Light & Wonder announced that it has reached an amended agreement with Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. to sell its sports betting division, OpenBet, to Endeavor for $800 million, down by a third from the original deal for $1.2 billion. Analysts say the amended deal reflects depressed valuations in the sports betting marketplace.
Under the definitive purchase agreement with Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company, Wonder will receive $750 million in cash and $50 million in Class A common stock of Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc., based on the volume weighted average price of such stock in the 20 days before the date of the amendment, or total gross proceeds of $800 million and estimated total net after-tax proceeds of approximately $700 million.
“The amended purchase agreement provides a strong valuation in the current market,” said L&W in a press release, “and also increases the speed and certainty of closing by modifying the conditions for closing, including Endeavor’s agreement to waive the closing condition requiring regulatory approval by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, if required.”
Under the revised terms, the transaction is anticipated to close by the end of the third quarter of 2022, subject to the remaining applicable regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The recently completed sale of the Scientific Games lottery business and the pending sale of OpenBet will cumulatively generate approximately $5.6 billion of estimated net after-tax proceeds.
“Endeavor is the right partner for OpenBet, and the amended agreement increases speed and certainty by creating a simplified path to closing the transaction, while unlocking substantial benefits for OpenBet and Light & Wonder,” said Barry Cottle, president and CEO of Light & Wonder.
“OpenBet demonstrates continued momentum across their key markets, and the amended terms of the transaction provide strong value for the business. The significant cash consideration from the OpenBet sale will enable us to further de-lever our balance sheet and achieve our targeted net debt leverage ratio range of 2.5X to 3.5X.
“This transaction is the final step in our journey to streamline our organization as we deliver on our promises as the leading cross-platform global game company. The cumulative proceeds from our divestitures, as well as our double-digit growth profile and $1.4 billion 2025 targeted consolidated EBITDA resulting in strong cash flow generation, is expected to create tremendous value for our shareholders. Our enhanced financial flexibility will enable us to accelerate the return of significant capital to shareholders through our share repurchase program, while also investing in key growth initiatives.”
OpenBet is one of the world’s leading global online sports betting technology companies, offering an ecosystem of sports content, technology and services to the largest operators around the world.
