Category Archives: Sidebar Featured

Sidelines Shares Insight on the Innovative Act of Legalizing Sports Betting

Despite how anyone feels about sports betting at this juncture, the process of legalization has begun – and there’s likely no chance of stopping it. In May 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), only Oregon, Nevada, Montana, and Delaware allowed legalized betting on sports. Now, in 2020, the number of states has grown from four to 21, with a promise of more to come.

Once upon a time, this was a topic people remained hushed about, but now, even NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has recognized that legalized sports betting is making its way “out of the underground and into the sunlight.”

This has paved the way for partnerships between the usual suspects: sports leagues, broadcasters, teams, casinos, and sportsbooks, which are being contracted almost as quickly as the legislation is being passed. Just to name a few, the MLB, NBA, NHL, NFL, and UFC have deals with MGM Resorts, FanDuel, DraftKings, FoxBet, William Hill, and Caesars. These lucrative deals entail profits, real-time data sharing, and branding in the form of logos and social media platform exposure.

But what does this mean for bettors?

First, sportsbooks will have immediate access to official league data in real-time. Amongst other benefits, this means better set lines/odds both before and during games, including in-play betting. Sportsbooks can also be more creative with the types of wagers they offer, providing bettors with a multitude of betting choices.

However, because of how quickly the legalization process is occurring, one can easily be overwhelmed by the ideas of partnerships and changes. What’s more, the heightened involvement of data can be daunting for those who want to bet, despite whether they are old pros or newbies.

There is a light in this confusing, data-driven world of sports betting, though.

One of the first companies to arrive on the scene is Sidelines, who knew right away that users needed an easy way to learn the market. Therefore, with the idea of providing users with a distinct advantage and an excellent value, Sidelines launched an odds comparison platform, bringing together market research and analysis for real-time odds comparisons across all legal U.S. sportsbooks.

This is only a small example of what legalized sports betting will bring.

The countless advantages to legalization and the process will only continue to gain traction within the community as this is further realized. As a result, both bettors and sports fans should keep themselves well informed on any changes and be prepared for the exciting prospects that will accompany it.

PlayNJ: State Sportsbooks Nearly Hit $500 Million in Feb., But Uncertainty Lies Ahead

Super Bowl betting pushed New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks to a strong February, though the monthly handle fell short of $500 million for the first time since October. But the concern for New Jersey’s sportsbooks is what lies ahead, according to PlayNJ analysts, after the NBA suspended its season, the NCAA Tournament limited spectators, and other leagues mull suspensions.

“New Jersey’s year-over-year gains remained impressive in February, but we are in uncharted territory now,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayNJ.com. “Obviously there are bigger concerns with coronavirus, but the NBA is a major revenue driver for New Jersey’s sportsbooks. So the suspension of the season, in addition to suspensions of other sports, will undoubtedly have a significant effect.”

New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks made a giant year-over-year leap in handle to $494.8 million, up 54.4% from $320.4 million in February 2019, according to official reporting released Thursday.

New Jersey generated $54.2 million in Super Bowl bets, but that was No. 2 to Nevada’s $156.8 million. Still, the Garden State could surpass Nevada, which posted a $458.6 million in handle in February 2019.

Despite losing $4.3 million on the big game, New Jersey sportsbooks managed to produce $17 million in gross revenue, resulting in $2.2 million in tax revenue for the state. Basketball, which produced a $6.6 million win on $219.3 million in wagers, helped sportsbooks overcome the Super Bowl loss.

“New Jersey bettors continue to show heavy interest in basketball,” Gouker said. “March Madness appears as of now as if it will be played, and it is one of the largest betting holidays in the U.S. But it is impossible to gauge just how much interest there will be if it is played at all.”

Online betting generated $436.5 million in wagers, 88.2% of the state’s handle in February. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet led the way with $9.6 million in gross revenue from online betting, down from $22.2 million in January.

FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands again capitalized on the New York market. The retail market leader posted $1.4 million in gross revenue, up from $4.3 million in January.

ONLINE CASINOS

New Jersey’s online and poker industry set a revenue-per-day record in February, generating $52 million in revenue during the short month. February’s total was up 64% from $31.7 million in February 2019 and just shy of the record $55.1 million set last month.

Online casinos and poker generated $1.79 million per day during the 29 days in February, up from $1.78 million per day in January. March, which has historically been a big month for online casinos, could bring even more revenue in, as Atlantic City casinos brace for any impact from the coronavirus outbreak.

“Online casinos and sportsbooks should help buoy their land-based casino counterparts in Atlantic City should the coronavirus impact casino operations,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for PlayNJ.com. “The Golden Nugget’s online casino already generates more revenue than its retail casino, and others have been closing the gap. That online revenue stream could prove vitally important in the coming months.”

For more, visit PlayNJ.com/news.

BetMGM Launches Sports Betting App in Indiana

Roar Digital, LLC – the joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings – announced today that BetMGM, a leading mobile sports betting app, is now accepting wagers throughout Indiana. BetMGM is entering Indiana through a market-access agreement with Boyd Gaming.

“Introducing BetMGM in Indiana is a significant development for Roar Digital and MGM Resorts,” said Scott Butera, President of Interactive Gaming for MGM Resorts. “Indiana has a rich history in professional and amateur sports and a strong fan base. We believe that the sports betting opportunities offered by BetMGM, and access to MGM’s world-class entertainment offerings and resorts, will be well-received.”

