DRF Bets Not Really Closing Ahead of Kentucky Derby
DRF Bets assured customers this week that their Iowa-only betting site will be up and running come the Kentucky Derby.
DRF Sports data site will permanently shut down on April 30 though.
"DRF Sports will permanently shut down on Tuesday, April 30th, 2024," reads a note on DRF's website.
Needless-to-say, that ominous message sent chills down the spine of DRF Bets 30 customers (just playing). Well, not really.
In March, DRF reported $746,000 in Iowa sports betting handle, which ranked 13th out of 17 operators in the nation's 30th most populous state. DraftKings, by comparison, took in $98.8 million.
When Affinity Gaming merged with Sports Information Group, the holder of its Iowa sports betting license, the venture held great promise.
“The combined company will reach nearly one million customers across the U.S. alone and leverage the iconic DRF brand as it capitalizes on the continued momentum in sports betting and iGaming globally," the company promised back in 2021.
Those lofty promises never came to fruition.
"For our DRF Sports Pro members with active annual subscriptions expiring after April 30th, 2024, you will be eligible for a pro-rated refund. These refunds will be issued via check," the company promised this week.
DRF stands for The Daily Racing Form, and it is one of the most revered names in horse racing.
Founded way back in 1894 in Chicago, Illinois, by Frank Brunell, the paper publishes the past performances of racehorses as a statistical service for bettors covering horse racing in North America. Today it enjoys a nice digital presense via the DRF.com domain.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
