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange, is among private-sector online bookmakers getting a pre-launch promotional and advertising head start.
With its U.S. headquarters in Denver, PointsBet is the official sports betting partner of NBC Sports, according to the company’s LinkedIn page. PointsBet operates in Australia, the U.S., Canada and Ireland.
Under its arrangement with PointsBet, the Trailer Park Boys will appear in advertising campaigns and “special VIP-style” events, a PointsBet news release states.
David Rivers, vice president of marketing for PointsBet Canada, said the company is “committed to building a brand and identity that acknowledges the little intricacies that make us all proud to be Canadian.”