BetMGM offers unique product features, such as in-app, livestreamed sports events from around the world. In conjunction with today’s launch, Indiana bettors will enjoy promotions only available within Indiana, affording ample opportunity to bet on professional as well as collegiate sports through a variety of pre-match, in-play and player proposition wagers.

“We’re excited to launch BetMGM in a state as passionate about sports as Indiana is and look forward to seeing fans in the state take advantage of our unique in-app offers,” said Adam Greenblatt, Chief Executive Officer, Roar Digital. “Indiana marks an incredibly important expansion for us as we look to solidify our presence in the Midwest and continue to bring BetMGM to new states in the US.”

Indiana is BetMGM’s third U.S. market entry, following New Jersey and West Virginia. Available for download on both iOS and Android and accessible via desktop, BetMGM leverages an exclusive betting engine that allows fans to place bets quickly and with ease. Sports bettors have access to a wide assortment of betting markets on BetMGM, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, soccer, tennis and combat sports.

ZenSports Closes Additional $770K+ in Seed Funding

It’s been a busy 12 months for ZenSports, the mobile peer-to-peer sports betting marketplace where anyone can create and accept sports bets with anyone else in the world without the need for a centralized bookmaker.

After launching its sports betting app in March 2019, the fast-growing startup closed $675K in October 2019 as part of a broader $1M+ Seed Round. With its continued rapid growth, the startup started receiving inbound interest from additional angel investors in December 2019, and decided to open up a new round of funding to accommodate those interested investors. In just 10 weeks since then, the company syndicated and closed an additional $770K+ in funding across multiple angel investors.

Here’s how this new funding round played out according to ZenSports Co-Founder & CEO, Mark Thomas, “After officially closing our $1M+ Seed Round in October 2019, we felt more than comfortable that we had enough funding to execute on our growth strategy for 2020. However, we had numerous angel investors who approached us about putting more money into our company. We decided to offer a time-boxed raise without a target amount for these investors who approached us and shared our vision of how decentralized, peer-to-peer sports betting using cryptocurrencies was the future. We were fortunate to have a lot of choices in the investors we decided to ultimately bring on board, and we’re thrilled to be working with them as we continue to grow and scale ZenSports.”

The new funding will be heavily invested into paid customer acquisition channels. According to Thomas, “Up to this point, we haven’t spent any money on paid marketing to acquire new customers. Instead, we’ve focused on optimizing the post-customer acquisition and retention funnel through constant product iteration and via our SPORTS Rewards Program. We’ve got incredibly loyal customers who are very active on a daily basis in placing bets in our app. It’s now time to get very aggressive in growing our overall customer base via paid marketing.”

To help accomplish this, the company recently hired an experienced marketer, Mark Saldana, to become the company’s new Chief Marketing Officer. Mark brings a wealth of digital marketing experience to technology and consumer brands and will be an integral piece to the company’s revenue and growth plans.

Scientific Games and Golden Nugget Expand iGaming Partnership, add Sports Betting

Scientific Games Corporation and Golden Nugget, LLC, a leading US casino operator, have agreed to expand their iGaming partnerships in a new multi-state, multi-product, multi-channel agreement. Building on a long-term partnership, Scientific Games will provide its solutions to Golden Nugget across multiple states through 2024 and potentially beyond.

Scientific Games will supply Golden Nugget with its OpenGaming™ in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and, as regulations allow, potentially other states that legalize iGaming in the future. Golden Nugget will benefit from the Open Gaming System™ content aggregation platform, portal, and player account management solution to enhance its iGaming presence.

Golden Nugget has also selected to utilize the full OpenSports™ product suite and world-class managed trading services from Don Best Sports. The deployment of OpenSports™ will start with mobile sports betting in New Jersey with additional states included as new states launch. There is also an option to roll out OpenSports™ in retail locations across multiple states including New Jersey, Mississippi and Nevada.

Thomas Winter, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Online Gaming for Golden Nugget, said, “We have a long history with Scientific Games, and their technology is a cornerstone of our sports betting and iGaming strategy. We’re thrilled to continue working with them to bring a consistent and best-in-class experience to our players across multiple products, nationwide.”

Jordan Levin, Group Chief Executive, Digital for Scientific Games, said, “Following Golden Nugget’s transition to our solutions, we look forward to launching Sports on top of our long-standing player account and iGaming relationship. Golden Nugget has a wide player base across the U.S., having pioneered the iGaming space in New Jersey from its earliest days, and we’re excited to power their sports betting and iGaming presence, providing a seamless and reliable end-to-end betting experience.”

Scientific Games has provided sports betting solutions since the late 1990s and currently serves a total of 35 sports betting customers in 16 countries. Scientific Games is among the first to be certified by the World Lottery Association as a responsible gaming supplier and is the first sports betting supplier to join the Global Lottery Monitoring System, which ensures the integrity of sports betting worldwide.

Momentum of Pennsylvania Sportsbooks Grows with $348 Million January, According to PlayPennsylvania.com

A record-setting January pushed Pennsylvania’s online and retail sportsbooks to the brink of $100 million in lifetime revenue. But even with a strong start to the New Year, Pennsylvania still has much ground to gain to catch New Jersey and Nevada, according to PlayPennsylvania.com.

