The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund, named in honor of veteran NFL assistant coach Greg Knapp, dedicated to educating drivers on the dangers of distracted driving, reduce the number of distracted driving related deaths, and promote distracted driving awareness reform, will have its busiest weekend of the year to date this week, as three NFL teams and a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) will take to the stairs.
Thursday night at MetLife Stadium, the New York Jets and Houston Texans will combine efforts for this season’s first join stair climb, taking place at approximately 5:30 PM. Then on Sunday prior to their game at Nissan Stadium against the New England Patriots, the Tennessee Titans will join this year’s participants. The week will end on Monday, with the Boston College Eagles running the steps of Alumni Stadium in Newton, Mass. as part of their return to play week when the face another Knapp Stair Climb participant, Syracuse University.
Nearly half of the NFL and over a dozen NCAA teams are participating in this fall’s “Coach Knapp Stair Climb,” the largest number in the brief three-year history of the event.
In honor of Coach Knapp, NFL coaches, players, executives and alumni will participate in raising funds and awareness at each NFL stadium prior to team warmups. Teams confirmed to participate in the stair climb include: Packers, Colts, Titans, Rams, Jets, Browns, Texans, 49ers, Commanders, Falcons. Participating NCAA teams include: Boston College, Oregon State University, Georgia State University, University of Oregon, University of Houston, Syracuse University, Sacramento State, Boston College, Butler University, East Carolina University, Ripon College, Rice University, and the University of Utah.
Over 500 coaches, players and staff will be participating in various forms on game days, easily eclipsing the goal of 20+ participating teams.
The fund, which has raised over $250,000 to date already, was created by Greg’s wife, Charlotte, and close friend and agent, Jeff Sperbeck, to honor the legacy of Greg Knapp who tragically passed away in July 2021 after being hit by a distracted driver while he was bicycling. Coach Knapp was known for climbing the stadium stairs before every single NFL game he coached over his 25 season career. All will be tagged #knappstairclimb on social platforms.
At the time of his passing, Knapp was recently named Passing Game Coordinator of the New York Jets under head coach Robert Saleh, after serving as an assistant coach for over a quarter of a century.
The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund, named in honor of veteran NFL assistant coach Greg Knapp, dedicated to educating drivers on the dangers of distracted driving, reduce the number of distracted driving related deaths, and promote distracted driving awareness reform, today announced its expanded lineup of nearly half of the NFL and over a dozen NCAA teams participating in this fall’s “Coach Knapp Stair Climb.” This coming weekend, two new Universities, The University of Houston (October 12) and Syracuse University (October 14) will be the latest additions to the roster. The next NFL team to take to the stairs will be the L.A. Rams on October 20, prior to their game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
In honor of Coach Knapp, NFL coaches, players, executives and alumni will participate in raising funds and awareness at each NFL stadium prior to team warm ups. Teams confirmed to participate in the stair climb include: Packers, Colts, Titans, Rams, Jets, Browns, Texans, 49ers, Commanders, Falcons. Participating NCAA teams include: Oregon State University, Georgia State University, University of Oregon, University of Houston, Syracuse University, Sacramento State, Boston College, Butler University, East Carolina University, Ripon College, Rice University, University of Utah.
This fall marks the third annual Coach Knapp Stair Climb, with this year’s initiative starting even earlier with participation kicking off with Georgia State University and Oregon State University participating in the preseason this past August. Over 500 coaches, players and staff will be participating in various forms on game days, easily eclipsing the goal of 20+ participating teams.
The fund, which has raised over $250,000 to date already, was created by Greg’s wife, Charlotte, and close friend and agent, Jeff Sperbeck, to honor the legacy of Greg Knapp who tragically passed away in July 2021 after being hit by a distracted driver while he was bicycling. Coach Knapp was known for climbing the stadium stairs before every single NFL game he coached over his 25 season career. All will be tagged #knappstairclimb on social platforms.
“I was with Coach Knapp in Denver in 2013, and he was somebody that was really influential for me as a young coach,” said Colts Offensive Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, who participated in the Knapp Stair Climb last month alongside the coaching staff of the Green Bay Packers. “He actually got me started running the stadium stairs before games, which is a habit that I have held onto. Coach Knapp was such a beloved figure in the coaching community, and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to help honor his legacy.”
At the time of his passing, Knapp was recently named Passing Game Coordinator of the New York Jets under head coach Robert Saleh, after serving as an assistant coach for over a quarter of a century with the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Known as a “quarterback whisperer,” Greg coached some of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history helping chart the careers of many young athletes with kindness, humor and trust.
Additional participants will be announced in the coming weeks.
Fans, athletes, and coaches at any level can also participate wherever is most convenient to them across the country, such as apartment building stairs or a high school sports stadium. Images will be shared on various social channels.
The United Football League (UFL) and Kitman Labs, the sports technology and analytics company setting the industry standard for how elite sports organizations use data, today announced the deployment of the Kitman Labs Intelligence Platform (iP) as the new EMR of record for the League, inclusive of the 8 member teams.
The Performance Medicine Solution – one of four Solutions offered as part of Kitman Labs’ iP: Intelligence Platform – will provide the centralized technology and infrastructure to automate and power accurate, league-wide medical data collection and analysis, drive collaboration among all relevant league and team stakeholders, yield actionable intelligence to support specific performance outcomes and enable data-led decision-making and research.
Each Team in the UFL will operate from a distinct, configurable system designed to support their respective operating philosophy and will aggregate and mobilize all player medical data in one integrated platform – providing an accurate, real-time view of each player from a health, injury and readiness perspective.
iP: Intelligence Platform will enable the UFL and Teams to: • Unify, consolidate and standardize league-wide medical documentation and data collection – eliminating data gaps, inconsistencies and inaccuracy and facilitate club-level compliance • Collaborate and align relevant internal stakeholders across both the Medical and Performance Teams to support evidence-based decision-making around player health, care and wellness • Enable practitioners to spend less time dedicated to data collection, analytics and administrative oversight and more time with athletes • Establish a solid and complete data set to support ongoing and future league-wide research initiatives and innovation • Establish a data and analytics infrastructure that can scale, adapt and grow as the League continues to evolve
“The UFL needed to ensure that we unify data, people, and processes around shared infrastructure and technology to support the continued improvement and evolution of both the League and teams,” said Phil Hedrick, Director of Athletic Training, UFL. “Kitman Labs’ iP and Performance Medicine Solution allows us to provide best-in-class technology and tools to empower our medical teams, practitioners, and players while leveraging medical data to advance player health, wellness, and performance outcomes across the League.”
