When PointsBet made the decision to pull out of its relationship with NBC Sports and “Football Night in America,” it presented an opportunity for BetMGM.
The online sportsbook was quick to capitalize on their competitor’s decision to focus on regional exposure. BetMGM was all too eager to get a foothold on a national stage.
Now BetMGM is the official odds provider for NBC’s Sunday Night Football show as well as providing content across other NBC Sports platforms.
BetMGM officials said the partnership was a way to engage younger viewers and increase their presence.
“The biggest goal of our partnerships is to reach, resonate and engage with fans, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to work with the talented team at NBC Sports to do just that this NFL season,” Matt Prevost, chief revenue officer of BetMGM, said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing football fans nationwide insights from the BetMGM trading team, as well as entertaining segments that showcase the excitement of betting with BetMGM.”
A nice byproduct of the partnership was the boost BetMGM should see with Fantasy sports, a growing market. There will be BetMGM tie-ins on all Matthew Berry shows, including “Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry,” which runs weekdays on Peacock.
“Consumption has changed, and I think that’s really important for us to understand,” Mitesh Mehta, senior vice president of betting, gaming and strategic partnerships for NBC Sports Next, a subdivision of NBC Sports, said in an interview. “And the reason why people tune in continues to change, so we continue to need to evolve.”
NBC has long been involved in fantasy sports. Their nbcsportsedge.com site ranked No. 2, after Fantasy Pros, in visits, page views and time spent among fantasy sports websites between September 2021 and August 2022, according to comScore.
“Not just specifically with sports betting, but with fantasy and free-to-play games, any type of gaming attached to the core game itself leads to a younger and more diverse audience who continues to engage longer and more often,” Mehta said.