“Pennsylvania’s momentum is growing, and January shows that the state’s sportsbooks can sustain it even as the NFL season winds down,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayPennsylvania.com. “Pennsylvania will likely remain the nation’s No. 3 market for the foreseeable future. But it is becoming clearer that it will one day challenge Nevada and New Jersey as the largest legal sports betting market in the U.S.”

Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks accepted a record $348.4 million in wagers in January, breaking the $342.6 million record set in December up dramatically from $32 million in January 2019, according to official data released Wednesday. $308.6 million, or 88.6%, of the state’s January handle came online.

January’s bets produced a record $31.6 million in gross revenue — up from $17.5 million in December. That produced $7.78 million in state taxes. With January’s gains, Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks have now generated $116.4 million in gross revenue since launching in November 2018.

“The opportunities for growth are abundant for Pennsylvania,” Gouker said. “It’s population base is a huge advantage. Infrastructure issues have slowed the state’s development. But the industry is unquestionably getting past its growing pains.”

FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino remains the market leader with $153.1 million January bets, down from $154.5 million in December. That yielded $8.1 million in taxable revenue, up from $7 million. But DraftKings at The Meadows grew to $58.7 million in January from $35.9 million in December. That produced $2.8 million in taxable revenue, up from $732,883.

The online market could soon get a shakeup. Penn National Gaming is acquiring a stake in Barstool Sports and with it, a recognizable brand for its online casino and sportsbook, which will presumably launch later this year.

“DraftKings has been aggressively marketing itself in Pennsylvania, and it is making some headway in its attempt to catch up with FanDuel. But it still has a long way to go,” Gouker said. “Meanwhile, the expected launch later this year of the Barstool-branded online casino and sportsbook will add intrigue to a market that has been predictably controlled by the two most recognizable brands in online sports betting.”

The retail market was led by Rivers Philadelphia’s $7.4 million handle, down from $7.7 million in December. That yielded $1.1 million in revenue, up from $590,177.

Online casinos
The retail market was led by Rivers Philadelphia’s $7.4 million handle, down from $7.7 million in December. That yielded $1.1 million in revenue, up from $590,177. Rivers-Philadelphia led the way with $3.5 million in revenue on $146.4 million in wagers.

The roster of online casinos grew to seven in January. FanDuel Casino debuted on Jan. 24, generating $2.1 million. FanDuel was followed by the launch of BetAmerica less than a week later.

“The online casino market should get a real jolt from FanDuel’s entrance,” Gouker said. “Integrated within FanDuel’s market-leading sportsbook app, the FanDuel Casino is ideally positioned to leverage its success as a sportsbook into success as an online casino.”

XFL Bets On The Action Network

The XFL and The Action Network have announced a sports betting content partnership. As part of the collaboration, The Action Network becomes a preferred source of XFL betting analysis and information and will provide sports betting content for the league’s website at XFL.com.

All season long, The Action Network will develop multiple content features – including daily news from across the league, analysis of games and player performances, as well as expert picks and projections for both The Action Network and XFL platforms. The Action Network’s talent will also appear in XFL’s betting-related content.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the XFL and introduce in-depth betting coverage to a new legion of fans,” said Ari Borod, Chief Commercial Officer of The Action Network. “We remain committed to bringing our audience best-in-class coverage with innovative leagues and rights holders as the sports betting landscape continues to rapidly evolve.”

“Our strategy is to embrace the spread and partnering with The Action Network helps us provide our fans with timely sports betting news and information,” said Jeffrey Pollack, President and COO of the XFL. “We want what our fans want and millions of football fans have an interest in betting on sports, so we’re answering the call and gearing up to be fully responsive.”

The Action Network will provide branded content on the XFL website and have rights to use certain league IP to promote the partnership across its platforms.

PointsBet, NBA Announce Partnership Including New Win Probability Metric

PointsBet, a top-tier global sportsbook operator, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a new multiyear partnership, making PointsBet an Authorized Sports Betting Operator of the NBA. The partnership marks PointsBet’s first with a professional sports league in the U.S.

As part of the partnership, PointsBet will integrate the first-ever Win Probability Metric across certain NBA platforms, including on NBA.com and NBA social media channels. Powered by PointsBet, the Win Probability Metric will provide fans with real-time insight toward projected outcomes utilizing the same analytics and statistics that fuel the PointsBet sportsbook.

Additionally, PointsBet will have access to official NBA betting data and league marks across PointsBet digital betting platforms.

“As a tech company at heart, the PointsBet team is excited to work with a league as savvy and forward-thinking as the NBA,” noted Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA. “We’re certainly aligned in looking to present fans with the best experience possible, and we look forward to enhancing the sports betting aspect via the Win Probability Metric Powered by PointsBet.”

“We are thrilled to partner with PointsBet on its first U.S. sports league betting partnership, as they continue to grow their business throughout the U.S.,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, Senior Vice President, Head of Fantasy & Gaming, NBA. “PointsBet has a unique offering in the marketplace and we are excited to find new ways to engage with fans together.”

PointsBet and the NBA will also work together on best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of NBA games.

CBS Sports and William Hill Announce Official Partnership

CBS Sports and William Hill, America’s leading sports book operator, today announced a strategic partnership that makes William Hill the Official Sports Book and Wagering Data Provider across all CBS Sports platforms. The deal will reimagine fan engagement through a unique integration of sports betting, media, product and technology. The partnership will tip off with initial integrations in March on CBS Sports digital platforms, with a full rollout planned for the fantasy football season.