“It’s clear that the UFL is laying the foundation for sustainable growth and innovation at the League and Club-level. By deploying a league-wide medical solution, the UFL is providing a platform not only capable of aggregating and analyzing disparate data sets and ensuring data integrity, but powering the advanced analytics and actionable intelligence necessary to maximize player health and performance outcomes,” said Stephen Smith, Founder & CEO Kitman Labs. “Each team within the UFL will have a configurable operating system, designed to support the unique needs of their particular club and operating style, providing each with the insights necessary to support data-led decision-making at every level of the organization ”
Kitman Labs has an established track record of working with top governing bodies, leagues, teams and athletes across a variety of sports, including soccer/global football, basketball, rugby, and American football. The company’s technology has been used by teams in some of the world’s most elite sports organizations and universities including the NFL, NBA, Premier League, MLS, NWSL and NCAA. The company represents the industry’s largest network of elite and youth organizations (2000+) and iP: Intelligence Platform represents the industry’s largest dataset of talent, performance, and medical data for all stages of the athlete lifecycle..
For more information about Kitman Labs, visit www.kitmanlabs.com.
Kitman Labs, the global enterprise SaaS platform providing the only single, centralized operating system today revealed its first-ever sleeper predictions for the NFL Draft, being held the next three days in Detroit Michigan.
For the 2024 NFL Draft, Kitman Labs used their Artificial Intelligence models on NCAA and NFL datasets from 2010 to present to identify players that they think will be successful in the NFL. Kitman Labs staff also spent significant time on site at the NFL Combine again this year, looking at all data sets provided and using their own AI to help project results.
Below highlights five sleeper picks, the Kitman AI believes could have significant potential for NFL success.
Bo Nix – Oregon – QB
NFL Draft Projection: 5th QB Selected
Kitman AI Projection: 73% chance of NFL Success – 1st QB
Looking like coming in at a 2nd round pick, Bo Nix ranks as the most likely Quarterback to be successful in this year’s NFL draft. Looking at his college stats it is easy to see why the model has this belief. 34 passing Touchdowns in your final college season are required by the model to have a significant increase in NFL success – Nix has 11 more. He also surpasses the threshold for Yards by nearly 700, his completion percentage is over 6% higher than required. While his rushing stats are not standout, the number of yards gained last season is high enough to show athletic ability, and his yards per carry is significantly over the threshold required by the model to increase his success rate.
Joe Milton III – Tennessee – QB
NFL Draft Projection: 10th QB Selected
Kitman AI Projection: 31% chance of NFL Success – 3rd QB
Something that is apparent when investigating what our model values in a successful NFL QB, is that it believes that a Quarterback must possess either absolute elite arm talent, or have the explosive rushing ability to make splashy plays. While the AI model highlights that Milton’s does not rank amongst the elite prospects in passing, and punishes him accordingly, it sees his rushing ability and gives him a significant chance of lasting several years in the league. Coaches and GMs may feel they can mould an athletic prospect, seeing future potential, and this phenomenon is something the AI may well be reaching back to.
Kendall Milton – Georgia – RB
NFL Draft Projection: 17th Drafted RB
Kitman AI Projection: 12% chance of NFL Success – 4th RB
The Kitman Labs AI model shows that an ability to get into the end zone in college is the number one indicator of future NFL success, far more so than yards, efficiency, or speed. With 14 rushing touchdowns in his final college season, Kendall Milton exceeded the required threshold for NFL success by 3 touchdowns. Our model also surprisingly rewards physical stature, with a taller running back being more likely to be successful. Perhaps this is due to a taller player’s greater ability to effectively carry mass, or their ability to participate in an NFL passing game. Whatever the cause, at over 6’1” Milton is one of the taller backs in the draft and the model rewards this accordingly. While Kendall Milton does have some drawbacks – the model penalizing him for lack of receiving ability, and him not hitting a required threshold in rushing yards – his ability to put points on the board see him nearly twice as likely to be a successful NFL running back than the average prospect at his position.
Malik Washington – Virginia – WR
NFL Draft Projection: 21st Drafted WR
Kitman AI Projection: 42% chance of NFL Success – 3rd WR
In a stacked 2024 WR draft class – our model rates this is by far the best class of the last decade and a half – it’s not surprising that some top tier talent is going to go in later draft rounds. However, our AI model surprisingly projects Malik Washington as being one of the top prospects in this year’s class. College receiving yards is the main indicator of future NFL success and longevity, and with 1426 yards in his final season Washington has approximately 40% more yards than the model believes necessary for a significant increase in NFL success probability. His 40 time of 4.47 seconds is also deemed fast enough to stand up in the NFL. Though this is right on the threshold our model has identified, in combination with his receiving yards and other statistics it significantly increases his chances of success. Interesting nugget; Washington did not participate in the 20-yard shuttle in the combine, but the AI has inferred from his other statistics he would have excelled at this.
Tahj Washington – USC – WR
NFL Draft Projection: 29th Drafted WR
Kitman AI Projection: 22% chance of NFL success – 15th WR
Tahj Washington is a curious case for our AI model. Not having participated in the 20-yard shuttle, the 3 cone drill, or the 40-yard dash at the combine, there are a lot of unknowns about this player. However, given his receiving yards, and his strong showing in both the broad jump and vertical leap, the model has inferred that he would have competed well, particularly in the 20-yard shuttle. Having completed these tests at his pro day, a dataset the AI had no access to, we can see he is potentially slightly below average in the 40 and 20 yards drills, but elite in the 3 cone drill. How this information would have influenced the models is unclear; however, overall the 3 cone drill ranks as the third most important feature for projecting success, so while the exact inference was wrong the model has seemingly correctly identified some possible elite athletic behavior from other available statistics. Washington still only ranks as 15th in our list of receivers, but given he is projected to be a day 3 pick and his success probability is twice that of an average WR, he still may present significant value in the draft.
NOVUS and two-time world champion kicker Harrison Butker are built from the same values; faith, family, teamwork and service. NOVUS and the KC kicker announced today they are pledging to make a $100,000 donation to The Hope Center in Kansas City if Harrison Butker makes history and becomes the first kicker ever to win MVP in the big game.
The Hope Center in Kansas City strives to provide opportunities for sustainable growth and development where children, youth and families can flourish.
