The latest merger between big gambling and big media became official Monday, foretelling a not-too-distant future of monolithic corporations and in-game wagering from home. The deal makes FOX Bet and parent company Flutter Entertainment a 95% shareholder in New York-based FanDuel. To complete the acquisition, Dublin-based Flutter will get a […]
Business and Commerce
Despite Breeders’ Cup, Betting Handles Down During November
Despite the betting bonanza that is the Breeders’ Cup, November’s Thoroughbred betting handle dipped more than 6% from its 2019 numbers according to Equibase’s monthly report on Economic Indicators in Thoroughbred Racing. The drop can be attributed to an 8% dip in Breeders’ Cup handle from its record numbers in […]
USWNT Reaches Working Conditions Settlement, Fight For Equal Pay Continues
Players for the US women’s national soccer team can claim victory off the field this week. Their claim against the US Soccer Federation that working conditions are unequal with the men’s team was settled in their favor. The settlement allows that when it comes to venue selection, charter flights, hotel […]
DraftKings Bets Big On Vegas’ Future, Sponsors Gaming Innovation Program at UNLV
DraftKings doesn’t currently operate in Nevada, but that didn’t stop them from signing a new, multi-year agreement to help fund the Center for Gaming Innovation at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. No Mobile Registration, No Problem While the Nevada Gaming Control Board doesn’t yet allow mobile sportsbook registration, the […]
Coloradans Can Merge Their Love of Beer and Sports Betting with Upcoming Broncos Promotion
Bud Light will have its name on the first-ever branded bet made with a sportsbook FanDuel announced on Wednesday. The two will team up to sponsor a wager during the Dec. 19 game between the Denver Broncos and the visiting Buffalo Bills. The proposition is simple: Dubbed the “Pick & […]
Rocky Mountain Sports Bettors High on Parlays Result in Record October
Colorado experienced another record month in October as more than $210 million was wagered, and sportsbooks netted more than they had in the previous six months combined. Another benchmark was reached in October as Colorado became the fifth state behind Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Indiana to post back-to-back $200 […]
Oregon Sports Betting Reports Record Two Months, Still Falls Short of Promise
While New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Indiana all enjoyed record-breaking months in sports betting handle this fall, Oregon has quietly had its own promising, yet very low-key, spree. September and October have been the biggest months yet since Oregon legalized sports betting in August 2019. The Oregon Lottery posted its […]
Bing Crosby Season Meet Croons Record Handle for Del Mar
Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic that eliminated spectators for its Bing Crosby Season Fall Meet, Del Mar reported a 33% handle increase from 2019. The San Diego-area seaside track checked in with a $195.9 million handle for its five-week fall meet, a byproduct of robust fields, more races, and strong, […]
49ers Locked Out of Their Facility is Latest of Team’s Troubles in Santa Clara
It has been a mighty descent for the San Francisco 49ers since their disappointing show in Super Bowl LIV, which found them on the losing end (31-20) to the Kansas City Chiefs. The NFC West’s last-place team has been bedeviled this season by injuries, messy COVID-19 protocols, and now, is […]
Tech Giant Tony Hsieh Who Revitalized Downtown Vegas with Startups Dies at 46
Tony Hsieh, the former head of Zappos who made it his mission to revitalize downtown Las Vegas as a tech-friendly enclave, died Friday night after sustaining injuries in a house fire. Though the details of Hsieh’s death are still unresolved, he was reportedly visiting his brother in Connecticut when a […]
BetMGM Nabs Pittsburgh Steelers Partnership Prior to Launch in Pennsylvania
BetMGM’s pending arrival in Pennsylvania kicked off Tuesday with the announcement of a multi-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The online sportsbook has grown its media footprint steadily since hiring chief operating officer Ryan Spoon from ESPN last month. Parent company MGM touted BetMGM as the company’s 2020 bright spot […]
Into Mischief Again Proves He’s a Breed Above the Rest
Into Mischief illustrated again why he is the most sought-after sire in North America when his suddenly hot 2-year-old, Life Is Good, won his Del Mar debut Sunday. With the victory, Into Mischief broke the North American single-season progeny earnings record. When Life Is Good romped home by 9-½ lengths […]
Bally’s Buys Bet.Works, Forges Sinclair Broadcast Partnership
Bally’s Corporation, formerly Twin River Worldwide Holdings, acquired the sportsbook and iGaming technology company, Bet.Works. But that wasn’t Bally’s only mega-deal this week. Bally’s also announced a strategic partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group, which sent both their stocks soaring. Bally’s recent deals should boost its sports betting profits. At least […]
Crowded Field Yields Significant Sports Betting Uptick in the Rockies
Like New Jersey, Illinois, and Indiana, Colorado has reported record increases in online gambling this fall as a bevy of sportsbook operators custom-tweak apps and websites to gain credibility among bettors. Online Wagering in Colorado Takes Hold in the Fall Sports betting went live in Colorado on May 1, after […]
DraftKings Stock Soars Again After Analysts Set $100 Price Target
DraftKings stock continued to climb back toward its peak on Thursday, rising to nearly $50 a share after analysts said a likely boom in sports betting will greatly increase the profitability of the Boston-based company. The stock rose to nearly $65 a share in early October, but dropped to about […]
Keeneland November Sale Brings Stability, Slight Dip to Sales Market
One of the biggest horse sales in North America, the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, ended its 10-day run Wednesday with a modest, COVID-19-related drop in sales from 2019. At the same time, nine horses sold for at least $1 million each. The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale is one […]
New Jersey Shatters Online Gambling Records in October, Nevada Lags Behind
New Jersey’s online sports gambling totals went berserk in October, and officials say a billion-dollar handle month is possible by year’s end. Remarkably, officials also reported that online gambling is coming close to making up for all brick-and-mortar losses sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Casino win was 92% of last […]
DraftKings’ Q3 Gains Create Stock Surge, But is Success Sustainable?
Buoyed by a trio of new states approving gambling on Election Day and continued progress with professional sports partnerships, DraftKings reported some big third quarter wins on Friday. As a result, shares of DraftKings stock jumped more than 10% to end the week after the company released blockbuster quarter-end totals, […]
New Jersey Moves One Step Closer to Fixed-Odds Horseracing Wagering
A bill expanding and legalizing fixed-odds wagering on New Jersey horse races emerged from committees in that state’s senate – a little more than a week after being introduced in New Jersey’s state legislature. The bill, allowing permanent fixed odds on races, enjoys bipartisan support in the state legislature. The […]
Clubs, Operators Scramble After Spain Bans Soccer Team Gambling Sponsorships
Today, 17 of the 20 clubs in La Liga – Spain’s top-flight soccer league – enjoy some sort of sponsorship deal with one or more gaming firms. By next season, the Spanish government says that number will be zero. Last week, the Spanish government approved the Royal Decree on Commercial […]