The partnership extends CBS Sports’ digital leadership in the sports betting space and allows for the creation of even more relevant content across its wide array of platforms. CBS Sports will utilize William Hill’s odds, experts and more than 140 sports books to bolster its current digital offerings, delivering deeper information and programming produced from William Hill sports books across the country, and further engaging sports bettors and fans. In addition, the partnership includes opportunities to feature William Hill data, odds and markets across CBS television programming.

William Hill will receive exclusive rights to promote its brand across CBS Sports’ broad range of digital properties, including through CBS Sports Fantasy, one of the largest fantasy platforms in the world, resulting in highly efficient customer acquisition for the sports betting company.

“We’re thrilled to launch this momentous partnership, which will allow us to deepen our investment and further extend our leadership in delivering multi-platform sports wagering content, while providing William Hill with unprecedented reach for their market-leading betting platform as they continue to grow their industry-leading U.S. business,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, Executive Vice President and General Manager, CBS Sports Digital. “The power of our distribution, combined with the strength of our brands and the expertise of William Hill, has us well positioned to tap into the explosive growth of the legal sports betting industry in the U.S. Together, we will deliver even more value to this rapidly growing segment of sports fans.”

“CBS Sports, similar to William Hill, has a longstanding history of connecting fans directly to the biggest events and most iconic moments in sports,” said Joe Asher, CEO of William Hill US. “We are excited about this partnership, with assets including mass-reach digital content products, one of the largest fantasy sports databases and platforms in the world, and leading sports television programming, which will allow us to expand the William Hill brand across America quickly and efficiently.”

CBS Sports Digital is the second-largest sports property in the U.S. with more than 80 million users per month across its sites and apps as well as tens of millions of followers on social platforms. CBS Sports Digital offerings include SportsLine, the dedicated subscription platform for game picks and predictions that has seen strong subscriber growth in recent years; CBSSports.com; 24/7 streaming network CBS Sports HQ, which features the nightly SportsLine show focused on sports betting and delivered triple-digit viewership growth in 2019; CBS Sports Fantasy; CBS Sports apps; and 247Sports.

Powered by a heritage that dates back to 1934, William Hill established its U.S. presence in Las Vegas in 2012 and has grown to become America’s leading sports book operator by differentiating itself from the industry as an innovative pioneer in sports betting. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that overturned PASPA in 2018, William Hill has led the United States expansion of sports betting and now has operations in 10 states. The company currently accepts one out of every four sports bets placed in the U.S.

Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

FOX Bet Becomes Authorized Gaming Operator of the XFL

The XFL and FOX Bet today announced a new deal that makes the mobile sports betting brand an authorized gaming operator of the league.

FOX Bet will promote and offer XFL-centric betting markets to its customers and create a special FOX Sports Super 6 game for each week of the XFL’s 10-week regular season (Feburary 8 – April 12), and one for its postseason semi-finals (April 18-19) and Championship game (April 26). This special XFL free-to-play game will offer guaranteed cash prizes and be promoted to the FOX Sports Super 6 database of over 1 million customers each week.

“We are thrilled to be an authorized gaming operator of the XFL and part of all the excitement surrounding the league’s kickoff this February,” said Robin Chhabra, CEO of FOX Bet. “Just as they are reimagining the game of football in America, we at FOX Bet are reimagining the sports experience for fans across the country.”

As part of the agreement, FOX Bet has the right to use the XFL’s official data feed, league marks, team logos, player and coach likeness and certain league content across its FOX Bet sports betting app and FOX Sports Super 6 free-to-play game.

“FOX Bet is a leader in mobile sports wagering, and we’re proud to partner with such an important player in the sports betting community,” said Jeffrey Pollack, President and COO of the XFL. “We want what our fans want and legal sports betting is an important part of the fan experience that will allow them to connect more strongly with the XFL.”

FOX Bet, the U.S. sports betting brand of The Stars Group, is currently available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The FOX Sports Super 6 free-to-play game is available nationwide* and gives players a chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars each week. FOX Bet plans to expand its sports betting products into additional states as they legalize and regulate online sports betting.

*Excluding Washington State

Betfred Selects Scientific Games to Launch their End-to-End Sports Betting Solutions in Pennsylvania

Scientific Games Corporation and Betfred are partnering to provide full retail and digital sports betting solutions in Pennsylvania. Betfred have chosen Scientific Games as their technology provider to launch retail solutions at Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the first half of 2020 as part of Betfred’s recently announced partnership with the property. In advance of the 2020-2021 NFL season, Betfred and Scientific Games plan to launch digital sports betting for Pennsylvania bettors.

Mark Stebbings, Group COO at Betfred, said, “Scientific Games was the clear choice to provide our sports betting platform in Pennsylvania. OpenSports™ provides best-in-class, reliable technology and services that will help us reach more players and grow our sportsbook presence at speed.”

Betfred’s Pennsylvania players will benefit from Scientific Games’ full OpenSports product suite, which includes the industry-leading online and mobile betting technology and services. Betfred through its partnership with Wind Creek Casino will provide Scientific Games’ over the counter betting solutions and retail betting kiosks in addition to Don Best Sports data feeds, part of the OpenTrade™ branch of the OpenSports product suite.