NOVUS will also donate football jerseys to allvarsity high school football teams in Kansas City and San Francisco if Butker kicks a game-winning field goal in the final minute. With a 90% career field goal success rate, Butker has proven his tenacity in the game’s most pivotal moments, exemplified by his clutch performance in last year’s big game, where he kicked KC to victory with a 27-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining.
“NOVUS products are second to none—the attention to detail and unparalleled quality empower me to perform at my peak during every training session,”said Harrison Butker. “Our shared values of faith, hard work, and service make our partnership a natural fit, and I’m proud to be a part of the NOVUS family.”
Headquartered in Albany, New York, NOVUS is a fast-growing apparel brand specializing in high-quality, purpose-driven, custom apparel for athletes, teams, and professionals nationwide. As a mission-based company, NOVUS’ mantra, “Claim Your Crown,” is rooted in living a life of passion, conviction and perseverance.
“We’ve always made our best effort to use our platform to make an impact. Harrison’s passion and conviction to be the best on and off the field inspires us daily and we’re proud to stand with him as he continues to chase greatness,” added Garrett Bernardo, Co-Founder and CEO of NOVUS. “One of the pillars of our company is that we are purpose and value driven, and we want to embody that through supporting the Kansas City community and youth sports in both Kansas City and San Francisco.”
There is no bigger stage in North American sports than this Sunday’s game and NOVUS is ready to raise its game with this pledge to donate $100,000 with the clutch kicking of Harrison Butker as a driving force.
The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund, named in honor of veteran NFL assistant coach Greg Knapp, today announced its expanded lineup of NFL and NCAA teams participating in this fall’s “Knapp Stair Climb.” Launched last fall, the initial project had seven NFL teams and close to 200 coaches, players and staff participating in various forms on game days, easily surpassing the goal of raising $100,000. In honor of Coach Knapp, NFL and NCAA coaches, players, executives and alumni will participate in raising funds and awareness for the dangers of distracted driving at each NFL or NCAA stadium prior to team warm ups.
“It’s been very special to see so many people sign up for the Stair Climb to raise awareness for the dangers of distracted driving and to honor Greg’s legacy. We are so grateful for the groundswell of support from across the NFL and at the college level,” said Charlotte Knapp, co-founder of Knapp Memorial and Greg Knapp’s widow.
The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund designated their first grant to SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), which funded TextLess Live More events in high schools across the country. TextLess Live More utilizes evidence-informed strategies to reduce technology’s prevalence in young people’s lives – especially behind the wheel, reducing distracted driving rates and deaths. This year, teams will be able to choose which middle and high schools they want these events to take place to create a local impact in their communities.
This year’s initiative will start even earlier in the season, with Head Coach Matt LaFleur leading the Green Bay Packers in taking to the steps of storied Lambeau Field on Sunday, September 24th.
In addition to the Packers, the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans, plus a growing number of NCAA colleges and universities from Division I to Division III have signed on to participate this fall. The initial NCAA list includes the football programs at Sacramento State, Stanford University, Fordham University, The University of Michigan, Caldwell University and Ripon College, with more schools joining on each week.
“Coach Knapp was a mentor and friend. I can only hope that the impact he made on me as a player, I can pay it forward to my athletes, added Bobby Fresques, Sac State Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach and loyal friend. “Through his foundation, his legacy will continue to have a profound effect on Sac State Football.”
Fans, athletes, and coaches or anyone interested can also participate wherever is most convenient to them across the country, such as apartment building stairs or a high school sports stadium. Images will be shared on various social channels.
San Francisco, with an NFC-best 12-5 regular season mark and 17-14 victory over Baltimore in the championship, reigned supreme as Strat-O-Matic (@StratOMatic), the market leader in sports simulation, played out the 2023 football season through the playoffs. A 59-yard field goal attempt by Justin Tucker missed wide in the final minute to secure the sixth title for S.F.
San Francisco bested AFC #1 Baltimore after defeating Philadelphia in the conference championship game, 27-7. Baltimore outlasted rival Pittsburgh, 40-33, in the AFC title game.
Josh Allen, who paced the Bills to a 13-4 mark and #2 seed in the AFC with 4,259 passing yards, 814 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns total, earned MVP honors, edging Aaron Rodgers, who helped New York to 10 wins, throwing for 4,827 yards and 37 touchdowns.
Justin Jefferson of Minnesota had a league-best 115 receptions and 1,543 yards.
Division winners were: AFC, Buffalo (13-4), Baltimore (13-4), Tennessee (10-7) and Kansas City (10-7); NFC, Dallas (10-7), Green Bay (10-7), Atlanta (9-8) and San Francisco (12-5).
Full standings and playoffs scores below:
AFC East Buffalo, 13-4 New York, 10-7 Miami, 9-8 New England, 5-12
AFC North Baltimore, 13-4 Pittsburgh, 12- 5 Cleveland, 9-8 Cincinnati, 8-9
AFC South Tennessee, 10-7 Jacksonville, 9-8 Houston, 8-9 Indianapolis, 4-13
AFC West Kansas City, 10-7 Las Vegas, 9-8 Los Angeles, 8-9 Denver, 8-9
NFC East Dallas, 10-7 Philadelphia, 10-7 New York, 8-9 Washington, 7-10
NFC North Green Bay, 10-7 Detroit, 7-10 Minnesota, 7-10 Chicago, 5-12
NFC South Atlanta, 9-8 Tampa Bay, 9-8 Carolina, 8-9 New Orleans, 7-10
NFC West San Francisco, 12-5 Seattle, 9-8 Los Angeles, 7-10 Arizona, 2- 15
AFC Wild card BUF over MIA 24-23 NYJ over KC 31-17 PIT over TEN 17-16
NFC Wild card DAL over SEA 26-23 TB over GB 34-32 PHI over ATL 17-16
AFC Divisional BAL over NYJ 33-27 (OT) PIT over BUF 26-23
NFC Divisional SF over TB 29-28 PHI over DAL 27-20
While the Kansas City Chiefswoke up today as Super Bowl LVII champions, any FanDuel players who wagered five dollars or more on Super Bowl LVII were excited to learn that their accounts received bonus bets to be used towards future wagers even though Rob Gronkowski did not make the kick – a thank you for going on this exciting and suspenseful journey with FanDuel during Super Bowl LVII.
Based on the fan excitement for the live field goal attempt, FanDuel upped its pledge of Bonus Bets for those who wagered five dollars or more on Super Bowl LVII, issuing more than $17 million dollars worth of Kick of Destiny Bonus Bets this morning.
