DISH TV and DraftKings have struck a “first of its kind” deal to bring live sports betting to your TV screen.
Those who have the DISH TV Hopper platform will be able to view and initiate bets as a result of the partnership. You can access the app by saying “Launch DraftKings” or by browsing the apps menu.
However, you won’t actually be able to complete bets on your TV screens.
Instead, once you initiate a bet, you can receive a text message to complete the wager from your mobile device.
Paul Liberman, the president of product and technology and co-founder at DraftKings, said:
“Our deal with DISH TV and the technology behind it immerses customers within a next-generation viewership experience and reaches these fanbases in a completely new way. This is a unique opportunity for fans to watch games and engage with our real-money products while the technology also allows for further innovation ahead.”
DISH TV has 11 million satellite subscribers. The deal will also allow users to set recordings and watch live sporting events that they have action on.
DraftKings, meanwhile, continues to be aggressive in expanding its US reach.
DraftKings advertises on Illinois video gaming terminals (VGTs)
The current Illinois market leader clearly sees value in meeting consumers where they are.
In September, DraftKings struck a deal with Accel Entertainment. It now shows ads at Accel’s 2,300 VGT locations across the state.
While the mechanics aren’t exactly the same, they are similar.
The Accel agreement allows DraftKings to promote mobile sign-ups, sports betting lines and special offers. However, users can’t initiate bets like they can with the DISH deal.
DraftKings is a key player in Illinois
It didn’t take long for DraftKings to become the most popular sportsbook in Illinois.
It has led the state in handle in the last two revenue reports we’ve seen, which were in November and December. We expect DraftKings to top the list in January, too.
In December, DraftKings took in $195 million worth of bets. FanDuel was second at $144 million.
It’s worth pointing out that DraftKings still hasn’t led Illinois sportsbooks in revenue for an entire month. FanDuel generated the most revenue in November and December.
Still, DraftKings is extremely popular in Illinois. And once its Wrigley Field sportsbook launches, people will be talking about it even more.
Is sports betting on TV the future?
FuboTV, the emerging live sports streaming service, is also interested in offering sports betting.
We should note that it’s not currently legal in the US to initiate and complete wagers on a TV screen, but it’s a possibility in the future.
We’ve seen other markets around the world try it in the past. The most memorable example was UK bookmaker Sky Bet, which spent millions developing a TV betting platform that flopped.
However, that was in the early 2000s, and technology has come a long way since then. As has the cultural acceptance of sports betting.