Keith O’Loughlin, SVP Sportsbook, Digital for Scientific Games, said, “Betfred is one of the UK’s top-performing bookmakers, and their move into the U.S. will spark growth. Once again, a sophisticated and experienced sports betting operator has chosen OpenSports to responsibly grow its U.S. presence with our maximum reliability, scalability, and performance. Together, Scientific Games and Betfred can make a massive impact in the sports betting arena by driving player engagement and putting their digital and retail sportsbooks at the forefront of this expanding landscape. Betfred is synonymous with giving UK customers a great value proposition, and we are confident that they will get great traction in the U.S. with this customer-oriented approach.”

Scientific Games has provided sports betting solutions since the late 1990s and currently serves a total of 35 sports betting customers in 16 countries. The Company is among the first to be certified by the World Lottery Association as a responsible gaming supplier and is the first sports betting supplier to join the Global Lottery Monitoring System, which ensures the integrity of sports betting worldwide.

Super Bowl to Attract $400 Million in Wagers, PlayUSA.Com Analysts Predict

Legal online and retail sportsbooks across the country will take in $400 million in total bets for Super Bowl LIV, analysts for PlayUSA.com project. Even if less money comes in, the matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, set for Sunday, Feb. 2, will almost certainly bring in more money via legal sportsbooks than ever before.

“With the proliferation of legal sports betting across the U.S., there is no doubt that this will be a record year for legal bets on the Super Bowl,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayUSA.com. “An interesting matchup that is nearly a pick ’em will help spur action, too. As a result, records in states such as Nevada and New Jersey, where both online and retail sports betting were legal for last year’s game, are also in jeopardy.”

The Super Bowl is easily the most bet-on sporting event in the U.S., drawing an estimated $6 billion in legal and illegal bets in 2019, according to the American Gaming Association. That number will reach almost $7 billion in 2020, the AGA estimates.

For this year’s game, consider:

Thirteen states — Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Oregon, Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New York — representing a combined population of 70 million, will offer a means to place a legal bet on this year’s Super Bowl.
Eight states — Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Oregon — offer both online and retail sports betting.
Seven states, representing a combined population of 30 million, accepted legal bets for last year’s game between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. In addition, some states had yet to launch online sportsbooks, leaving retail sportsbooks as the only vehicle to place a bet in states such as Pennsylvania.
The country’s two largest sports betting markets, Nevada and New Jersey, combined to generate more than $180 million in bets for the 2019 game.
New Jersey sportsbooks, which offered legal wagering on the Super Bowl for the first time in 2019, attracted $34.9 million in bets but lost $4.6 million.
Nevada’s $145.9 million handle was the state’s second-best all-time, but down from the record $158.6 million in 2018.

“Not only has the number of legal sports jurisdictions doubled from last year’s game, states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania have boomed,” Gouker said. “That all adds up to a historic weekend ahead for sports betting.”

Kansas City is currently a consensus 1.5-point favorite over the 49ers. And with the Chiefs’ top-ranked passing attack matched up against the 49ers’ second-ranked pass defense, the over/under is now set at 54 points.

Prop bets should once again bring added attention from bettors to the game. Books will offer odds on aspects of the game that range from what player will score the first touchdown to the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coach.

“Online and mobile sportsbooks are a key tool in driving in-game and prop betting, giving states with a robust digital presence a significant advantage,” Gouker said. “In New Jersey, nearly 88% of all bets were made online in December. And that allows operators to attract bettors with prop bets and keep them engaged with in-game betting.”

National Lacrosse League To Host First-Ever Team Business Summit In Las Vegas This Week

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the premier professional lacrosse league in the world, will be holding its first-ever team business summit this week atMGM’s Mandalay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The three days of meetings and seminars will culminate with Saturday’s historic matchup between the San Diego Seals and the Colorado Mammoth at Orleans Arena, the first-ever professional lacrosse game in Las Vegas.

“We are excited to be with all our Clubs and new marketing partner, MGM to bring our team and league leadership together for a unique opportunity to review best practices and discuss the strategic growth of our league and the sport of lacrosse,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “The NLL is in the midst of historic business growth with so many new partners that convening all of our stakeholders in one place to capitalize on the momentum will add value for our teams and ultimately our fans.”

In addition to hearing from the teams on their best successes and strategies, executives will hear and learn from executives from the UFC, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, as well as league partners Turner Sports, Two Circles, Greenfly and others, on best practices, evolving business strategies and new partnership and revenue generating activities. Over seventy league and team executives and partners are expected to participate.

The NLL is the premier professional lacrosse league, ranking third in average attendance for pro indoor sports, with 13 teams in key markets across North America. The NLL experienced substantial growth last season with nearly a million total ticket sales, a 28-percent increase from 2017-18, and 74 percent of ticket sales were from people who never played lacrosse. Digital viewership also rose significantly through B/R Live, showing substantial increases in total unit sales (up 151 percent from last year), average unique viewers (+27 percent), and average minute audiences (+14 percent). Sponsorship revenues are projected at a 29 percent increase year over year as well.

For the most up to date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.

National Lacrosse League And BetMGM Announce First-Ever U.S. Gaming Partnership In Lacrosse

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) today announced a landmark partnership with Roar Digital – a joint venture between global gaming industry leaders MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings – making Roar’s sports betting brand, BetMGM, the official and exclusive gaming partner of the NLL. It is the first-ever gaming partnership for the sport of lacrosse in the United States.

