NBC Sports Teams with SharpLink Gaming to Launch Free-to-Play, Interactive Game for the 43rd Ryder Cup Matches

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Nasdaq: SBET) (“SharpLink” or the “Company”), a pioneer of game-changing technological solutions and experience-based services for the U.S. online sports betting industry, today announced that the Company is teaming with NBC Sports to launch a new, interactive, free-to-play online game for the 43^rd Ryder Cup to be held at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin from September 24-26, 2021.

Established in 1927, the Ryder Cup is a major golf competition that occurs every two years and pits 24 of the world’s best golfers comprising Team USA and Team Europe in a head-to-head match play competition.

The Ryder Cup Fantasy online game will be available on and the official Ryder Cup mobile apps for iOS and Android, providing golf fans in the U.S. and Europe with a fun, even more immersive Ryder Cup experience. Fans will be challenged to choose six golfers from either the U.S. or European teams and earn points the same way the professional golfers will earn points in the Ryder Cup matches. For instance, if a fan’s golfer is part of a winning match/pair, one point is awarded; or if there is tie, the fan earns a half point. The goal is to earn as many fantasy points, as possible. Players will be competing for an ultimate prize pack filled with Ryder Cup gear.

Michael Lowe, Vice President, Digital Strategy and Partnerships at NBC Sports Group, noted, “We have been impressed with SharpLink’s creative, digital gamification expertise relating to sports and fantasy game development. This new casual gaming experience, designed and developed by SharpLink in collaboration with the digital teams at NBC Sports, PGA of America and European Tour is expected to elevate and enhance fan engagement around our coverage of this world class sporting event. While our core fans will continue to enjoy our televised coverage of the golf competition, the ability to gamify the tournament introduces an entirely new and entertaining dimension to the Ryder Cup experience – particularly for our growing audience of casual fans.”

“Historically reaching over a half billion households around the globe through televised and digital media coverage, the Ryder Cup has become one of the world’s most popular and celebrated sporting events. We are thrilled to be partnering with NBC Sports and Ryder Cup to engage golf fans through our fun, immersive and interactive gaming experience tied directly to real-time match play in the Ryder Cup tournament,” stated Rob Phythian, SharpLink’s Chief Executive Officer. “Fans can play individually against all Ryder Cup fans in the game, or challenge others in friendly, direct competition through creation of private groups. In either case, the free-to-play game enables NBC Sports to engage with passionate golf fans throughout the event, giving these fans a reason to keep coming back to the NBC Sports and Ryder Cup digital platforms as the tournament progresses.”

In the U.S., the 43^rd Ryder Cup will be televised beginning on Friday, September 24, 2021 to Sunday, September 26, 2021 on NBC and the Golf Channel, as well as live streamed at .

About NBC Sports Group

NBC Sports Group serves sports fans 24/7 with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. The sports media company consists of NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, NBCSN, Golf Channel, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports Audio Network and NBC Sports Digital, which includes , , , the digital assets of the NBC Sports Regional Networks, NBC Sports EDGE, the NBC Sports Talk franchise, multiple apps, and two transactional sports businesses, GolfNow and SportsEngine, and two direct-to-consumer products - NBC Sports Gold and GolfPass. NBC Sports Group possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering with some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NASCAR, INDYCAR, PGA TOUR, The R&A, PGA of America, USGA, Churchill Downs, Premier League, Tour de France, French Open, and many more.

About SharpLink Gaming Ltd.

Founded in 2019 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, SharpLink is a leading online technology company that connects sports fans, leagues and sports websites to relevant and timely sports betting content. SharpLink uses proprietary, intelligent, online conversion technology to convert sports fans into sports bettors for licensed, online sportsbook operators. SharpLink's intelligent C4 Sports Betting Conversion Platform delivers and determines the best sportsbook betting offers and experience for each identified user. Using sophisticated, AI-enabled behavioral modeling and tracking technologies, and by analyzing user's past and present behaviors, we serve sports fans with personalized betting offers specifically tied to each fan's favorite sports, teams and players. Additionally, SharpLink specializes in helping sports media companies develop strategies, products and innovative solutions to drive deep customer engagement with highly interactive sports games and mobile applications. SharpLink is run by industry veterans with several successful exits in the sports gaming sector. For more information, please visit the SharpLink website at .

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Such statements include statements regarding the expected growth in the online betting industry, the Company’s ability to grow its business, the potential benefits of the Company’s products, services and technologies and other statements that are not historical facts, including statements which may be accompanied by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential” or similar words. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to certain factors, including without limitation, the Company's ability to achieve profitable operations, government regulation of online betting, customer acceptance of new products and services, the effects of the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and future measures taken by authorities in the countries in which we operate on our operations, the demand for our products and our customers' economic condition, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the lengthy sales cycle, proprietary rights of the Company and its competitors, general economic conditions and other risk factors detailed in the Company's annual report and other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release.