There’s no more Hard Rock Bet waitlist. As the online sports betting operator’s ad proclaims seven times in 60 seconds, “Hard Rock Bet is legal in Florida.”
On Dec. 5, a post on X by Matt Primeaux — Hard Rock Bet’s executive managing director and president — let Florida’s sports bettors know the app was open to all and retail sports betting would restart early.
On Dec. 7, the brand owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida had that announcement set to music, complete with a choreographed dance number. Skywriting was even involved.
Dec. 7 had been the day that Hard Rock Bet would reopen three retail sportsbooks. So the “You Did It, Florida!” marketing campaign would have been accurate, regardless.
Meanwhile, court cases that blocked Florida sports betting for two years continue. However, Hard Rock Bet is going ahead with “letting everyone bet,” as Primeaux put it.
He posted on Dec. 5:
Hard Rock's early access period for sports betting in Florida has been great this past month, but thinking about just turning it off and letting everyone bet
— Matt Primeaux (@mattprimeaux) December 5, 2023
Until then, the Hard Rock Bet waitlist was where Floridians, besides legacy sports bettors from 2021 and some loyalty program members, resided.
Two days later, the commercial debuted:
It’s official: Hard Rock Bet is legal in Florida and live for betting from anywhere in the state!
No more betting inside your head 🤘 pic.twitter.com/qEjPI49EwB
— Hard Rock Bet (@HardRockBet) December 7, 2023
No More Hard Rock Bet Waitlist
It seems as though many Floridians were eager to get off of the Hard Rock Bet waitlist.
CNBC Correspondent Contessa Brewer reported on Dec. 7:
More than 700k sports bets placed through Hard Rock & the Seminoles in Florida from 10am today til before 7p. Now that’s excitement about being able to wager legally on sports.
On X, posts asked about the waitlist, and other sports bettors answered that the list no longer exists.
However, they didn’t parrot the refrain from the ad. They also didn’t ask if Hard Rock Bet was legal in Florida.
Perhaps they were thinking about it, though, when they told each other that online sports betting was legal in Florida.
Meanwhile, here’s what the Hard Rock Bet marketing campaign envisioned:
The spots open on representative groups of Floridians frustrated over their lack of access to legal sports betting. Upon learning that Hard Rock Bet is now legal in the state, Floridians of all walks of life come together in spontaneous celebration that becomes a full-on party down Main Street.
The campaign for “Florida’s Sportsbook” was filmed with local Florida-based actors along with members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and was shot in Pompano Beach and directed by Jason Koenig in partnership with Anonymous Content.
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