A historic moment, Super Bowl LVII is officially one for the books as it marks FanDuel’s first-ever national Super Bowl commercial and the sportsbook’s most generous Super Bowl to-date with the company giving more than $34 million in Bonus Bets to players.
Some additional stats that highlighted a historical and successful Super Bowl weekend:
More than 2 million active players bet throughout the game
At our peak, FanDuel was taking a record 50,000 bets per minute
$250,000 was issued in wins for ‘Tails Never Fails’ coin toss
National Research Group (NRG) Sports, a global insights leader at the edge of sports, technology, and content, today released key survey findings specific to Super Bowl betting and viewership.
The survey is highlighted by the fact that 37% of Americans say they’re planning to bet on the game through a sportsbook and 33% are planning to open a new sportsbook account specifically for the Super Bowl.
Additional key data and insights surrounding Super Bowl betting, viewership and commercial branding are included below.
Super Bowl Betting Insights:
This weekend’s Super Bowl represents a significant opportunity for betting sites to bring in new customers. 37% of Americans (21+) – including 53% of avid sports fans – say that they’re planning to bet on the game through a sportsbook.
33% of Americans – including 46% of avid sports fans, say that they’re planning to open a new sportsbook account specifically for the Super Bowl.
53% of Americans say they’re more likely to watch a game if they’ve wagered on it (up from 46% last year), including 39% of non-sports fans. Similarly, 50% of consumers overall and 59% of avid sports fans say that betting on the Super Bowl makes it much more interesting.
65% of likely Super Bowl gamblers are planning to bet $100 or more on the game, while 20% are planning to bet upwards of $500.
Among likely Super Bowl bettors, the most commonly used online sportsbooks are: Draftkings (55%), FanDuel (54%), BetMGM (43%), Caesars (38%), and FOXBet (37%).
The most popular types of wagers that bettors are planning to make on this year’s Super Bowl are: Moneyline (40%), Live bets (38%), Spread (27%), and Boxes/Squares (26%).
Boxes / Squares is the only type of bet that declined year over year.
The least popular types of wagers are: Over/Under (24%), Parlay (24%), Same Game Parlay (24%), Prop Bets (24%), and Micro Bets (16%).
61% of Americans support legalized online sports betting, compared to just 15% who are opposed to legalization. At this time last year, support was at 50%. Two-thirds (67%) of those in favor of legalized online sports betting believe that it should be done at the federal level, compared to 33% who feel it should continue to be left up to individual states.
49% of active sports bettors now use multiple online sportsbooks, compared to 32% who just use a single site.
Super Bowl Viewership and Branding Insights:
89% of polled fans expressed excitement for watching Super Bowl commercials, which slightly outweighs the 86% who expressed excitement for watching the game itself
75% of fans like to hear about what brands are planning for their commercials ahead of the Super Bowl
41% of fans say they have become a fan of a product because of its Super Bowl commercial and 56% say past Super Bowl commercials have deepened a connection they had with a brand
53% of Americans plan on attending a Super Bowl party this year, while 37% plan to watch at a bar. Either way, this may explain why 42% of Americans – including 57% of avid sports fans, think that the day after the Super Bowl should be a national holiday. 52% of consumers and 60% of avid sports fans would prefer if the Super Bowl was played on a Saturday.
33% of avid sports fans bought a new TV specifically for the Super Bowl.
On the heels of a record-setting growth trajectory in 2022, Sports Gambling Podcast Network (SPGN) hosts Sean Green and Ryan Kramer will return to Super Bowl Radio Row this week, producing live shows for the Blue Wire Podcast Network at the National Football League’s annual promotional extravaganza.
Two highlights of the week’s activity come Thursday with Green and Kramer hosting a pair of open-to-the-public events at The Ainsworth, one of Phoenix’s most prominent restaurants, a sports-centric destination located in the Collier Center next to the Phoenix Convention Center. They will produce their Sports Gambling Podcast Live Show from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. with previews, picks/analysis and fantasy sports talk featuring NFL-related guests and promotional attractions.
Beginning at 5 p.m., Green and Kramer will host the WynnBET Kickoff Party with a guest list that includes former NFL standouts Chris Long, Chad Ochocinco, Nick Mangold and Julian Edelman.
Green, a Philadelphia-area native, will provide deep-dive analysis on his hometown team at The Ainsworth Thursday and on Radio Row Wednesday and Friday, both out of BlueWire studio set-ups. A regular contributor to the Pat Callaghan Show for JAKIB Media in Philadelphia, Green is among the Eagles experts who will also be doing media interviews for other outlets throughout the week.
To meet the challenge of providing 57 trackable picks on the Kansas City Chiefs-Philadelphia Eagles confrontation, Green and Kramer have immersed themselves in the prop markets with a promise to cover the most popular offerings. Kramer is recommending “Blue” as the Gatorade color prediction, deducing that the +400 selection has value because blue is not in the color scheme of either team and the Gatorade color is selected by the NFL.
Both Green and Kramer are partial to the unders on Travis Kelce receptions (7.5) and receiving yards (80.5) because of their shared belief that Eagles coaches will call for heavy bracketing of the All-Pro tight end to neutralize the Chiefs’ top pass-catching threat.
“The sports wagering industry is exploding and the Super Bowl is an extraordinary multiplier for all channels of interest,” said Kramer, who specializes in using analytics to drive his selections. “We appreciate the visibility of the BlueWire and WynnBet platforms as we join in on this biggest week of the year.”
This past year, SGPN’s 12th since the humble beginnings of a garage launch in 2011, saw tremendous growth in audience thanks to expansion to television streaming platforms with YouTube the most fruitful. Over 600,000 YouTube views, eight million unique podcast downloads, 4.1 million website page views and over 12 million social media impressions characterize the SGPN phenomenon with strong growth projected for 2023.
“This wave of interest continues to build and our formula of sophisticated, all-free content presented as entertainment has found a growing audience,” said Green, who funded the business in 2017 with $200,000 he won in a fantasy football competition. “We hope to find some new followers this week as America’s attention turns to the biggest game and the most widely viewed television event there is.”
SGPN hosted the first-ever podcast in 2021 from the showpiece Blue Wire Studio at Wynn Las Vegas and they make regular visits to the studio throughout the year as major sports events come about.