“We are so proud to welcome BetMGM as yet another world-class brand to our family of national partners,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “The growth of our league as a sports and entertainment property and the amount of engagement we will be able to generate through this innovative partnership with MGM Resorts and Roar Digital will be very exciting and add tremendous value to avid, casual and new fans. The like-minded vision both our organizations share will continue to increase the relevance of the NLL and draw a wider audience of fans as we continue the momentum we enjoyed over the last four seasons.”

“Lacrosse is a fast-paced, high-scoring, growing sport that presents exciting sports betting opportunities. We are greatly impressed by the management and operations of the NLL as evidenced by its strong roster of team owners,” said Scott Butera, President of Interactive Gaming for MGM Resorts. “The NLL is an ideal partner for BetMGM in accessing a fast-growing Lacrosse fan base.”

BetMGM will have commercial visibility and other promotional opportunities throughout the NLL regular season and playoffs. In addition, will create weekly betting lines distributed across all NLL platforms and channels.

Accessible via desktop and mobile, BetMGM features GVC’s state-of-the-art betting engine and technology platform. Not only can users play the traditional casino and poker games they’ve come to love, but sports fans can place an expanded range of pre-match and in-play bets with more than 100 leagues, as well as individual sports, tours and events.

The NLL is the premier professional lacrosse league, ranking third in average attendance for pro indoor sports, with 13 teams in key markets across North America. The NLL experienced substantial growth last season with nearly a million total ticket sales, a 28 percent increase from 2017-18. Digital viewership also rose significantly through B/R Live the NLL’s streaming rights partner, showing substantial increases in total unit sales (+151 percent from last year), average unique viewers (+27 percent), and average minute audiences (+14 percent). Sponsorship revenues are projected at a 29 percent increase from 2018 into 2019.

PlayNJ.com: New Jersey Sportsbooks’ Handle Tops $4.5 Billion in 2019

New Jersey’s sportsbooks and online casinos performed in December in much the same way they spent the rest of 2019: With new records and more growth. Retail and online sportsbooks combined with online casinos and poker to generate nearly $800 million in revenue in 2019, sending New Jersey into 2020 with plenty of momentum, according to PlayNJ.com analysts.

“Online sports betting and casino gambling should continue on or near its current growth trajectory in 2020,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayNJ.com. “Online growth will continue to be a net win for New Jersey’s gaming industry.”

New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks collected $557.8 million in bets in December, short of the record $562.2 million handle set in November, according to official reporting. December 2019’s handle was up 74.7% from $319.2 million in December 2018.

Revenue from sportsbooks reached $29.4 million, down from $32.9 million in November and up 41.4% from $20.8 million won in December 2018. December’s revenue yielded $3.7 million in tax revenue for the state.

For 2019, New Jersey’s sportsbooks combined to generate:

$4.6 billion in bets. Of that $3.8 billion, or 83.7%, was generated online.
Revenue of $299.4 million, including $244.5 million online.
State tax revenue of $36.5 million.

New Jersey will fall short of Nevada, which has generated $4.7 billion in bets through November, in the race to be the country’s largest legal sports betting jurisdiction.

“2019 could very well go down as the last year that New Jersey was eclipsed by Nevada,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for PlayNJ.com said. “From its proximity to the New York market to its pioneering online sports betting infrastructure, New Jersey’s positives as a sports betting market will continue to fuel its growth.”

In December, online betting generated $488.9 million, or 87.6% of the state’s handle, up from 86.5% in November. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet continues to pace the online market, tallying $12.1 million in gross revenue, down from $12.2 million in November.

FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands lead the retail market with $2.4 million in November gross revenue.

“In addition to constant growth, one of the constants in New Jersey’s sports betting market has been FanDuel’s dominance,” Gouker said. “The brands under Resorts Digital have made it a relatively close second in the online market, but it has proven difficult to overcome FanDuel’s advantages, despite the brand recognition that comes from DraftKings and Fox Bet.”

Indiana Sportsbooks Hit $160 Million December

Indiana retail and online sportsbooks capped their inaugural year in the state by surpassing $160 million in bets in a month for the first time. Indiana’s record handle in December pushed the state to more than $430 million in bets since the first wager was accepted in September, a staggering pace that has set the stage for a momentous 2020, according to analysts from PlayIndiana.

“Indiana’s ascent to one of the largest sports betting markets in the country has been impressive by most any measure,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for PlayIndiana. “The question for 2020 is whether Indiana can sustain its rate of expansion, especially as neighboring states become more likely to legalize sports betting. That has already happened in Michigan, which could take a bite out of the handle at some of northern Indiana’s retail sportsbooks.”

In December, the state’s retail and online sportsbooks generated $161.8 million in bets, up 10% from $147.3 million in November, according to official reporting. December produced $12 million in adjusted gross revenue, up 29% from $9.3 million in November. The “win” yielded $1.1 million in taxes for the state.

Indiana sportsbooks have now generated $433.4 million in bets and $42.7 million in revenue since launch, and is easily the fourth-largest sports betting marketing in the country. January should bring more growth. Football betting has accounted for $178.6 million since launch and $59.1 million in bets in December, and that will likely surge with the NFL Playoffs. Basketball, which has tallied $82.2 million since launch and $42.3 million in December, should grow as college basketball enters conference season and the NBA season heats up.

