4 ways for Organizations to Grow the Sports Betting Industry

The William Hill betting sports lounge, which is located in New Jersey’s Prudential Center (PlayUSA.com).

There once was a time in the world when sports betting was one of the more taboo sectors of sports and entertainment. Now in 2022, most of the biggest leagues in sports have partnered with sportsbooks on promotional deals.

There are currently 31 active sports betting states in the US, with five more enacting betting laws since 2021, as well as California and Massachusetts awaiting legislation that could be completed by year’s end. Other states are looking to get into the fold too, like Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

It all dates back to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling to lift its federal ban on single-game sports wagering. That has opened up a market in sports that has helped bring it to new sets of eyes and has brought terms like Daily Fantasy Sports into the lexicon.

There are so many ways fans can connect to sports betting; the many apps that seem to launch daily, sports betting websites, and even in-arena sportsbooks and lounges. In 2018, New Jersey’s Prudential Center — home to the New Jersey Devils — partnered with William Hill to open the first in-arena sports lounge.

There is a lot to discuss in the emerging sports betting world. What are some of the best apps? Is there a difference between sportsbooks and sports lounges? What mobile content are apps using?

So here’s The Breakdown: 4 ways for Organizations to Grow the Sports Betting Industry.

1/App-tastic!

Sports betting apps have flooded the market, so it’d be best to partner with them now! Especially considering online betting makes up over 75% of the betting market.

From DraftKings to FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, PointsBet, and everything in between, the list of sports betting apps grows each day. But there are others who are making their way into the industry too.

• DraftKings Sportsbook has been noted by pundits as having the most complete betting experience overall. The app is known for its daily promotions, vast market depth, and betting lines that give users real opportunities to earn money.
• Are your consumers new to the betting world? BetMGM Sportsbook may be the app to use. Not only can you place up to $1,000 risk-free on your first bet through the app, but there is also a deeper list of sports to bet on with Bet MGM, as well as highly competitive odds.
• As for smartphone users, FanDuel Sportsbook has been noted as the best betting app for this contingent of consumers. FanDuel has been described as easy to use and allows fans to live stream games in the app, which may help users with the app’s same-game parlay feature.
• Chalkboard is a social sports betting app that has grown in popularity for the gameday experience. The app gives sports bettors a community forum to connect with family, friends, and other bettors while tracking bets in real-time and updating scores for a myriad of professional sports leagues.

Where are the jobs: There are in-person, remote, and hybrid roles coming about with sports betting apps. Remote roles include Software Engineers to design these apps, Production Leads of these sportsbooks’ studios, User Researchers for data, and Marketing Associates.

On-site roles include serving as a Sportsbook Associate or Cashier (whether in-stadium or at a sportsbook parlor), Surveillance Supervisor, Customer Service Reps, and Payment Strategy Associates. Looking to add a mix of both? Some hybrid roles being offered with sports betting apps include Senior Revenue Analyst, Organizational Program Manager, Media Partnership Activation Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager, and Solutions Architect.

2/Sportsbooks and Sports Lounges

Like the Prudential Center, other arenas across the country are doubling down on infusing sports betting into the gameday presentation. From sportsbook lounges to promos with specific sports betting apps, sports organizations are creatively adapting to the world of DFS.

• Take note: sportsbooks and sports lounges are similar, but not exactly the same. For example, Ohio’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will be opening a sports lounge with the Fubo Sportsbook app. Although fans will not be able to place in-person bets there — which varies for sports lounges from state to state — it will give them a place to watch live games and a place to use Fubo’s mobile betting app.
• Meanwhile, retail sportsbooks are the closest thing you can get to Las Vegas for betting without being there. The in-arena sportsbooks are generally with the top sportsbook apps (FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, etc.), which allows fans to bet on games that may be going on outside of their home venues.
• Arizona’s Footprint Center and Chase Field sports lounges, and the first in-arena sportsbook at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. are all operating today. The intention behind these sportsbooks is to make sure these venues are inhabited year-round by bettors, even if no game or event is taking place.
• More of these in-person sportsbooks/lounges are coming soon too with Illinois’ United Center and Arizona’s State Farm Stadium in the fall of 2022, as well as Audi Field in D.C. with a date to be determined.
• Wrigley Field is partnering with DraftKings to open a sportsbook that is adjacent to the historic baseball stadium in its “Wrigleyville.” Projected to open in 2023, the two-story addition will be one of the first true betting operations at a pro sports venue.

Where are the jobs: These roles are leaning more towards on-site as a part of the live game experience. The sportsbook and sports lounge roles include Sportsbook Ticket Writers, as well as hospitality/service roles like a Culinary Supervisor to oversee the food service, prep cooks, dishwashers, or barbacks serving alcohol.