Today, FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America, announced the “Kick of Destiny,” a campaign featuring four-time Super Bowl Champion and five-time NFL Pro-Bowler, Rob Gronkowski, who will attempt to kick a field goal during a live Super Bowl LVII television commercial. Any customer who places a Super Bowl bet of five dollars or more on FanDuel will win a share of $10 million in free bets if Gronkowski kicks the field goal.
“Whether it’s kick-off, a touchdown or an important play that will decide a season, FanDuel knows moments matter. Our first-ever Super Bowl commercial will be more than just a television spot – it will create a moment that will bring fans together, and give them something to collectively cheer for,” said FanDuel Executive Vice President of Marketing, Andrew Sneyd. “It’s an unprecedented field goal attempt on live TV…so anything can happen.”
Additionally, FanDuel will spread the word about this historic campaign through a series of digital and promotional activities on the ground in Phoenix during the run-up to the big game:
Fans will be able to take photos with the “The Foot of Destiny,” a replica of Gronkowski’s foot that will be signed by him and auctioned off after the Super Bowl
Fans 21+ can take their own shot at the “Kick of Destiny” on-site at the Super Bowl Experience with the chance to win $25 at the FanDuel SportsBook at the Footprint Center
“I spent my career catching the ball, but I always knew I could kick it and now I’ll do it live in front of football fans everywhere during the Super Bowl,” said NFL legend Rob Gronkowski. “With $10 million in free FanDuel bets on the line, I’m training every day to give fans something to root for and to watch the “Kick of Destiny” live on national television.”
Gronkowski joined the FanDuel team as an exclusive brand partner in December. In addition to the “Kick of Destiny,” he will play a significant role in many aspects of the company’s business, including appearing regularly on its network FanDuel TV with Kay Adams, host of Up & Adams. Gronkowski will also make sportsbook picks and suggested bets, make appearances at newly opened retail sportsbook locations and at other top-tier FanDuel events. FanDuel will also work with him to build awareness for enjoying sports wagering responsibly.
Fans can stay up to date with Gronk’s training for the Kick of Destiny by following @FanDuel and @FDSportsbook on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, or subscribing on YouTube at YouTube.com/FanDuel. Fans can also follow #KickofDestiny on Twitter for the latest updates.
CELSIUS fitness drink today announced its new partnership with the University of Southern California’s quarterback, Caleb Williams. CELSIUS continues its support of collegiate athletics by partnering with athletes nationwide as part of the company’s growing Collegiate Program.
CELSIUS University, which officially launched in August 2022, has begun partnering with college athletes nationwide as part of the NCAA’s new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy that allows college athletes opportunities to monetize their name. The CELSIUS Program aims to provide best-in-class consumer experiences with elite brand partners within NIL and collegiate sports.
“Proud to be a brand partner of CELSIUS who has been pioneering their way into college football,” said the University of California’s star quarterback. “I’m looking forward to the projects we’ll do together to support college athletes in the future and bring more visibility to NIL as a whole.”
Athletes partnering with CELSIUS are further educating their peers and audience through their social media channels, while promoting the energy drink and LIVE FIT lifestyle, the brands mantra which aims to inspire people to LIVE FIT in the world around them and in everything they do. LIVING FIT isn’t just for the gym, it’s a mindset and a lifestyle. CELSIUS provides people with the Essential Energy they need to elevate their everyday lives and achieve their personal bests.
Caleb’s work on and off the field truly embodies the CELSIUS “Live Fit” mentality and lifestyle. His shared passion for supporting his community, and love for the brand is the type of partnership CELSIUS® is proud to be part of and looks forward to continuing to help empower collegiate athletics. The partnership with Caleb and CELSIUS will run for 6 months.
Eight NFL teams today announced that select coaches, athletes and staff will participate in different ways to support the first-ever Coach Knapp fundraiser this December, which will benefit The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund. The fund exists to educate drivers on the dangers of distracted driving, reduce the number of distracted driving related deaths, and promote distracted driving awareness reform. The fund was created by his wife Charlotte and close friend and agent Jeff Sperbeck, to honor the legacy of Greg Knapp who tragically passed away in July 2021 after being hit by a distracted driver while he was bicycling. Coach Knapp was known for climbing the stadium stairs before every single NFL game he coached over his 25 season career. All will be tagged #knappstairclimb on social platforms.
“We can think of no better way to honor Greg’s legacy and raise awareness for such a simple, but vital cause than by doing one of the activities he loved the most, climbing the stairs on gameday,” said Steve Mariucci, former NFL head coach and one of Knapp’s key mentors, who is now at analyst on The NFL Network. “To see the amount of support this has gotten is really touching, and most importantly, we firmly believe it will save lives well into the future.”
“Knapper was one of the very best teammates I’ve ever been around. His Energy, optimism and high standards as a coach made such an impact on anyone who was fortunate to be around him,” added Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator, Dan Quinn, another of Greg Knapp’s loyal fellow coaches, “Please join me in making sure his legacy as a great teammate and friend lives on.”
At the time of his passing, Knapp was recently named Passing Game Coordinator of the New York Jets under head coach Robert Saleh, after serving as an assistant coach for over a quarter of a century with the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders, Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Known as a “quarterback whisperer,” Greg coached some of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history helping chart the careers of many young athletes with kindness, humor and trust.
In honor of Coach Knapp, NFL coaches, players, executives and alumni will participate in raising funds and awareness at each NFL stadium prior to team warm ups between Week 14 (Dec. 11th), Week 15 (Dec. 18th) or Week 16 (Dec. 24th) of the NFL season. In addition, coaches and staff from several teams will wear custom designed shoes honoring Coach Knapp’s legacy as part of the annual “My Cause, My Cleats” celebration the weekend of December 4th. The shoes will be designed by several local artists working with each team. Participating coaches and former players will include: Steve Mariucci, Dan Quinn, Peyton Manning, Joe Lombardi (LA Chargers), Chris Strausser (Indianapolis Colts), Frank Pollack (Cincinnati Bengals), Jeff Ulbrich, TJ Yates, among many others. Teams confirmed to participate include: New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers.
Fans, athletes, and coaches at any level can also participate wherever is most convenient to them across the country, such as apartment building stairs or a high school sports stadium. Images will be shared on various social channels.
Ready®, one of the fastest growing sports nutrition brands in America with co-owners Aaron Donald and Giannis Antetokounmpo, today announced the signing of NFL first round draft pick and Pittsburgh Steeler rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett as a Ready® athlete.