“With the NFL Playoffs at hand and college basketball in full swing, it is possible that Indiana will surpass $1 billion in bets by March, making Indiana one of the quickest legal U.S. jurisdictions to reach that mark,” Gouker said.

The relatively rapid growth of Indiana can be attributed to the adoption of online sports betting earlier than states such as Pennsylvania. In Indiana, $110.6 million of December’s bets were made online representing 69.5% of the state’s total handle, up from 65% of the November handle.

BetAmerica, operating under the Rising Star Casino license, became Indiana’s fourth online sportsbook when it launched in late December. Still, DraftKings, which operates under the Ameristar Casino license, led the online market once again in December. DraftKings attracted $66.7 million in bets, up from $64.1 million in November, and generated $5 million in gross receipts, up from $4.3 million. DraftKings was followed by FanDuel/Blue Chip Casino, which generated a $36 million handle in December, up from $23.7 million, and a $2.2 million win.

Once again, the top retail sportsbooks were those closest to large out-of-state markets. The top retail sportsbook in Indiana continues to be Horseshoe Hammond, near Chicago. The market leader generated $13.4 million in December, up from $13 million in November. Those bets generated $1.1 million in gross receipts, up from $800,208.

“Indiana’s strong start is unquestionably tied to the state’s relatively early launch of online sports betting,” Gouker said. “Online sports betting should make up an increasing share of the state’s handle, too. That will help steady Indiana’s sports betting industry, even as increasing competition from neighboring states affect retail sportsbooks, which is inevitable.”

For more revenue information, visit PlayIndiana.com/revenue.

FanHub Creates New Multisport Mobile Picks and Props Game For Buffalo Wild Wings

FanHub, the largest provider of casual, free to play sports-focused digital gaming platforms in the world, today announced a new multisport collaboration with Buffalo Wild Wings. The collaboration will expand upon Picks & Props, the existing game co-branded with their partner BetMGM, operated by ROAR Digital – a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holding. The platform launches as both the NFL Playoffs and the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship between Clemson and LSU come into focus. It is the second time that FanHub and BWW have collaborated on a first-class, user-friendly mobile gaming experience. The multisport Picks & Props game comes after a successful NFL-only version of the game had approximately 300,000 users this fall.

“We are pleased to be able to work with Buffalo Wild Wings and launch what we think will be the standard fan engagement platform for consumers going forward – a simple, multisport user friendly experience that will really grow interest in each day,” said Phil de Winter, Head of Business Development, Americas, FanHub. “People want to be able to have fun and build rewards that have value, and this game does all that for whatever team, league or sport you enjoy.”

“With this next phase of Picks and Props, we continue our great partnership with FanHub and press forward in building out a top tier, free-to-play experience for our guests,” said Brandon Gill, Director of Experience and Gaming, Buffalo Wild Wings. “In addition to new features and sports, we continue to build a unique and seamless experience connecting our guests to our betting gaming partner, BetMGM.”

Going all the way through the Super Bowl, Picks & Props will run daily contests on a variety of sports, offering a private jet to six games of the winner’s choice through a partnership with Wheels Up. Throughout the game, contests can be based on NFL, NBA, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball or NHL games. The multisport version of the game will also continue to have integrated odds and betting functionality for New Jersey-based users through the BWW and BetMGM partnership.

The co-branded game displays live BetMGM odds to all users so that they can make picks based on real lines and props. Users in New Jersey can place bets and get a pre-filled parlay bet slip based on their predictions.

The top weekly winners win free wings for a year that can be redeemed at any Buffalo Wild Wings location. Certain days will see the addition of a Blazin’ Bonus Question that offers users a massive amount of points if they correctly pick the underdog compared to the favorite. Scoring a perfect contest will unlock a streak points multiplier, giving users the best possible chance to get a high scoring week. The final contest will be published for the Super Bowl on February 2.

The latest partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings follows the success of similar global sporting platforms and brands, which have embraced digital games and fan experiences as an entry point for the engagement of millions of new fans. FanHub’s partners, from the NFL and Major League Baseball to the AFL and the ATP, have enjoyed a world class delivery of innovative digital sport experiences that have been seamless and beyond reproach. Even more growth for these products and more are coming in 2020.

Patriots Heart Stopping Title Leads Thuuz ‘Most Exciting Games of the Decade’

Sports is all about excitement—sportsbooks count on it. As legal sportsbooks across the U.S. grew over the decade, automated video highlights production platform Thuuz culled data from more than a quarter million events to determine the most exciting games of the last 10 years.

“We all have our memorable moments, but what we have been able to do, and do every day, is measure the overall excitement in a wide range of sports events to produce this very special list,” said Warren Packard, Thuuz CEO. “This amazing cross section from around the world shows the global nature of sports fandom and provides us with a unique snapshot on what really made hearts pound the last ten years.”

Using their custom designed algorithms to measure real-time event excitement, Thuuz provides a unique look into what games have gotten fans the most excited and engaged through the close of 2019.

The game excitement ratings are measured on a 0 to 100 scale and take into consideration game pace, team parity, play novelty, momentum shifts, social buzz, and historical context. The algorithms behind the excitement ratings are statistically calibrated to insure the appropriate distribution of ratings across the duration of a season or course of a tournament.

