Princess Cruises Bets on Growing Popularity of Sports Gambling

The big game is just a week away and for NFL fans, the championship match is one of biggest gambling days of the year. In fact, the popularity of sports gambling has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years as several states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana and now Michigan have legalized sports betting for players both virtual and in casinos. Long gone are the days when players had to visit a Las Vegas casino in order to place a wager on their favorite team and soon you’ll be able to place a wager while enjoying a cruise vacation. 

Princess Cruises is now attempting to capitalize on the betting boom with the new Ocean^® Sportsbook, a real-time sports wagering platform available on board MedallionClass ships when cruising returns to operation. Guests will have the ability to bet on major sports competitions like professional and college football, basketball, baseball and hockey as well as a wide variety of other exciting domestic and international events.

“On Princess MedallionClass cruises our guests can stay connected with their friends and family around the world, and now with Ocean Sportsbook, they can also stay connected to their favorite teams and wager on a host of events whenever they sail with us,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises.  “Taking a cruise vacation no longer means being disconnected from a big game, an iconic event or friends and family.”

When the ship is in international waters, or wherever permitted in applicable states, guests can use the MedallionClass app to wager on major sports competitions, as well as place prop bets during live events taking place during their cruise. Guests also will have the opportunity to place bets on future competitions that occur well after their voyage.

Casinos have long been a staple on cruise vacations and the new sports gambling option adds to the fun for those who love the thrill of money won. 

Sports Betting Boom 

According to statistics provided by Princess Cruises via ESPN, there were more than $20 billion in wagers placed with U.S. sportsbooks in the past two years and sports betting is experiencing extraordinary growth, and is expected to reach more than $155 billion by 2024. 

Sorry, Miami Heat fans, unfortunately you won’t be able to place wagers on contests involving the basketball team owned by Micky Arison as he is also the chairman of Carnival Corporation, Princess Cruises’ parent company.

“A fully-connected guest experience now goes well beyond a superior Wi-Fi position, and Ocean Sportsbook reinforces the unparalleled position MedallionClass enjoys in the industry,” said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation. “Wagering is now seamlessly fused into the overall guest experience in both digital and physical interactions all powered by the OCEAN Guest Experience Platform.”

Remember, gambling is risky and you can very well lose, so always make sure you bet responsibly and never more than you can afford!