Sports betting operator FanDuel has edged out casino operator Caesars Entertainment for the right to operate a land-based sportsbook at the District of Columbia’s Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium.
On Tuesday, the FanDuel Group – the US division of UK gambling giant Flutter Entertainment – announced a 10-year deal to become the exclusive sports betting partner of local MLS club D.C. United. The deal will also see FanDuel open a sportsbook at the club’s Audi Field.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Sportico reported that FanDuel will pay D.C. United an annual fee plus an undisclosed share of betting turnover from the sportsbook, which FanDuel hopes to open sometime next year, pending regulatory approval.
More elephantine readers will recall that D.C. United signed a similar partnership with Caesars earlier this year. Sportico quoted Sam Porter, the team’s chief strategy officer, saying the club had ‘unwound’ its Caesars deal, based on the view that FanDuel was ‘a better cultural fit’ with the team.