Using the Thuuz excitement measurement platform, the top ten most exciting games of the decade were:

New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (NFL): 2/5/2017. The Patriots rally to claim their Super Bowl title in one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=016LXFHpFCk

Clemson 35, Alabama 31 (NCAAF): 1/9/2017. Dabo Sweeny’s Tigers win the National Championship with one second remaining. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5c_a03t-Ls

St. Louis Cardinals 10 Texas Rangers 9 (MLB): 10/27/2011 David Freese late game heroics created an instant heart stopping classic and helped lead the Cardinals to the World Series title. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4cd3XzzqMw

FC Barcelona 6 PSG 1 (UCL): 3/8/2017 Barca was down 4-0 after 1st leg and had to rally with a massive comeback, the greatest comeback in Champions League 2 leg history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CgHT6_leeI

Chicago Cubs 8, Cleveland Indians 7 (MLB): 11/2/2016: The “Curse of the Billygoat” finally ends in Wrigleyville. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdtu2pAn-HM

Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 (ATP): 1/29/2012: Probably the greatest tennis match ever in 5+ hour epic took place Down Under in the Australian Open final Aussie Open Final. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kaaXz4IgrA

Miami Heat 103 San Antonio Spurs 100 (NBA): 6/17/2013: Ray Allen’s game winner is one for the history books. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZoJI05kBBw

New Zealand 241/8 & 15/1, England 241 & 15/0 (Cricket): 7/14/2019: A Super Over ends an epic series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtCS0WGZH4k

Los Angeles Kings 5, Chicago Blackhawks 4 (NHL): 6/1/2014 A Game 7 OT in what was the best hockey series of the decade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN8LyDkMLmE

Villanova Wildcats 77, North Carolina Tar Heels 74 (NCAAMB): 4/4/2016: Villanova goes end to end with Kris Jenkins buzzer beater giving the Wildcats the national title. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFKZ84aV-qw

‘YourZone’ Looks To Be The ‘RedZone’ For All Sports

Looking to follow the huge success of the NFL RedZone channel, which has revolutionized how many fans watch football, OmniView Sports introduced its “YourZone” app, which it claims will “provide real-time, personalized notifications and alerts as well as automated channel tuning to match your preferences (favorite teams, players).”

Fantasy and gaming are two natural uses for such a service, with league scoreboard and Vegas odds from major sportsbooks presented on screen.

OmniView notes on its Website that YourZone will launch soon.

From the OmniView announcement:

The YourZone app uses patented technology to process real-time data to determine excitement levels surrounding a game, you’ll now watch every exciting moment in the sports world LIVE! The YourZone app and GameChangr technology guarantees this personalized sports viewing experience – automatically or with the touch of a button on the app, GameChangr tunes your television to what you can’t and don’t want to miss!

Michigan Prepares For Potential Sports Betting Boom

Michigan could rival the largest legal sports betting markets in the country once it matures, attracting billions of dollars in bets each year and generating millions in tax revenue, according to PlayMichigan.com analysts.

When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 4916 on Friday, Michigan became the 13th state to legalize online sports betting statewide and just the fifth state to legalize online casino gambling. And Michigan’s potential as a market is enormous, capable of generating as much as $7 billion to $8 billion in sports bets annually and $500 million in gross operator revenue, according to PlayMichigan.com projections.

“Michigan is the second-largest state in terms of population to have legalized online sports betting and online casinos and poker, behind only Pennsylvania,” said Dustin Gouker, chief analyst for PlayMichigan.com. “Michigan’s business-friendly tax rate and competitive licensing fees will attract operators, too. And with a solid tribal and commercial casino infrastructure already in place, Michigan should be poised for quick success.”

Michigan will tax sports betting gross revenue at 8.4%, and Detroit casinos will pay an additional 1.25% tax to the city. That makes Michigan among the most competitive compared to other legal jurisdictions. By comparison, Pennsylvania levies a 36% rate, by far the highest in the nation. New Jersey charges a 9.75% tax on revenue from retail sportsbooks and 13% on online sports betting revenue, and neighboring Indiana levies a 9.5% rate on its sportsbooks.

Even with the lower tax rate, sports betting could generate as much as $40 million annually for the state, according to PlayMichigan.com.

“Some in Michigan obviously wanted a higher tax rate, but the current rate should draw significant interest from sportsbook operators,” Gouker said. “That will help the market mature more quickly than markets such as Pennsylvania, where the ramp-up has been much slower despite having the largest population among all states with legal sports betting.”

Much of the future of Michigan sports betting depends on how much the state’s 23 tribes embrace online betting, which is a significant variable in how successful the industry might be in the state.

The same can be said for online gambling and poker, which could generate millions each year in gross revenue if it’s adopted by operators statewide.

Regardless, online gambling should eventually boost the online sports betting industry once it launches. In New Jersey, a symbiotic relationship has formed, spurring growth in both online casinos and online sportsbooks. And that relationship will likely develop in Michigan, too.

“The Michigan bill has clearly set up the industry to succeed and eventually become one of the largest markets in the country, as long as everyone buys in,” Gouker said. “By securing an operator-friendly infrastructure, the state should eventually realize its revenue goals to the benefit of Michigan as a whole.”

For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Indiana, visit PlayMichigan.com/news.

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