The Canadian Football League (CFL) and British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) have partnered to make BCLC’s online sportsbook, PlayNow Sports, the official sports betting partner of the 111th Grey Cup.

BCLC is the newest authorized gaming operator to partner with the league, in recognition of the fact Vancouver’s BC Place will host the Grey Cup for the first time since 2014 on Sunday, Nov. 17.

To celebrate, the league and BCLC are holding a special contest for fans in B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba, offering a grand prize of two tickets to the championship game, two Grey Cup Festival passes, travel, accommodation, $500 in PlayNow Sports free bets and more.

“BCLC is immensely proud to have PlayNow Sports as the official sports betting partner for the 111th Grey Cup,” said BCLC COO Dan Beebe.

“As a social-purpose company, BCLC works every day to generate win-wins for the greater good and serve in the best interests of the communities we call home. We’re thrilled to help bring together BC Lions and CFL fans from across the country in the spirit of celebration and community at this year’s Grey Cup Festival.”

“Responsible sports wagering, and the entertainment it provides, is an important part of the future of CFL fandom,” added the CFL’s Chief Revenue Officer Tyler Keenan. “Our work with BCLC allows fans to deepen their connection to the league, but more importantly, it strengthens our efforts to support British Columbians and the community through the valued programs and services they rely on every day.”

The link-up with the CFL is BCLC’s second sports partnership this month after it extended its agreement with Canucks Sports & Entertainment (CSE). PlayNow Sports is the official sports betting partner of the Vancouver Canucks NHL team, as well as the team’s AHL affiliate the Abbotsford Canucks and the Vancouver Warriors lacrosse team.

PlayNow online, PROLINE in-store

While BCLC’s online sports betting remains under the PlayNow brand in conjunction with its iGaming offering, the crown corporation unveiled its new PROLINE retail sportsbook earlier this month.

PROLINE provides bettors that use lottery terminals across B.C. with a first-of-its-kind digital retail sports betting experience. Players can create digital bet slips on their phones through the PROLINE app or on other digital devices and receive a QR code that can be redeemed for a printed ticket at any B.C. lottery retail location.

It offers a range of new betting markets along with previous options available on the BCLC’s former Sports Action retail sportsbook, which shuttered operations in May after 33 years.

Beebe called PROLINE “an exciting evolution” for B.C. sports betting and it follows the revamp of BCLC’s lottery infrastructure, which it migrated to a fully cloud-based system powered by Intralot earlier this year.