Daaaaaaa Brand Ambassador: BetRivers Inks Bears Legend Mike Ditka To Multi-Year Deal

Written By Joe Boozell on August 10, 2021
ditka betrivers ambassador

In June, BetRivers became the exclusive sports betting partner of the Chicago Bears. Now, BetRivers is partners with one of the most legendary Bears in franchise history, signing Mike Ditka to a multi-year deal as a “brand ambassador.”

Ditka was the head coach (or, “Da Coach“) of the 1985 Bears, who won the Super Bowl. That was the last time the Bears won the title.

Ditka also played for the Bears for 12 years as a tight end. He’s an NFL Hall-of-Famer.

Richard Schwartz, president of Rush Street Interactive, which owns BetRivers, said:

“We are honored to partner with one of the greatest coaches in NFL history; someone who has deep roots in Chicago and is one of the most important figures in modern sports and culture. Mike Ditka was successful at every level of the game, from player to coach to analyst, and we’re thrilled for him to bring his knowledge and passion to our sports betting arena at BetRivers.com.”

Ditka will create content for BetRivers’ digital platforms, which includes the online sportsbook in Illinois. This will include “Da Coach’s Picks of the Week”as well as “Beat Da Coach,” the latter of which will focus on upcoming Chicago Bears games.

Ditka said in a statement:

“As a coach my philosophy has always been one thing—to win. BetRivers strives to develop trusting relationships with its players. I’m really looking forward to helping strengthen those bonds even further by offering advice to its players on how to win.”

Ditka is arguably the most iconic living former Bear that BetRivers could have coaxed, with apologies to several others. He also has plenty of media experience.

Clearly, BetRivers is going all-in on Da Bears.

Bears, BetRivers, Arlington Park triangle

It’s been a busy offseason for the Bears for matters on and off the field.

They made a splash move in trading up for rookie QB Justin Fields, and they also might buy Arlington International Racecourse.

The Bears submitted a bid to buy the 326 acres of land. If Churchill Downs selects their offer, the Bears would ditch Soldier Field for Arlington Heights. It would represent a massive shift in the franchise’s business operations.

BetRivers also fits into that mix. Churchill Downs and Rush Street jointly own Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. It appears that Churchill Downs does not want to sell Arlington Park to any buyer who would compete with Rivers in casino gambling.

The Bears don’t fall into that bucket. And shortly after news broke that the Bears submitted a bid for Arlington Park, they struck an exclusive partnership with BetRivers.

There is a real possibility that the Bears are bound for the suburbs.

Bears Week 1 underdogs @ Rams

There is a lot to be excited about for Bears fans right now, but Week 1 against the Rams doesn’t fall into that category. Here are the latest Chicago Bears odds:

 

Chicago is currently a 7-point underdog at most Illinois online sportsbooks. Andy Dalton will likely get the start over Fields, and he may be operating behind a patchwork offensive line.

The Bears open their preseason slate on Saturday against the Dolphins.

Photo by AP file photo
Joe Boozell Avatar
Written by
Joe Boozell

Joe Boozell has also been a college sports writer for NCAA.com since 2015. His work has also appeared in Bleacher Report, FoxSports.com and NBA.com. Growing up, Boozell squared off against both Anthony Davis and Frank Kaminsky in the Chicagoland basketball scene ... you can imagine how that went.

View all posts by Joe Boozell
Privacy Policy