Pickett was already quite familiar with Ready® having used its products while at Pitt, so the partnership was a logical extension. “Kenny already knew the fueling and recovery benefits of our products from his own experience. We really focus on our mentality and mission; and it became obvious he was a great fit to be a member of the Ready® Team,” said company founder and CEO Pat Cavanaugh.
Pickett will only promote products he uses during training, its Sports Drink and a few other select Ready® products in his various online and non-digital platforms. He joins NFL world champion Aaron Donald, NBA star and global basketball icon Giannis Antetokounmpo, and top rated American female tennis player Jessica Pegula as Ready® brand champions and ambassadors.
Pickett was the 2022 first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a stellar senior season when he was a Heisman Trophy finalist, first team All-American, and voted ACC Football Player and co-Athlete of the Year while leading Pitt to an ACC Championship.
“Kenny is a great example of continuing to work hard and remembering it’s not where you start it’s where you finish, which is a pillar of the Ready® mentality that defines our brand,” said Cavanaugh. “Throughout his career and breakout senior season, he continued to get better and better achieving one goal after the next. He’s just getting started.”
“I’m excited to be part of the Ready® Team especially since I’ve experienced the benefits of the products when I was at Pitt,” said Pickett. “The more Pat and I spoke about the brand and their mission to inspire athletes to take more pride in their effort than their talent; that attitude and mentality resonated with me and how I approach my football career.”
Since launching Jan. 8, New York sportsbooks have already handled more than $9.7 billion on sports wagers statewide, a figure that cements the Empire State as the nation’s capital of sports betting. Online wagering has already generated more than $368 million for New York state tax coffers, an astounding figure considering that only four states across the nation have eclipsed the $100 million threshold since the U.S. Supreme Court’s repeal of PASPA in May 2018.
The explosion of sports betting leaves New York State Gaming Commission Executive Director Rob Williams optimistic that the state could generate $500 million in tax revenue from online sports wagering in the first year of the market. For context, when former Gov. Andrew Cuomo reversed course on sports betting in 2021, his administration projected that the state would not clear that figure until Fiscal Year 2026, at the earliest. The numbers are astounding when you consider that more than two other dozen states have generated around $1.31 billion in combined tax revenue from legal sports wagering since May 2018.
“We’re very pleased with the overall success of the mobile sports wagering industry in New York. We are very cognizant that we’ve reached those great numbers without going through a football season,” Williams told Sports Handle last week on the sidelines of the Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga.
The nation’s capital for sports betting
From the outset, there were clear indications that New York appeared poised to shatter national records, based on the sheer volume of activity in certain sports-crazed neighborhoods of Manhattan. New Yorkers placed more than 300,000 wagers over the first hour of legal sports betting in the Empire State, and a total of 17.2 million over the first weekend on Jan. 8-9, according to Vancouver-based geolocation provider GeoComply. For the Super Bowl, New York activity represented a whopping 25% of the company’s U.S. sports betting traffic, ranking first.
Consequently, there are strong indications that New York will surpass $2.3 billion in handle for the upcoming NFL season. Of the seven states that provide a breakdown for revenues by sport, wagering on the NFL last year represented about 18-20% of their overall handle, according to Sports Handle internal research. The figure jumped to 27.6% in Mississippi for retail sports wagers (the state only accepts online sports bets inside casino properties). One outlier is Nevada, where NFL wagers represent about 37% of the state’s overall handle on a historical basis, according to the UNLV Center For Gaming Research. Last year, NFL wagering represented 33.4% of the handle statewide.
New York launched online sports betting one day before the final Sunday of the 2021-22 NFL regular season.
When you toss in betting on college football, New York appears on track to clear $500 million in tax revenue. As a point of comparison, Colorado handled more than $158 million in college football wagers in 2021, on top of the $689.1 million state sportsbooks handled on the NFL. Although the Colorado figures contain wagers in several offseason months, the bulk of wagering occurred in the four months during the season. The population in New York outranks Colorado by a factor of 3.4x.
“There’s no doubt that as we go through this upcoming fall football season with both college and professional football that we will exceed the initial revenue numbers that we were aiming for,” Williams said. “It has been a wonderful success without what everyone concedes is the most important season to benefit sports wagering, so we’re very bullish on the market.”
At a hold of 8%, New York sportsbooks could generate more than $180 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) from the NFL alone. Given the explosion of single-game parlays, it stands to reason that the hold this fall could be considerably higher. For those attempting to forecast the NFL hold in New York, trends on the hold from parlays in Illinois might be instructive:
Ryan Kramer of the Sports Gambling Podcast Network (SGPN), America’s leading free content Fantasy Football expert, will conduct a marathon, 24-teams-in-24-hours draft live on multiple video platforms for the second consecutive year in another unprecedented offering to NFL fans gearing up for the 2022 season.
The live stream event, “Draft Day 2.0,” is set to begin at noon PT/3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 9, from the Sports Gambling Podcast Network’s Los Angeles studio. It will continue until noon PT/3 pm ET Wednesday and be available on You Tube at https://sg.pn/watchdraftday.
The co-host of the prominent Sports Gambling Podcast, Kramer, broke new ground one year ago with his unique offering for Fantasy Football fanatics who can join any time within the day-long window to get his expertise and actual selections plus insights, strategy, entertainment and tips with detailed rationale.
The initiative will also be a platform to raise money via GoFundMe for the medical bills of an SGPN friend and colleague injured earlier this year in a motorcycle accident. Darryl, 31, from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was riding home from work when he was cut off by a box truck, resulting in the loss of his right leg (above the knee) and multiple other injuries, some permanent. The accident happened four days before he was to marry his fiancé. The couple is now putting their lives back together and they appreciate the support of the Sports Gambling Podcast Network community and the Draft Day 2.0 fundraising efforts. In addition to the GoFundMe opportunity, all Draft Day 2.0 merchandise profits will be directed to pay the ongoing medical expenses. Branded apparel is available in the SGPN Merch Store and further information on Darryl’s story can be found here.
The format will be “Best Ball Draft” on Underdog Fantasy and Kramer will be joined by multiple guests and SGPN contributors while constructing 24 separate and distinct teams over the full day span, providing viewers with the player selections that he believes will pile up points for the millions of Fantasy participants looking forward to the 2022 season.
“Fortunately, the analytics research is done so I can focus now on news coming out of the camps to sharpen my views and deliver the well-reasoned selections that people need to get an edge in their drafting,” stated Kramer, a three-time Top 20 Fantasy Football Players Championship Main Event finisher. “It’s a bit of an audacious undertaking, but the growing phenomenon of Fantasy Football deserves this level of commitment and our SGPN audiences always respond.”