But there are also administrative roles, like being an on-site Product Manager for the in-person bets or serving as General Manager, a role the F&B FanDuel Sportsbook is recruiting as it’s opening soon in Chicago’s United Center.

3/Gameday Experience and Promotions

Sportsbooks and sports lounges have enhanced the sports betting experience at live games. From promotional deals to single-day events, there are a plethora of new gameday experiences that have been influenced by the growth of sports betting.

• Betfred Colorado Sportsbook betting app offered $500 risk-free in bets and free beer as a part of a game-day promotion for users new to the app for a matchup between the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders in 2021. The more you bet there, Betfred also offers promotions like exclusive prize draws, shopping and restaurant vouchers, hospitality and exclusive event invites, and weekly cashback.
• There is also the fittingly named ‘The Game Day’ online network, which is an emerging sports betting website. It got creative this past winter by giving fans the opportunity to earn money as a “Super Bowl LVI analyst” by answering questions throughout the game.
• DraftKings offered several promotional deals during the NBA Finals, including one where users can place a $5 bet on a game during the series, but were guaranteed a reward of $150 (in addition to any money won if your bet hits!). BetMGM had a similar deal, shelling out $200 to fans for players they correctly projected to score more than one point.
• The Washington Nationals have built a financial ecosystem that now includes its eCash at its in-stadium BetMGM Sportsbook. All you need to do is download the BetMGM and MLB Ballpark apps, link your payment method, and you are all set from there. Now you can place bets, shop at the team store and FIS Champions Club, or order mobile concessions in the same system. But you won’t need to head to the ATM first!

Where are the jobs: These types of experiences are generally shared through content-based roles, like Content Specialists, Copywriters, Content Managers, or Campaign Managers.

If consumers feel like they want to share feedback about promotions or other comments about experiences like these, they can also reach out to Employee Relations Specialists or a Customer Experience Associate.

4/Sports Betting and the Media

Sports marketing is done in various ways, but one natural outlet is through the media. That is no different for sports betting and it has helped grow the industry into one that grossed over $57 billion in 2021 alone. Here are some ways media organizations are highlighting sports betting and how they are becoming partners as they cross paths.

• European sportsbook Tipico and media giant Gannett connected on a five-year deal in 2021 which gives the latter revenue as an affiliate with the new customers it helps drive to the sportsbook. The tradeoff is Gannett sharing Tipico-branded content to its roughly 50 million monthly visitors on its sports-themed outlets (Golf Week, MMA Junkie, USA Today Sports, etc.).
• DraftKings purchased sports-betting broadcast and content company Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc. (VSiN) in 2021. To kick off its DraftKings-released content in 2022, its first program was coinciding with the NCAA men’s basketball tournament brackets for its annual “Selection Sunday.”
• Sports Illustrated also got in on the betting world with its deal with gambling company 888. Not only did the collaboration include the production of iGaming products and SI content, but SI has also opened its online sportsbook with 888 and its first in-person sportsbook in Colorado.
• Shows like ESPN’s ‘Daily Wager’ or FS1’s ‘FOX Bet Live’ have become daily fixtures on two of sports' biggest media platforms. But there are other daily shows that have come about as well, like Bally Sports’ ‘Live on the Line,’ or MSG Network’s ‘The Bettor Half *Hour,’ ‘The Betting Exchange,’ and ‘Odds with Ends.’

Where are the jobs: Again, content-based roles are prevalent here, like On-Air Hosts, Scriptwriters, Data Researchers, and overall Content Management staff. But there are also production-based roles with this as well, like the Videographers, Screen Operators, Graphic Designers, and Video Production staff.

Administrative positions can be filled here as well, like Chief Financial Officers or Chief Marketing Officers.

Conclusion:

If you thought the sports betting world was going anywhere, you may want to rethink that sentiment. Just consider these statistics:

• Since sports betting became legal in the U.S. in 2018, the industry as a whole has grossed over $127 billion.
• Just in 2021 alone, a Morning Consul survey showed that even participation in sports betting once a month saw an increase of over 80% among adults from January to December.
• The most frequent bettors in the industry are ages 44 and under.
• 1 out of every 3 bettors are women.
• 12% of Americans say they place bets at least once a week. Roughly 50% of American adults said they have placed a bet in their lifetime.
• The global online betting market is projected to grow to $93 billion by 2023.

Betting has become commonplace with smartphones and apps, even the most novice of sports fans can take part. There are even betting apps that allow you to bet on things outside of sports and more in the entertainment realm, like with TV show contestants or award shows.

This growth for sports betting has brought along many new roles to go along with the emerging phenomenon. Whether it’s sportsbook associates and ticket writers, software designers, and engineers, or even service staff within a sports lounge, the roles are growing just as fast.

Sports betting is one of the new sectors emerging in the sports industry. You can learn more about it and the other areas in sports and entertainment that have come about in recent years in one of our previous editions of The Breakdown.

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