BetMGM Becomes Detroit Lions' First Official Betting Partner
Professional sports teams in the US continue to align with sports betting providers as the legal wagering scene in the country continues a brisk march toward mainstreaming. The latest is the Detroit Lions who, on Thursday announced that BetMGM, the joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings, is the club's first Official Sports Betting Partner.
David Tsai, President, Midwest Group, MGM Resorts, said, "All of us at MGM Grand Detroit are eager and ready to welcome the Detroit Lions and sports betting fans to our BetMGM Sports Lounge this football season. We know everyone is eager to get out of their homes and add some fun into their calendars. We are committed to raising the bar in delivering unique and entertaining experiences".
BetMGM has been on a bit of a partnership roll lately. Along with deals with the NHL, BetMGM has been active, most recently signing Official Gaming partnerships with MLS, the Denver Broncos, PGA Tour, and NASCAR.
Thursday's announcement is just the latest example of the NFL and other North American leagues officially signaling an end to their longstanding issues with betting on the sport. News thought unimaginable just a few years ago seems like a weekly occurrence lately, with zero indication that partnership deals will slow in the future.
What's the Deal?
According to a statement released yesterday, the partnership features "fan-focused assets such as presenting sponsor of Lions Bingo and Lions Perks", as well as team broadcast programming, digital marketing assets, and in-stadium promotions and signage – typical for such a partnership.
Lions Bingo is a free game for clients on the Detroit Lions mobile app that allows users to predict plays during games and which stats could be reached each and every Lions' home and away contests. BetMGM will now provide cash prizes and future all-expenses-paid trips to visit MGM Resorts properties across the country for those fans that accurately and successfully predict specific outcomes.
Building on an Existing Deal
MGM Resorts had already aligned with the Detroit Lions prior to becoming the first Official Betting Partner of the club. The prior relationship included the MGM Grand Detroit Tunnel Club at Ford Field.
"When we first opened the BetMGM Sports Lounge at MGM Grand Detroit in March, we hoped to develop deep relationships with the state's top teams. We are honored to be the first sports betting partner of the Lions and to offer their fans access to a variety of best-in-class promotions and perks only available on BetMGM", said BetMGM's Chief Marketing Officer Matt Prevost of the evolution of the partnership.
“The Detroit Lions historic relationship with BetMGM has been years in the making and we’re proud to announce details of our official partnership”, Lions team president Rod Wood said in a statement. “We’re continuously seeking new ways to entertain and involve our fans which is especially important during such unusual times; this partnership with BetMGM will provide additional and exciting opportunities to engage our fans”.
Another Brick in the Wall
The evolution of professional sports teams and betting provider partnerships is ongoing and has been impressive, to say the least since the 2018 Supreme Court's overturning of the law prohibiting legal sports gambling.
We can expect more mergers to come and we can expect sports betting to become an even larger part of the NFL landscape going forward. Once a taboo subject to the sporting world, gambling, like it or not, has become part of the overall sporting experience.