With over 25 years’ experience in the Fantasy Football space, Kramer has put together over 1,000 teams while overseeing 50 leagues and originating 10 more. The content will include hourly raffles and giveaways plus prop-style contests accessible in the SGPN App and live audience interaction, all free in line with the Sports Gambling Podcast Network’s wagering picks and analysis on all popular sports available at www.sportsgamblingpodcast.com.
Kramer will be drafting full teams, consecutively, for the full 24 hours with each cycle expected to take slightly less than one hour. He will intersperse the player selections with traditional wagering commentary on the upcoming NFL season plus analytics drawn from his background as a computer engineer and the myriad skills that have enabled his elite fantasy football accomplishments.
Viewers should expect Kramer to be bullish on Najee Harris of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the running back position based on volume touches in a run-oriented offense led by Mitch Trubisky. He is high on Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver Drake London and new Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota as affordable, point-scoring options. Look for Kramer to stay away from aging Dallas Cowboys running back Zeke Elliott.
“Draft Day 2.0” will also be live on SGPN’s Facebook and Twitter.
Sports Gambling Podcast Network (SGPN),the only major independent sports wagering media network that places a premium on entertainment value and free user content, will celebrate its 10th anniversary at the NFL Draft next week, providing picks, props and prognostications for their audiences of millions as a featured podcast on the prominent BlueWire network during the NFL’s annual meeting to select newly eligible players in Las Vegas.
Sports Gambling Podcast co-hosts Sean Green and Ryan Kramer will live stream from the state-of-the-art BlueWire Studio at Wynn Las Vegas from 3-5 p.m. PT, just one mile from where the 32 teams will make their selections in front of a live audience. The NFL Draft was ticketed for Las Vegas in 2020 but was reduced to a video conference because of COVID-19. Will Blackmon, the former standout NFL kick return specialist and member of the New York Giants 2012 Super Bowl Championship Team, will be among the guests during the podcast, which will stream live on YouTube.
The coveted pre-draft BlueWire studio slot is one of four podcasts that SGPN will produce during NFL Draft week with an additional 10 mock drafts on SportsGamblingPodcastNetwork.com and scores of social media posts to inform and guide its audiences as America’s intense interest in the proceedings reaches a fever pitch. Green estimates that SGPN’s NFL Draft coverage will encompass 12 podcasts, 25 articles and 12 hot takes via social media, arguably surpassing the volume of any other comparable media platform in the industry.
In 2012, Green and Kramer were still recording in Green’s one car garage amidst Christmas decorations and camping equipment.
“Pretty much unimaginable is the only way to describe our journey from that 2012 NFL Draft to today,” offered Green, who won $200,000 in a Draft Kings Fantasy Competition in 2017 to enable SGPN to turn the corner as a profitable, sustainable business.
With the repeal of the Professional Sports and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that following year, SGPN was well positioned to seize the moment and grow the enterprise that now includes 50 contributors, 18 different podcasts and a new state-of-the-art studio plus offices in Los Angeles. One validation of their success came in February when the Los Angeles Business Journal featured SGPN’s path to profitability in a 20-paragraph article that appeared in both the online and print editions.
“We’ve been fortunate timing-wise with the PASPA repeal, for sure,” offered Kramer, a data and metrics specialist who spent 10 years in the tech industry for Hulu and other companies. “We’ve also complemented each other on the business side so that the steady growth has been efficient. There’s plenty more to do but right now we’re focused on delivering some winning wager recommendations on all things NFL Draft because our loyal audiences deserve it.”
In 2012, the big stories were the amazing skills of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Baylor Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, who went first and second, respectively, in that draft. “Like everyone else, we believed that both guys would be stars in the league ten years later, but that’s how unpredictable our world is,” recalled Green in reference to their shortened careers.
The Sean Green/Ryan Kramer SGPN eye-opening prediction for next week:
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis to go second to the Detroit Lions or another team via trade as the first QB selected. Consensus odds have Willis going around the ninth or tenth selection. “Great players at that position have immense value,” offered Kramer.“We believe the Lions – or multiple other teams via trade – will pull this trigger.”
SGPN clobbered industry growth projections with a 30 percent year-over-year increase in total downloads during the course of 2021 (over 3 million) and is continuing its record growth in 2022. SGPN launched eight new podcast feeds last year and has become a leading authority on the USFL, producing over 10 hours of original content around the draft and continuing that momentum as the season got underway, recording three podcasts per week on the sport.
RealResponse (@RealResponseHQ), the award-winning leading safe and secure feedback, monitoring and anonymous reporting platform for athletic teams and organizations, today announced a pair of landmark partnerships with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, becoming the first two NFL teams to offer the platform to its employees. Both will use the system to proactively stay in communication with employees regarding feedback on areas impacting their wellbeing – both positives that are benefiting experiences as well as to gain additional insight into the issues that may need to be addressed. The partnership will launch in the coming weeks.
“RealResponse is a critical tool that our organization will utilize at all levels to enhance our communication with employees,” said Nancy Svoboda, Executive Vice President of Human Resources for the Denver Broncos. “We are proud of our workplace culture and we want to continue to be proactive in supporting our staff by making sure that their voices continue to be heard. We are excited to be a part of this groundbreaking platform.”
“We are excited to partner with RealResponse to design and implement a valuable tool to enhance internal and external communication at all levels of our organization,” said Kirsten Krug, Executive Vice President of Administration for the Kansas City Chiefs. “Creating an efficient, confidential and anonymous way to proactively identify and address issues and opportunities will make us better. We are proud to be a part of this emerging trend within professional sports.”
“We are very proud to have both the Broncos and the Chiefs join us in this expansion of our business into the NFL,” said David Chadwick, RealResponse founder and former NCAA Division I basketball player. “The platform we have built is all about empowering athletes and employees’ voices and keeping those in leadership informed not just on issues, but on opportunities to better communicate and work together. Whether it is a junior staff member receiving acknowledgement for going above and beyond the call or a senior administrator alerting leadership of potential issues regarding employee health and well-being. It is clear that the leadership in the NFL, with Denver and Kansas City being first in, are engaged and ready to listen to resolve issues before they become problems.”
The two teams will begin implementing and onboarding staff into the system in the coming weeks. RealResponse already works with the NFLPA for player-related reporting, but having teams engaged will make the system more holistic and impactful across all areas of the organizations.
After New York set numerous national records in its first month of mobile sports betting, the Empire State faced lofty expectations for last weekend’s Super Bowl, the marquee event on the annual U.S. sports calendar.
In the wake of Super Bowl LVI, the first Super Bowl ever for New York mobile sportsbooks, there are indications that the state may have shattered those expectations. Vancouver-based geolocation security firm GeoComply identified 80.1 million Super Bowl-related transactions among U.S. sportsbook clients, well over double the amount from last year’s Super Bowl. In total, New York activity represented about one-quarter of the company’s U.S. sports betting traffic, ranking first in the market, GeoComply Managing Director of Gaming Lindsay Slader told Sports Handle.
At the same time, about 5.6 million accounts accessed legal online sportsbooks on Super Bowl weekend, a 95% increase from the previous year, according to GeoComply. New York also ranked first in that category, representing around 20% of nationwide accounts identified by GeoComply.
The figures likely would have been higher had the Buffalo Bills ended a two-decade-plus Super Bowl drought. The Bills, one of the top favorites to reach the Super Bowl, suffered a crushing overtime defeat to the Chiefs in the AFC divisional round, a game in which they took the lead with 13 seconds left in regulation. On Monday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul disclosed that New York handled nearly $2 billion in online sports wagers over the market’s first 30 days of operations.
Will New York top $200M in Super Bowl handle?
When the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) issued conditional licenses to nine mobile sportsbooks last November, New York state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. pressed the commission to roll out online sports wagering before the Super Bowl. Addabbo, chairman of the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, lauded the NYSGC for the expedited rollout in launching online sports wagering before the start of the playoffs.
“I always knew New York had this kind of potential, being one of the sports meccas and capitals of the world,” Addabbo told the Gamble On podcast on Wednesday. “But I’m quite surprised sometimes at some of these numbers.”
At present, seven of the nine licensed mobile sportsbooks are live in New York, led by industry heavyweights FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, and DraftKings. BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt told the Financial Times on Monday that BetMGM took more digital bets in New York than in any other state in which it operates.
Ahead of the Super Bowl, the American Gaming Association predicted that a record 31 million Americans were expected to bet on the event, resulting in a handle of about $7.6 billion. It is important to note that the estimates also included projected betting on the unregulated black market, consisting of offshore sportsbooks and wagers placed with illegal U.S. bookmakers.
The NYSGC indicated on Monday that it will not report a separate breakout for Super Bowl wagering activity. The commission, rather, will include Super Bowl-related betting activity in Friday’s weekly mobile sports betting report.
Nevertheless, there appears to be a strong likelihood that New York reached $200 million in Super Bowl handle, even by conservative estimates. On Tuesday, neighboring New Jersey reported a Super Bowl handle of $143.7 million, second only to Nevada’s $179.8 million on the event. New York’s population is more than double that of New Jersey.
Turning back to GeoComply’s data, there are further indications that New York may eclipse the $200 million threshold. If New Yorkers averaged $12.50 per bet on 20 million wagers placed, the handle would approach an astounding $250 million. According to GeoComply’s figures, about 20.02 million transactions were identified in New York.
The average wager at DraftKings’ Illinois sportsbook in December came in at $47.80 (on a sample size of six million wagers). The Illinois metrics are gleaned from a mix of pro and college football on the month. Over the first 30 days of online sports wagering in New York, the sportsbooks handled more than $600 million on football, the NYSGC disclosed. The handle includes last month’s College Football Playoff national championship, contested on the third day of mobile sportsbook operations in the Empire State.
Next up: March Madness
Following the Super Bowl, the sports betting industry enters a relatively quiet period before the start of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 15. The KeyBank Center in Buffalo will serve as one of eight regional sites for the first and second rounds of the tournament, more commonly known as March Madness.
By then, it’s possible one of the two remaining holdouts, Bally Bet and Resorts World, will have made its New York debut.
Addabbo, who pushed for an open market with more than a dozen mobile skins in New York, is impressed with the early returns considering that the state only has seven online sportsbooks.
“I’m amazed at those numbers, given the circumstances,” Addabbo added.
Bettors in California and Ohio potentially could have wagered as much as $400 million on Super Bowl LVI Sunday were sports betting live in either state, according to an in-depth report issued today by SportsHandle.com, a leading news source of information on sports betting legalization in the U.S.
If bettors had the opportunity to wager on this year’s Super Bowl, featuring the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals on Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Sports Handle projects that handle in California could have reached $300 million with gross gaming revenue reaching $21 million, and the state potentially taking in $2.1 million in tax revenue on a single event.
In Ohio, where fans will watch the Bengals make their first Super Bowl appearance since 1989, handle could have reached up to $100 million, with gross gaming revenue of up to $7 million, and tax revenue of up to $700,000. Both sets of gross gaming revenue projections come from using the industry-standard 7% win rate or “hold” that operators claim in wins against bettors from handle wagered.
The Sports Handle research and subsequent article were compiled by managing editor and sports betting legislation expert Jill R. Dorson and by legislative analyst and wagering revenue researcher Chris Altruda. The research and analysis assume that operators in both states were offering live, legal digital wagering with remote registration for at least one full NFL season ahead of the Super Bowl, that a minimum of 10 digital platforms would be live, that the game would be competitive into the fourth quarter, and that all wagering platforms and the live broadcast would not have any major technical glitches. The tax revenue projections are based on a 10% tax rate, which will go into effect in Ohio when wagering goes live, and is also the proposed tax rate put forth by a group of seven sports betting operators working to qualify an initiative for the November 2022 ballot in California.
In December, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine legalized sports betting when he signed HB 29 into law. State regulators are currently crafting rules, and the law calls for betting to go live no later than Jan. 1, 2023.
In California, a tribal retail-only sports betting initiative has already qualified for the November 2022 ballot. There could potentially be three others, but the most likely is a proposal from a group of seven operators, including BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel, that would allow for statewide mobile wagering with a 10% tax rate. The projections are based on voters approving the operators’ proposal.
Currently, legal online wagering is live in 20 U.S. jurisdictions, with up to three more — Maryland, Ohio, and Puerto Rico — to come online before 2023. In seven other states, retail-only wagering is available.
Founded in May 2017, Sports Handle is an elite sports betting industry news site that covers legislative and regulatory developments through original reporting, features, and analysis. Sports Handle is owned and operated by Better Collective, a leading sports betting media group that includes The Action Network, US Bets, and RotoGrinders.
